Karl's Corner - 05/08/2002

...Dusty West Tour show #11: City Auditorium: Colorado Springs, Colorado
...we rolled into cozy Colorado Springs, and suddely things were a lot less wild. The weather was normal, the people were chilling, and this historic western town was just doing its thing, be it selling Tibetan imports, drinking Starbucks coffee, or playing hackey-sack. Today's show was in the smallest venue of the Dusty West tour, a sort of mini-arena/maxi-theater that held about 3500 people. It sort of felt like doing a show at a high school gym/auditorium. Backstage there was all sorts off odd props from various plays and musicals. This was the first weezer show in Colorado Springs, but we had reports of people coming in from Denver, not to mention Utah! The 'mush pit' got particularly hairy, with moments of mass chaos when multiple people decided to crowd surf at once.
...the first 5 fan reports that came in:
*"...my friends and I had to sneak out since we're cadets at the Air Force Academy and we don't have permission to leave on weeknights. When we got to the show AM Radio was playing and they did pretty good. Pete Yorn came out and rocked the hiz-ouse but then WEEZER brought the walls down. They were really solid and played an incredible set. My friends and I had to leave early to get back to the Academy but our time spent at the show was well worth it. This was my first time seeing weezer and it won't be my last. Amazing show guys, and please come back to the springs!" ---Steve
*"...I just got back from the Weezer concert in Colorado Springs and it was awesome! Both AM Radio and Pete Yorn were really good and did a great job warming us up for Weezer. When Weezer came out all of my friends and I went insane! I can't believe all of the songs that were played! El Scorcho was great and Only In Dreams was so amazingly wonderful and I can't get enough of Say It Ain't So! They ROCKED!!!! I went to a Weezer concert last year in Denver and that doesn't even compare, they whole group is sounding awesome together. Scott is amazing! It was by far the best concert I've been to this year, I couldn't quit jumping I was so happy! Weezer knows how to Rock!" ---Ashley D.
*"...the show in the Springs really rocked. AM Radio sounded good and Pete Yorn really knows how to rock out. All of my friends in the front row thoroughly enjoyed the pleasure that was given to us by Weezer. We were all stoked about the Blue songs and Pinkerton songs that were played. Only in Dreams was spectacular. I also loved the short witty comments that Rivers made throughout the night. My friend and I had previously been to a Pete Yorn concert and had "after show" passes and we met him. Well we took these passes to tonights concert hoping they would allow us a chance to shake hands with such great musicians. We made it through all facets of security only to be rejected by some big british guy who opened the final door and we could see Pat and you in the lounge. Oh well. It was a good time!" ---Aaron and Scott
*"...I just returned home from tonight's show. The audience was energetic, AM Radio and Pete Yorn absolutely rocked, and Weezer was nothing short of spectacular. The set was very nicely laid out and I was ecstatic to hear an abundance of Pink, and the Happy Together cover was executed really well. Rivers, I might add, was cuddly as ever with his beard and great lines. (Standing out in my mind would have to be, "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.")" ---Curt W
*"...So, I got to the venue around 3:30, but the will-call window hadn't opened yet, so I just went back to the car and sat there, getting my meter's worth. On the way to the front doors, we passed by a guy talking on a cell phone. My friend said "That guy kinda looks like the drummer from Weezer". I told him he was insane and kept walking. Upon further inspection from the safety of my green astro, it was in fact Pat Wilson. A wasted opportunity. So then a van pulls up and Brian and Scott get out. Pretty damn cool. A few minutes later, Brian came out of the venue. By now it was raining and he had an umbrella. As he approached the car I rolled down the windows and was going to say something stupid, like, "Yellow Camaro is my favorite Weezer song ever", but as soon as he saw the window roll down he turned and walked behind the car. Understandable, I suppose. So we watched him head into the guitar store down the road aways. After he had returned to the auditorium, we decided to go check out the store ourselves. We asked the guy what Brian had played when he came in, and he said he didn't say anything, and was extremely rude to everyone there. I was telling him about the whole window thing when Scott walked in. Scott's a lot nicer than Brian, as he was actually sociable and talked to people. I didn't talk to him, because, well, what would you say, really? He said he was looking for some old nasty basses, found an amp he apparently liked quite a bit, and said he'd come back around six. After he left we departed too, went back to the van, watched Karl run back and forth to the bus twice, and went to stand in line. Now let me say, it's the coolest experience in the world to walk up to the box office and be like "I'm on the guest list" and everyone around you snicker, and then when they fork over the tickets, the look on their faces.... priceless. Now, a big **** you is in order for the fans of Colorado Springs, for being the worst crowd at any concert I've ever attended. AM Radio was ******* AWESOME, and the crowd just sat there like they were Ozma or something. I really wanted to jump around, but Id have felt like such an ass being the only person doing it. Pete Yorn too was great. It's about time Weezer had some good openers I could really get behind. People were more into him, and they showed by engaging in some of the most unpleasant shoving activities ever. Now I understand it is the pit, and things get rough, but these people were sadistic and took far too much pleasure watching people get crushed on the floor. Screw you people. After an unessecarily long wait, Weezer finally took the stage. Dope Nose and El Scorcho sounded like crap, because someone's guitar and Brian's vocals were way too low. Both got better throughout the show, but the problems never really seemed fixed. You couldn't hear the main riff to Burndt Jamb, the 'solo' in My Name is Jonas, etc. Disappointing. The highlight of the show was Only in Dreams. It is my fondest wish that the bootleg of this show comes out, or this version gets posted in the A/V section. It was the best concert experience of my life and I don't think anything will top it for a long time. It was so epic and grand it simply must be heard to be believed. I kept waiting for the Good Life, but it never came. Oh well. I guess the higher altitude forces the band to play a whopping four minutes less than usual. The worst thing about this show was the general lack of enthusiam from the crowd. I can remember back in the summer of 2000, at the crappy old Ogden theatre, everyone knew every word to every song, and it was like we were all there, unified by a love and sincere passion for music we'd all come to adore over the years. I felt like I knew those people. It was a great feeling to be a part of that. It makes me wish I'd seen Weezer back in 1997. It's been getting worse everytime since that summer, but tonight it really hit me. I don't know these people. Who the hell are they? Even during Weezer, I had hardly anyone to pogo up and down with. I had no one to sing Modern Dukes with, unlike back then, when I had plently of people singing Mad Kow with me. It's really disappointing when the biggest reactions no longer come from My Name is Jonas and Tired of Sex, but from Hash Pipe (much better without the stupid G bridge, btw) and Island in the Sun. I understand why, but it's still not same. I see a band now with a much more flashy stage show, but I can't help but feel that all the bells and whistles cheapen the music. At the Ogden, all there was were lights, but they fit the music, and sure it wasn't as impressive, but it sure as felt a hell of a lot more honest. Also, I wish I had a pair of t*** so I could get setlists after shows." ---GogoKain
Category:Karl's Corner - May 2002