We took the kids to see Weird Al Saturday night. I have been a fan since his Bad Hair Day album came out when I was 11. I am sure that I played and sang those songs so much that my parents had to learn to manually tune me out. I don't really know how the kids were introduced to Weird Al, other than me (or my older brother) probably playing some random song one day and they were hooked. To me, Weird Al is one of those musicians that can pull you out of a bad mood. How can you stay upset while singing along to "Like a Surgeon" hey! cutting for the very first time. Like a sur-er-er-er-geon, here's a waiver for you to sign. Or another favorite of mine, "I think I'm a clone now. There's always two of me just hanging around. I think I'm a clone now, cause every chromosome is a hand me down."
We went and saw him three or four years ago at a large amphitheater where we sat on the grass. Weird Al was there with all the parody hits and theatrics with costumes and props. (And I think maybe there was a choir? Or maybe it was an orchestra? I'm thinking orchestra now.) We really enjoyed it and I remember how much the kids immediately wanted to see him again. This time around it was his vanity tour, where he would only play his own songs and not parodies. There would be no costume changes and it would just him and his band. I knew it would still be good, but I didn't know how a plain concert would compare to such a previous fun show.
It turned out to be great in its own way. Everyone had amazing energy and Al was funny during his little monologues between songs. And they definitely had way more lighting effects than I was imagining. Obviously being an artist can always just be an act, but I do believe that Al is probably a really unique and caring person in real life. He just exudes this happy, creative energy.
The opener was comedian Emo Philips, who I was not familiar with. Owsley had looked him up earlier in the week, so we knew what his demeanor was going to be like. I think that made me more excited to see him, because his character was so theatrical. He was hilarious and we all loved his set. I really enjoyed hearing a comedian over an opening band that I've never heard of. Gage especially seemed to love it. He's always loved eccentric humor and it was good to see him laughing so much. Thank goodness at least covid didn't eat the parts of our brains responsible for humor.
To give you an idea.....This is Emo Philips
Peppy got me into stand up comedy when we first got married. We would often listen to George Carlin and Mitch Hedberg. Obviously these guys weren't PG, but comedy has really gotten much raunchier over the past decade, especially with female comedians who apparently think they have something to prove. One of my favorite things Emo said was, "A comedian that has to cuss to get a laugh is like a martial artist who has to use a machine gun." Much appreciated, Emo. I have a very good sense of humor that expands in all directions, and I agree that the curse words don't add anything.
I was most excited to hear 'When I Was Your Age,' 'I Remember Larry,' 'Christmas at Ground Zero,' 'Nature Trail to Hell' and 'Craigslist.' 'Craiglist' sounds like the Doors and Weird Al went off on a a Jim Morrison-esque tangent that was absolutely hilarious. The man is a genius in his own way. He ended the concert with an encore lounge medley of Amish Paradise/Smells Like Nirvana/Yoda/White and Nerdy and also had some Disney Tiki Room gods and Grim Grinning Ghosts thrown in there.
Right before the encore, Al finished the set with 'Albuquerque,' which is not only my least favorite song in his entire catalog, but also the longest. It is 11 minutes and 23 seconds. (Jonathan taught this song to Owsley when he was about five or six, and he used to sing it in its entirety, so I can relate to how my parents probably used to feel.) They get to about the ten minute mark and Al pretends like he's forgotten the end of the song....and they start back at the beginning. I thought I might die. Fortunately he only sang about a minute before returning to the end of the song.
We sat on the first row of the lower balcony. The seats were great. My phone camera...not so much. I think the phone companies would consider a 5 year old cellphone an antique now. It was a really great night.
Weird Al's biopic comes out later this year, with Al played by Harry Potter himself. See kids, just because the world says yer a wizard, it doesn't mean you can't grow up to be something else.
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