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Published
March 19, 2001
The Columbia Chronicle
Published in both print and online editions. 		Emo overflow

I've got an electric guitar
I play my stupid songs
I write these stupid words
and I love every one

     The sold-out crowd at the Aragon Ballroom also loved every word. Weezer - the unofficial rock band of the uncool, unhip, and utterly square—has finally returned to the limelight, with all the same intensity and passion they have embodied since their beginning. Weezer rocked the house, and enjoyed every moment of it. And so did their fans, who sang along with the group and didn’t miss a beat.

     Playing for one and a half hours, which is pretty long for rock bands these days, Weezer was sure to not disappoint their fans. Kicking off with “My Name is Jonas,” Weezer played a well-rounded set of tunes from their two albums (their self-titled debut and Pinkerton), as well as a handful of new songs from their forthcoming album (rumored to be released in April). All of their popular songs were played, such as “Why Bother?”, “El Scorcho”, “Surf Wax America”, and “The Good Life”. Everyone was up and singing along when Weezer played their geek-anthem “In the Garage”. It was a true moment of bonding between the rock band and their fans, who know exactly how they feel when they sing “In the garage…I feel safe...no one cares about my ways.”

     Of course, no Weezer concert could be complete without “Say It Ain’t So”, “Undone-the Sweater Song”, and “Buddy Holly”—their top radio hits. I don’t want to imagine what kind of riot would have ensued had Weezer chosen to not play “Buddy Holly”. However, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t hear “Jamie”, “Getchoo”, or “No One Else”; I would’ve gladly traded “Undone” to hear the screeching opening riff of “Getchoo” or the embittered-yet-fun lyrics of “No One Else”. While no one is perfect, Weezer came close.

     Additional bonuses that night were Weezer’s opening acts—Ozma and the Get Up Kids, who played for 30 and 45 minutes respectively. While the Get Up Kids were almost as well received by the audience as the headliners themselves, it was Ozma that left me with the best impression of the two openers. They played an energetic eight-song set, including an instrumental rock cover of “Korobeiniki”. That song, which is a 300-year-old traditional Russian folk song, is better known as the “Tetris theme”, as it was used by Nintendo in their Game Boy release of 12 years ago. While Ozma earned many “dork” points from the crowd for that tune—which is definitely a good thing—they would still have been a worthy first act without it.

     This show was indeed a gem of concerts nowadays. It is a rare treat to see a great band put on a great show (and for longer than an hour, to boot), accompanied by entertaining opening acts, and at an affordable price. Tickets sold for $11 or $16, but that night, Weezer put on a show that was well worth that amount, and more.



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