# So I'm going to see Weird Al...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 19, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027 "2010-05-19T17:50:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/1 "2010-05-19T17:50:44Z")
and I was wondering what songs he makes fun of in his concert? My problem is I don’t follow pop music. Usually by the time I’ve heard a really good song it was at number one six months ago.
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### Author:  [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/2 "2010-05-19T17:55:55Z")
Whatever is on his current album plus gems from the past.
Regardless of what he plays, you will have a great time!
I’ve seen him twice and each time was a blast.
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/3 "2010-05-19T18:35:32Z")
His band is really tight and the show is slick and polished. It is a very good concert experience - the man is a consummate professional.
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### Author:  [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/4 "2010-05-19T19:15:01Z")
My wife and I saw him once a few years ago. He switched costumes for each song that he did. It was great show.
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### Author:  [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/5 "2010-05-19T19:18:50Z")
I have absolutely no interest in pop music. None. But there is just no way to avoid hearing some of it, just as a side-effect of being alive. That gives me enough exposure that I enjoy the hell out of Weird Al and would love to see him in concert sometime. I think he’s an enormously talented man and find any of his interviews to be riveting.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/6 "2010-05-19T19:20:08Z")
I’m of the opinion that you don’t need to know the songs he’s spoofing in order to enjoy them, but it does help. He also does plenty of original work, too. The live show is an utter blast. I’ve seen him twice in concert and both times it was excellent.
He did the entire run of Albuquerque at the last one I saw a couple years ago; man that was fun. 😃
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/7 "2010-05-19T20:23:16Z")
I had to go to his website just now to see if he’s coming to our town.
Aww, suxx, the closest he’s coming is Knoxville and I’ll be out of town that week anyway. ☹
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### Author:  [@TheMerchandise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMerchandise)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/8 "2010-05-19T21:34:27Z")
I’m going too! I’m going to Atlantic City for him!
I haven’t followed him for years, but still expect to enjoy the show a lot.
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### Author:  [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/9 "2010-05-19T21:44:13Z")
We went a few years ago. Yeah, you really don’t have to know pop songs to enjoy his concert. Even songs that I don’t know he’s making fun of, if you just listen to his lyrics, their hilarious and pure genius. I had never heard “All About the Benjamins” but “All About the Pentiums” has some of the most amazingly funny lyrics and sums up perfectly the whole computer “poseur” attitude for me.
He also did a lot of walking around in the audience for the show we saw and is a pretty good showman. It was a fun time. The bits in-between songs were also funny (during costume changes they played pre-recorded videos).
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/10 "2010-05-19T23:16:38Z")
I saw him in concert once, in 1987 I think it was, at the University of Florida. Fun experience, but I was disappointed he didn’t actually set fire to his accordion like he did in [_The Compleat Al_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Compleat_Al) film. 😉
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### Author:  [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/11 "2010-05-20T02:00:40Z")
My Weird Al favs (all available on YouTube):
A Complicated Song
The Saga Begins
Amish Paradise
White and Nerdy
I love Rocky Road
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/12 "2010-05-20T02:19:17Z")
Not going to disagree - Weird Al puts on a very entertaining, very funny show. It was also the most geeks I’ve seen in one place (until we went to a Comic Con). 😃
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### Author:  [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/13 "2010-05-20T02:24:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> I saw him in concert once, in 1987 I think it was, at the University of Florida. Fun experience, but I was disappointed he didn’t actually set fire to his accordion like he did in [_The Compleat Al_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Compleat_Al) film. 😉
For a more up-to-date biopic, check out [Weird: The Al Yankovic Story](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcNuiri2dV0)
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### Author:  [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/14 "2010-05-20T02:50:59Z")
The only major Al parodied I hadn’t heard before the parody was, oddly, his most popular: “Ridin’”.
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### Author:  [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/15 "2010-05-20T04:36:08Z")
I’ve seen Weird Al in concert something like 20 times (STILL no NYC tour date this year yet ☹ … ). He does an amazing show. Usually a lot of stuff from his new album, plus many of his old hits (all the Star Wars songs, and there’s a medley with a verse or two from his older parodies, usually with some surprises thrown in). Costume changes and videos as well. Great times. He has an amazing band too.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/16 "2010-05-20T05:25:29Z")
> [@Rafe\_Hollister](#):
>
> I have absolutely no interest in pop music. None. But there is just no way to avoid hearing some of it, just as a side-effect of being alive. That gives me enough exposure that I enjoy the hell out of Weird Al and would love to see him in concert sometime. I think he’s an enormously talented man and find any of his interviews to be riveting.
Heh. I’m not quite as disinterested in pop music as **Rafe Hollister** , but this post reminds me of the first time I heard Huey Lewis singing _I Want a New Drug_. I thought he was spoofing _I Want a New Duck_. 😃
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### Author:  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-see-weird-al/540027/17 "2010-05-20T11:41:58Z")
I saw him with my son years ago and it was a great show. He got off stage and played in the audience a few times. Unlike the “no photos” people he would actually mug for shots and if you were quick enough you could stand by him while someone took your photo. Of course I left my camera at home, telling my son, “no-one lets you take pictures nowadays.”