Sleigh Bells played at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on Friday July 20, 2018. They opened for the Pixies (that review is here) and headliner Weezer (that review is here).
They started their set playing to a relatively empty pavilion, but by their final song a good amount of the crowd had come in and gave them a really good response.
I have to say I had heard their name, but didn't know anything by them so I don't have much of a review here, just these photos I took below which you might dig.
Click here for photos, video and a review of the Pixies who followed.
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After Sleigh Bells' opening set (click here for photos) and a quick break, the Pixies took the stage for just over an hour with a blistering non stop set of over 20 tunes.
They opened with "U-Mass" (Unlike the other HD videos included in this review, I shot this for Facebook live, so if you join the Facebook group - the link is at the end of this review - You can check out that opening number.) and closed with an amazing "Vamos" featuring Joey Santiago. Here's that video:
This was a complete last minute show as a couple of days before, Ticketmaster released a large list of shows with tickets which could be "bought" using the vouchers from the class action law suit they settled a few years ago. Turned out I had 17 vouchers in my account so I grabbed tix to this and a few other shows. So the cost was a about a tank of gas...it was so worth it.
It was my first time seeing the Pixies and they were fantastic.
A good portion of their set was made up of tunes from "Doolittle" including a double shot pretty early in the set of "I Bleed" followed "Crackity Jones". Here's video of those two songs
Along with Santiago, the band features original members Black Francis and Dave Lovering.
Paz Lenchantin has replaced Kim Deal becoming a full member in time to record their latest album "Head Carrier".
Here's video of Paz taking lead vocals on "All I Think About Now" from that album.
In between they played a ton of great stuff. The setlist at setlist.fm has every song I remembered them playing, although the person who originally posted it did not have it in order. I tweaked some of it, it's probably still not completely in order, but it gives you a good idea of what went down.
The crowd was basically at capacity by the time "Vamos" ended and there would then be a short break before Weezer hit the stage. Read that review with photos and video by clicking here.
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If you'd like to start at the very beginning of the story of this night, you can click here to view the photo set of opener Sleigh Bells or click here for a more detailed review of the Pixies (with photos and video) who followed Sleigh Bells and killed just before Weezer. Which brings us to now...about 9:30pm on Friday July 20, 2018 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ and the lights go down...
As I stated in the Pixies review, I got these tix free using vouchers from the Ticketmaster class action lawsuit a couple of days before the show. Those tix were for lawn, but we got to the venue early and went inside just after doors opened and headed to the "Grasshopper" booth. For $20 each we upgraded to Right Orchestra aisle seats (get it, we "hopped" off the grass of the lawn...clever stuff) which were awesome (especially since the lawn appeared to be packed) and became even cooler when Rivers Cuomo decided to hop on his scooter to ride on and off the stage about 2 feet away from my seat...but I'm getting way ahead of myself...you'll see those videos later in the review.
So the lights come on and Weezer are playing in Al's Diner from "Happy Days" just like they did in the "Buddy Holly" video, so it makes sense they start things off with a bang and play that. Here's the video:
Not giving the audience a chance to rest, they went right into another huge hit with "Beverly Hills" basically getting the whole audience on their feet and making sure they stay there for the rest of the night.
"Pork and Beans" from 2008's self titled "Red album" followed and then why not...another big hit with "Undone - The Sweater Song".
Next up I expected "Hash Pipe" which had been in that slot at the previous shows but perhaps the band thought they should spread out the huge hits a little bit more and instead they played "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" the single from 2009's "Raditude." Then another hit with "Perfect Situation." So much for that spreading out plan.
I was about to say next up were audience favorites and start listing some more songs they played, but ALL of these songs are audience favorites. I realized I didn't know how hardcore and rabid Weezer's fanbase is. I've seen them a few times over the years, but I think it's always been as part of a festival. First was in 1994 at Madison Square Garden at the Z100 Jingle Ball Christmas show and last was in 2010 at Voodoo Fest in New Orleans.
When you see Weezer headline, songs like "My Name is Jonas", "El Scorcho", "In the Garage" and "Why Bother?" (the 4 songs that were played next) are all greeted the way the way a more casual fan (myself) talks about the "huge hits" mentioned previously.
This was followed their cover of The Turtles "Happy Together" with a little bit of Green Day's "Longview" thrown in the mix.
And now it's scooter time.
The band starts playing "Keep Fishin" with Brian Bell singing and suddenly here comes Rivers in his captain outfit riding off the stage on a scooter mere inches away from us.
He rides through the audience a bit until he gets to the tiny stage with two palm trees at the soundboard in the middle of the audience as you can see here:
While at the stage, Rivers first performed a solo acoustic version of "Island in the Sun". He then followed it up with a solo acoustic cover of a-ha's "Take on Me" which you can view here:
Rivers then got back on his scooter and here he is riding right past us again back onto the stage while the band played "Burndt Jamb" (with a little bit of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" thrown in):
Speaking of the band, I already mentioned Brian Bell, but also have to give kudos to the rhythm section of Patrick Wilson on drums and Scott Shriner on bass helping to create the tight and mighty sound coming from the stage this evening!
What can you do to follow up scooter rides and an a-ha cover...oh yeah, that song I expected them to play earlier - "Hash Pipe"! Here's the video:
"Feels Like Summer" was next and perfect on this night and then a massive singalong for their cover of Toto's "Africa" to end the main set before the encore! Here's that video, the last I took:
Weezer came back to encore with "The Good Life" and then their last remaining huge hit "Say It Ain't So" (with a little bit of Black Sabbath thrown in). I know the hardcore super fans loved it. I loved the way it sounded as I headed for the parking lot to catch the bus to take us to the lot a mile away to hopefully beat the traffic before my two and a half hour ride home.
I can hear many readers saying "Are you kidding me? You left early?!" Sorry gang I came a casual fan, but I left (early) something more. Next time I'll stay to watch the last note instead of listen from afar.
I had no trouble getting on the bus to the lot, everyone else stayed 'til the end.
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