The recent announcement of Weezer's Blue Album/Pinkerton tour making a stop in New York City at Roseland Ballroom Dec 17th and 18th should excite me. SHOULD.
For those who don't know me personally, I'm a huge Weezer fan and in recent years have turned into sort of a Weezer apologist towards the many who cry 'sell out' and have fell out of love with their later material. I would always wonder why everyone is so sour on Weezer. I mean, I've consistently enjoyed the band's music and unless they "progress" drastically, I don't see a future where I dislike the music of Weezer.
But this latest stunt really pisses me off. Weezer announced playing 2 nights in select cities playing the self titled Blue Album on one night and Pinkerton on the next(with greatest hits played on both nights). I've seen this band twice, once with my father at Madison Square Garden(full experience can be viewed here) and once this past summer at the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn(full experience can be read here). I actually had tickets to a third Weezer show in Nov or Dec 2009 but canceled when their tour bus crashed) Both shows I attended left me feeling unfulfilled. I left both of those shows thinking two things. A)That was about $30 over priced and B) I wish they played more songs off Blue or Pinkerton.
Now, after milking me for plus 50 dollars on two separate occasions at venues with poor sightlines, playing mediocre set lists, hopeless opening acts and 40 dollar tee shirts; NOW they've decide to go on the tour that every single fan of the band wanted to see in the first place. I mean, of course they played Buddy Holly at the shows I attended-but come on. This is a band with a back catalog containing all sorts of great songs that lots of people love-why did it take them so long to think of this idea(especially with the plethora of bands to go on album based tours in recent years)? I always been one to believe that Weezer isn't a band about the bottom line(I'm aware all bands are about the bottom line, but I mean I think their LESS concerned than other bands) but a band about having fun and making fun music. And most importantly a band to not ever take themselves seriously.
Even tho deep down I still think that first and foremost they're a band about having fun and I think the band has made enough money throughout their history to go on a tour without the intentions on making money being a top priority. But I've got to say, I'm starting to think that it is more than a coincidence that their doing this highly anticipated tour on the heels of their first record ("Hurley") released since 1993 that wasn't backed by a major label now that the bands DGC contract expired their currently singed to Epitaph Records(a label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz).
All this said if tickets don't sell out I will probably end up attending one or both of these shows. In the words of Peter Griffin "That really grinds my gears" and I just needed to get some built up angst off my chest. I think my feelings on this matter are shared by many. As an avid concert goer and pseudo rock journalist-to put me at the point where I would even think of not going to a show involving a band who's records I all own, is disgusting. The bad taste in my mouth has been lurking for days despite an increased teeth brushing regimen.
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