Show Review: Weezer + The Flaming Lips @ Chase Center, 10/09/2024

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ARPhotoSF

In 1994, a simple blue cover adorned the release of the debut album of the then relatively unknown band Weezer. Three decades later, the Blue Album, as it has long been commonly known, was the central theme of their Voyage to the Blue Planet tour, which was to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

While they performed fifteen other songs, including five from their second album Pinkerton, the storyline of the entire show revolved around Blue. Basically… the Blue Album exists on the Blue Planet where the Blue People live. Good thing it was a pleasant evening outside of the Chase Center, perfect weather for a rocket launch. A what?! 

Five-minutes before the start of the show, a countdown timer started which led to an actual rocket ship on center stage ‘launching’ to reveal the four members of Weezer standing inside of it, wearing space suits a la Star Trek. 

Thus began the Voyage story on the big video wall flanking the back of the stage. Briefly… it starts in the rocket ship lifting off looking for the Blue Planet, and along the way, they end up in the Pinkerton asteroid belt and land on one, after which they travel again, finally landing on the Blue Planet!  This was the previously mentioned fifteen songs in a nutshell. Then… cue the Blue Album.

First however, the planet is dying, and they don’t know why, so they plant a W flag, start the first song My Name is Jonas, which then leads to Weezer saving and rebuilding the Blue Planet with green grass, trees, and then homes, buildings and more homes, and hills and mountains, leading to the final place called the Blue Rocks Amphitheater, complete with Blue Planet people. By the end, they will have played the Blue Album in its entirety. The show finished with the final song Only in Dreams, while confetti streamers were launched into the cheering crowd. No encore necessary for this show… it’s safe to say that the entire Blue Album was the encore for the Voyage to the Blue Planet!

Click on any photo below for a slideshow of full-size images of Weezer.

Setlist:

1. Anonymous
2. Return to Ithaka
3. Dope Nose
4. Hash Pipe
5. Pork and Beans
6. Beverly Hills
7. Island in the Sun
8. Burndt Jamb
9. Perfect Situation
10. Run, Raven, Run

Pinkerton Asteroid Belt
11. Getchoo
12. Why Bother?
13. Pink Triangle
14. You Gave Your Love to Me Softly
15. Across the Sea

Weezer (The Blue Album)
16. My Name Is Jonas
17. No One Else
18. The World Has Turned and Left Me Here
19. Buddy Holly
20. Undone – The Sweater Song
21. Surf Wax America
22. Say It Ain’t So
23. In the Garage
24. Holiday
25. Only in Dreams

For reasons still unknown to Spinning Platters and every other attending member of the press, no one was permitted to do their job and review the support acts The Flaming Lips and Dinosaur Jr. Instead of a Voyage to the Pink Robots (Pt. 1 or Pt. 2), they Voyaged to the Gold Conference Room and was confined there for the remainder of the sets, outside of the songs that were photographed.

Speaking of photos…. click on any below for a slideshow of full-size images of The Flaming Lips.

Thanks to the modern miracle of mobile phones, the World Wide Web and YouTube, the whole show happened to be recorded by a fan in the front row, so instead of watching it in real time, this video was subsequently viewed a couple of days later. At least the snacks and beer at home were affordable!

Click on any photo below for a slideshow of full-size images of Dinosaur Jr.