 Weezer, Foo Fighters make odd mix memorable
Anna Nicole Smith and J. Howard Marshall II. Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. Weezer and the Foo Fighters?
On the surface, they're all odd couples, but something down deep connects them, producing something memorable, as was the case Wednesday night when the two bands rocked a packed America West Arena.
Up first was geek/pop/rock quartet Weezer. The band, led by the notoriously conflicted singer Rivers Cuomo, seemed to be in good spirits throughout its 18-song set.
Heavy on tunes from its lastest release, Make Believe , the set also featured nearly all of the band's hits. New songs such as 'We are All on Drugs,' and especially 'Perfect Situation,' with its infectious refrain of 'Ohhhs', won over the crowd.
But it was the band's classic hits that really worked fans into a frenzy, including 'Say It Ain't So,' 'Hash Pipe' and 'Buddy Holly,' during which the band's giant flying "W" sign descended from the rafters, getting the massive pit swirling and swaying.
A lucky fan named Mandy was plucked from the pit and got the honor of jamming with the band on 'Undone (The Sweater Song).' But it seemed like she was either too stressed trying to strum the right chords or was just plain bored because she didn't seem too enthusiastic about being on stage.
Driven by the propelling beats of drummer Patrick Wilson, the band's songs popped during the show, proving that seeing Weezer live is the only way to go.
Though they played fewer songs than Weezer, headliners Foo Fighters didn't leave fans feeling like they were short-changed.
Opening with the driving title track off their new album, 'In Your Honor,' the Dave Grohl-led quartet pummeled eardrums from the front row all the way to the worst seat in the arena and didn't let up until they walked off the stage.
While Weezer's set was fairly simplistic with a minimalist black and gray backdrop, the Foos offered up a stellar rock-show lighting setup complete with monitors that alternated between atmospheric photos and weird camera angles of each of the band members. Lasers, fog machines and a myriad of stage lights pulsated along with the thunderous drumming of Taylor Hawkins.
The band did a good job of pacing new songs with the old. Highlights included 'My Hero,' 'Best of You,' 'All My Life' and an extended version of 'Stacked Actors,' which featured Grohl running through the pit to the soundboard at the back of the arena for his guitar solo. It was hard to tell who was having a better time, Grohl or the fans.
Grohl knows his fans and their brand of humor, which is probably why he knew following up his solo performance of the band's sensitive guy anthem, 'Everlong,' with Tenacious D's '(Expletive) Her Gently,' would not only be a good move, but one that incited a massive sing along of the ... well, shall we say, sexually explicit lyrics.
To say the band's set was simply loud wouldn't do justice to the abuse that the thousand of eardrums withstood during the show. In fact a friend said, "I can literally feel my eyeballs shaking inside of my head."
But what Foo fan would expect anything less?
And that's just how the band likes it. |
