 Concert Review: Weezer show felt like real concert
For most of Weezer's Tuesday show at Hard Rock Live, it seemed like a real concert instead of a taping for MTV.
The annoying disclaimer that always precedes the music wasn't as intrusive as usual and the audience was only required to "cheer'' at the empty stage rather than sing-along with it.
For its part, Weezer put on a fabulous - if brief - rock show. The band's economical, melodically addictive material either matched or exceeded the studio versions and lead singer Rivers Cuomo was a charming host, even though a man of few words.
He did acknowledge the trappings of the MTV taping with a short aside in which he apologized for any gratuitous rock-star posing: "I hope that's OK,'' he said.
Dressed geek-chic in a pullover sweater and his Buddy Holly-esque thick-rimmed black eyeglass frames, Cuomo was energetic all night, bending his body backward at odd angles as if it helped coax the moaning tones out of his electric guitar.
The rest of the band sounded great, too. From the opening "Photograph,'' the occasionally problematic Hard Rock acoustics were cooperative all night. Even in the balcony, not the happening place to be when the cameras were panning the sold-out mob on the floor, the sound mix was good.
There was a handsome stage set, too, with the obligatory corporate sponsorship logo displayed more discreetly than in past years. The dominant visual feature was the huge Weezer logo in bright neon lights. It was the centerpiece of a design that also included pieces of broken mirrors hanging suspended from the rafters and about a dozen or so industrial-looking silver beams.
But this show wasn't about special effects. For the relatively short time that Weezer was on stage (a 45-minute main set), the band poured out terrific songs.
Weezer roared through favorites such as "Undone - The Sweater Song'' and "Buddy Holly'' with a combination of exuberance and technical skill. As the band provided a solid rhythmic base, Cuomo offered a reminder that he's no slouch as a guitarist.
His solos weren't flashy in a guitar-hero sense, but each note was laced with a remarkable amount of emotion. Like his songwriting, Cuomo's playing avoids excess, leaving just the good stuff.
In "Beverly Hills,'' the signature track from the band's new Make Believe, the guitar break momentarily brushed against the moaning sounds of the blues. On "Buddy Holly,'' of course, he indulged his affinity for the instrument's high end.
After that song closed the main set, there was an interminable delay before the band returned. Some of the lighting had malfunctioned and another technical glitch was a reminder that this was a production not a rock show.
"This is weird, but we have to do 'Beverly Hills' one more time,'' Cuomo told the crowd following the encore opener "Hash Pipe.''
After the repeat performance Cuomo "rewarded'' the crowd for its patience with a rollicking "Surf Wax America.'' A nice gesture, but not really necessary after a show with so many rewarding moments. |
