Going in a few days and just wondering if anyone here had been, and had opinions, reviews, comparisons to previous shows, etc.- thanks!
Haven’t seen his current tour, but I saw his tour last year, the “Ill-Advised Vanity Tour.” He played almost exclusively original compositions, both new and old. It was quite good. Emo Philips was his opening act, and he was also great.
I’m at his OKC show with the orchestra on Friday. Looking forward to it.
Well, thanks to this thread, I checked to see where the nearest Weird Al show was going to be — and then bought a ticket for July 6.
I’ve seen Albefore and he was great. And since trying to find tix to the Elton John show for less than $1200 apiece (for nosebleed seats) is downright impossible at the moment, maybe I’ll console myself with seeing Weird Al again, as decent seats for him are going for under $100 each.
Did Weird Al spoof any Elton John tunes?
I can’t recall any.
Weird Al puts on an excellent show. I’ve seen him five or six times, and the regular show involves a dozen costume changes with extended intros and video clips to cover them. His band is exceptional, one of the tightest and definitely the most nimble bands working today. Seriously, these guys could have played in any band Frank Zappa took on the road
here is a recent set list- apparently I am in the minority in thinking Jackson Park Express is one of the few uninteresting Al songs? I dont get the references, perhaps.
Orchestra warm-up set:
The Raiders March
Mission: Impossible
Theme From Superman
Star Wars: The Throne Room and End Credits
(John Williams cover)
Main show:
Fun Zone
(Orchestra with Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz)
I Lost on Jeopardy / I Love Rocky Road / Like a Surgeon
The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
Word Crimes
One More Minute
Drum Solo
Jurassic Park
Don’t Download This Song
Weasel Stomping Day
Bass Solo
Tacky
Harvey the Wonder Hamster
Jackson Park Express
Smells Like Nirvana
Dare to Be Stupid
White & Nerdy
Amish Paradise
Encore:
The Saga Begins
Star Wars: Main Title
(John Williams cover)
Yoda
agree 100%, one concert where there is always something to watch during costume changes, and usually its as good as the rest of the show, not just dumb filler, many genuine laughs.
I was at the show in Ft. Lauderdale; I believe it was the second show on the tour. This is pretty close to the setlist for the show I saw.
In many ways it was a typical Weird Al show, and if that sounds a bit insulting I don’t mean it that way. There was large-screen video perfectly synched to a number of the songs (it’s pretty impressive that they can do this so well with lyric-intensive songs like “Word Crimes” and “White and Nerdy”). There were costume changes, if not quite so many as in past shows. The orchestra was great to have for the “big” songs like “Don’t Download This Song” (one of my very favorites). Jedi costumes and dancing stormtroopers for the encore.
During the orchestra’s opening set, I was reminded of how much I love hearing a live pops orchestra. I found myself oddly moved. I also discovered that my daughter has never seen “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and determined to fix that quickly. She’s turning 30 - how have I failed so badly as a parent that she has never seen this film?!?
The one negative, and it was a sizable one, was that the sound mix was not good at this venue. The orchestra was fine on its own, and the sound was pretty good when it was just Al and the band, but when the orchestra joined in, Al’s vocals got buried in the mix. I am sure 90% of the audience knew most of the lyrics by heart, but it took away from the full experience. Hopefully this was only a problem at this particular venue.
OKC show had very close to the same setlist. Mix was good between Al, band, and orchestra.
It was good, but I think I liked the Mandatory Fun tour more.
Agree, it pretty much was the Mandatory Fun tour, just with an orchestra and a few song changes- the costumes were the same (as you would expect), and the video bits during the costume changes and accompanying some songs were the same- they were still funny though.
Plus I know Al likes to play some rarities for the diehards who go to every tour, but Jackson Park Express and Biggest Ball of Twine were the two longest songs of the first part of the show, and a bit obscure for me, but probably picked due to the compatibility with the orchestra.
And Don’t Download this Song seemed really dated with its references to CD’s and Napster and all that- maybe he could update the lyrics?
It is nice that he included Jackson Park Express as a bathroom break.
He will be in Philly at the same time I will! It is already sold out.