Weezer played 'Pinkerton' @ Roseland Ballroom w/ Free Energy (pics & setlist)

photos by Chris La Putt, words by Andrew Sacher

Weezer‘s opening set on Saturday night, the second of two shows at Roseland Ballroom with Free Energy, was somewhat of a time machine. They played one song from each album (excluding Raditude) in descending order from Memories to Blue Album. It was performed as a typical post-Red Album Weezer set, with Patrick Wilson abandoning his drums for a guitar, bassist Scott Shriner singing lead vocals on “Dope Nose” and Rivers Cuomo frequently choosing to put down his guitar and only sing. There isn’t much to say about post-Pinkerton Weezer songs that hasn’t been said at this point (although the band was admittedly impressive during “Hash Pipe”) but the latter half of Weezer’s “time machine” set rewarded the nostalgic Weezer fan with some real gems. This half of the set consisted of Blue/Pinkerton era b-sides including my personal favorite non-album Weezer track, “You Gave Your Love to Me Softly,” from the Angus Soundtrack. This was also the first time Weezer performed the beloved “Jamie” since 1996.

After a short intermission, Weezer returned to the stage with Patrick Wilson back on drums, and a timid looking Rivers without his recent trademark tie and glasses hunched over his guitar. Seeing Weezer perform Pinkerton in its entirety was undeniably an incredible experience, but as soon as the band launched into “Tired of Sex” Rivers gave off the vibe that he was actually “tired of Pinkerton.” The crowd’s participation in every song proved that Pinkerton is still a collection of awe-inspiring tracks with a devoted fanbase, but Weezer seemed to lack the energy they had while performing their more-recent hits. They might just not be that same band anymore. Pinkerton is the album that upon its release was considered career suicide on Weezer’s road to rock-stardom, and Weezer are rock stars now. Maybe Pinkerton is just meant be a buried treasure of the past.

One night earlier they performed the “Blue Album.” The setlist and pictures from that show are HERE. The setlist and pictures, and a video of the band playing “Jamie”, continue below…

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Free Energy

Weezer

Weezer performing Jamie for the first time since 1996

Weezer at Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, USA
Setlist on December 18, 2010
“Hits” Set
Memories
Pork and Beans
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)
Perfect Situation
Dope Nose
Hash Pipe
You Gave Your Love to Me Softly
Susanne
Jamie
Only in Dreams

Pinkerton
Tired of Sex
Getchoo
No Other One
Why Bother?
Across the Sea
The Good Life
El Scorcho
Pink Triangle
Falling for You
Butterfly