1MM: Weezer @ Madison Square Garden, 9.24.08

Posted on September 25, 2008
Filed Under 1MM, Media |

Photos by Andrew Parks

As we said on our Twitter account earlier, Wednesday’s Weezer show was basically the opposite of My Bloody Valentine’s endurance test the day before: loose and laidback, beginning with a raucous rendition of “My Name Is Jonas,” as howled by bassist Scott Shriner. (Frontman Rivers Cuomo spent the entire song prowling the stage and flexing his finest rock star poses.)

Watching Cuomo share the spotlight with his bandmates—every member had their turn(s) as lead vocalist, including a cheeky bastard cover of Oasis’ “What’s the Story, Morning Glory?” by drummer Patrick Wilson—was certainly surprising at first. After all, the last time we saw Weezer (about six years ago in a mid-sized Rochester arena), Cuomo was still in his eccentric/egocentric phase, keeping all eyes on him while looking stilted and akward for at least half of the set. Not this time around; judging by the band’s costume changes alone, from Royal Tenenbaum-esque track suits to Cuomo’s inexplicable soccer uniform at the show’s close, Weezer was clearly determined to show their lighter side. (Check out the difference between cover stories in 2002 and 2006 to see how Cuomo’s morphed from an imposing Grizzly Adams phase to being a complete goofball.)

Song wise, tonight was full of fan favorites, balancing proven new jams (”Pork & Beans,” a rather operatic “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived”) with such welcome deep cuts as “Pink Triangle” and “El Scorcho.” Photos and a complete set list after the jump …

MSG Setlist:
My Name Is Jonas
Pink Triangle
Perfect Situation
Say It Ain’t So
Susanne
Keep Fishin’
King
Undone (featuring Tom DeLonge of Angels & Airwaves)
Pork & Beans
Dreamin’
Dope Nose
Troublemaker
Automatic
Hash Pipe
El Scorcho
What’s the Story, Morning Glory? (Oasis cover)
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived

Encore one (with 30 fans as ‘hootenanny’ backing band):
Island in the Sun
Beverly Hills

Encore two:
Sliver (Nirvana cover)
Buddy Holly


Comments

12 Responses to “1MM: Weezer @ Madison Square Garden, 9.24.08”

  1. joydivided on September 25th, 2008 6:27 am

    he definitely doesn’t look as medicated as he was when I saw them at Coachella where Rivers acted like a china doll with the flu the whole show.

  2. russ on September 25th, 2008 7:16 am

    that’s bad-ass. thanks! best weezer show I’ve seen in a while!

  3. Gina on September 25th, 2008 12:09 pm

    Absolutely the best I have ever seen Weezer perform! Rivers was truly the man last night!

  4. jakob on September 25th, 2008 2:18 pm

    a great performance, but please — tom delonge did NOT sing on “say it ain’t so”! he did one verse and some backups on “undone,” which was a travesty in and of itself, but weezer knows not to fuck with SIAS.

  5. admin on September 25th, 2008 2:24 pm

    woops. correction duly noted. that’s what posting at 3 a.m. will do to you—warp your brain and common sense.

  6. Ryan on September 25th, 2008 3:39 pm

    Is that a mini trampoline on stage??

  7. admin on September 25th, 2008 3:44 pm

    sure is. the photo of rivers in the air is from when he bounced off it at one point.

  8. Ryan on September 25th, 2008 3:49 pm

    this just raised my ‘amped for weezer’ level by more than i thought possible. Rivers looks like he is rocking out like ive never seen from him.

  9. Ed on September 26th, 2008 5:44 am

    First Weezer show and took my Nephew to his First Concert, what an awesome show, Weezer was rockin’ my ears are still ringing.

  10. CokeFrog on September 26th, 2008 9:22 am

    Was at this show. It kicked all kinds of ass. There was so much energy in the Garden it was unreal.

  11. Edward on September 26th, 2008 6:31 pm

    The SG and clothes give me a Pete Townsend flashback.

  12. Paul on September 26th, 2008 9:07 pm

    Weezer Was Amazing By Far One Of The Best Show I’ve Seen In Years

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