Weird Al: The Concert

For your listening pleasure, click here before starting this post.


As a general rule I don't really care for concerts. I always think, "Wow, this sounds pretty much the same as it does on CD except louder. And more expensive." So I don't go to very many concerts. But I was talked into this one, and since I had seen...and enjoyed...a previous Weird Al appearance in Salem I went with it. In retrospect...GREAT decision.

Al puts on a very entertaining show. It is high energy, high quality entertainment. He does about 20 costume changes in the 2 hour show. He comes out with some of the best props ever...like the spinner wheel Segway from White and Nerdy. Yes, you read that correctly...spinners on a Segway.
He played a rocking, high energy set that hit on some of his older stuff and a lot of his more recent vintage efforts. He also threw in a couple of concert-only efforts such as his riff on Gilligan loves the Skipper. Then he put "Al TV"clips...highly edited to just the most hilarious segments...on while he changed costumes. Often they would have some tie-in to the subsequent song...like his interview with Marshall "You know what I'm sayin' " Eminem the Real Slim Shady Mathers being followed by his parody of Lose Yourself.

Some of the costume changes were brilliant in their simplicity. He did his Jedi riff The Saga Begins complete with Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and several Storm Troopers on stage followed by Yoda which allowed him to get two songs out of one costume change.

In our judgment the biggest applause for the evening was reserved for his various rap videos. Perhaps the best line was from one of his Al TV segments in which he is cracking on Kevin Federline. Along with calling K-Fed's music a crime against humanity, calling him no-talent, and a variety of similar slams he got off the "you Vanilla Ice wannabe", easily one of the funniest lines I have ever heard. Insta-classic.

He even donned the old fat suit for Fat, his classic parody of Michael Jackson's Bad. Other classic moments included his trip through the crowd while singing I Wanna Be Your Luvr. Watching him plant a leg on the back of a ladies' chair while belting lines like, "I wish I was cross-eyed so I could see you twice" was outstanding. So was the drum solo...the drummer struck the drums once. Hilarious.

In one of the Al TV segments he was interviewing Michael Stipe of REM. His schtick for that interviews was along the lines of, "We should work together. Why don't you just say the most profound thing that comes to mind." After a pause Stipe says, "Everyone has cell phones. Let's get real people." So when Al got called back he sang, Everyone Has Cell Phones. Those were pretty much the only lyrics and the entire Pavilion was waving their cell's like they used to lighters. He then did an extended version of Albuquerque which included about 30 types of berries...straw, elder, rasp, black, boysen, marion, and lots more...including Frankenberry and Halle Berrys. It was awesome.

Overall it was a tremendous concert that had us laughing and entertained beginning to end. Well worth the price of admission.

By the way, here is an unrelated but interesting thought. They search everyone for weapons upon entering the fair. Among the things not allowed would be anything with blades. However, once inside you can purchase a variety of knives. Or pruning shears. Just sayin'...