Weezer’s concert at the Viejas Arena Oct. 21 felt less like a traditional concert and more like an escape from the real world. With Silversun Pickups and The Shins opening, the night was filled with different sounds, energetic performances and an intentional stage design that made the entire show feel like a backyard house concert.

Silversun Pickups opened the night with a drum and bass-heavy sound that was very captivating. Their music was energetic, rhythmic and almost felt hypnotic at points. The heavy bass and drums made their set feel exciting and offered a great welcome to fans. The Shines were great as well, though the microphone occasionally felt too loud, which took away from the instruments. At certain points, I wanted to hear more of the string instrument being played onstage, but the vocals would overpower the arrangement.

Weezer began their performance with a video that connected the concert to a larger story. This introduction set the tone for the rest of the night. I definitely appreciated the video because it gave more context to the name of their tour, The Gathering, which was set up as an impromptu backyard concert that Weezer was summoned to perform at.

My favorite part of the show was the stage design. The set featured a house, white picket fence and powerlines to transport the crowd to The Gathering. The backdrop tied the whole show together and changed between different outdoor settings. The overall set was very atmospheric and intentional, even down to the lighting. The lights above the stage flashed like shooting stars,
adding to the feeling of estrangement: like the audience had stepped into a different world.

One of the most unique moments came when the power seemingly went out, sparks flying off the powerlines just before the stage went dark. This prompted the band to play a few songs acoustically, which was a break from the, otherwise, high-octane show. It also made the concert feel more intimate, as if we were really sitting around a campfire with Weezer.

The band focused heavily on their classic 90s songs, which were deeply appreciated by the audience. The crowd included people of all ages, from parents with their children to older fans who have likely been listening to Weezer for decades. Throughout the night, the audience sang along to nearly every song, which underscored that Weezer is for everybody.

Unfortunately, there were times where Rivers Cuomo’s microphone felt too loud, which slightly drowned out the instruments. Even so, the entire night was memorable. I especially enjoyed it when Nikki Monninger of Silversun Pickups returned to the stage through the house portal to sing a few songs with Weezer. I felt it was particularly thoughtful that they brought their opener back into the main performance, especially for the songs originally featuring a woman’s voice. Instead of attempting those parts themselves, Weezer handed the spotlight over to Monniger.

Because the setlist was so long (approximately two hours) Weezer saved their most popular songs for the end. I enjoyed this decision because it gave the concert a familiar ending and left the audience singing along until the very end.

Overall, Weezer’s performance was fun, creative and nostalgic. The combination of classic songs, visuals, acoustic moments and the welcoming crowd of all ages made the concert feel like a temporary escape. By creating the atmosphere of a backyard house show inside Viejas Arena, Weezer gave the audience that made a massive stage feel personal.