These 30-something-year-old guys get to rock out to Weezer to an audience who want nothing more than to be reminded of those sweet, ‘90s rock tunes. And they do a hell of a job.
Returning to The Ed' Castle for the first time in over a year, I Can't Believe It's Not Weezer once again transformed a tight, low-lit space into an explosive stadium reverberating nostalgic '90s tunes. What distinguished this gig and made it special was the familiarity between the band and the audience. For that night, they were two old friends meeting up to reminisce about times shared, wanting to go back to when things seemed easier and they had more fun. The band had no hesitations about taking us there, reeling through albums Blue (1994) and Pinkerton (1996) in their relentless entirety.
From the crowd-pleasing favourite, Buddy Holly, the band were unstoppable and continued to build the room. Taking in their stride broken strings and multiple guitar changes, they maintained an infectious energy that left no one standing still. Die-hard Weezer fans wallowed in the anticipation of hearing their next favourite and weren't disappointed. However, punters who weren't familiar with Weezer were equally entertained, singing along to the classic punchy choruses of Say It Ain't So and Holiday. Hardly pausing for another sip of beer, the band were genuinely excited by the crowd's response, affecting the mood of the entire room. At times it felt like they deserved more space to liberate their energetic thrashing and flailing.
Despite this limited space, all four members had impressive stage presence and electrified what little room they had, transferring it into the front-row dancers. The band showed competence in taking the vibes from incredible highs to intimate, sway-heavy lows. Thick layers of guitar coated everyone in the room, complemented by surprisingly clear vocals harmonising with one another. As we swiftly transferred from Blue to Pinkerton, the crowd was thoroughly warmed up and ready to go harder. Throwing in the effortlessly playful (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To, the frontman invited the crowd to join them on stage, resulting in two drunk girls dancing and singing the chorus into a mic, reaffirming how awesome this band really is.
Being a cover band, you're restricted in what you play at each show. What I Can't Believe It's Not Weezer proved was that this is no limitation. These 30-something-year-old guys get to rock out to Weezer to an audience who want nothing more than to be reminded of those sweet, '90s rock tunes. And they do a hell of a job.
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