What’s more American Summer than packing the car and hitting the road for an adventure? For Weezer, that road trip wound its way to Merriweather Post Pavilion Friday on their Indie Rock Road Trip Tour, where the band has had different openers at varying legs of the tour. This stop included Baltimore’s own Future Islands and pop-punk heroes Joyce Manor.

Now sometimes names can be deceiving, but this Road Trip Tour takes that idea seriously. At Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 23, everything that was about to unfold was designed from the bottom up as both a nod to that American pastime and a, well, trip down the long catalog Weezer has amassed over 15 full-length albums and more than 30 years as a band.

On this stop, California band Joyce Manor whose emotional kicked off the show put on a great show, getting the crowd hopping – at times, literally! A fun set that made me hope to see them back this way again soon.

Then it was Baltimore’s own Future Islands who put on a grooving, sweaty set. Frontman, Sam Herring was electric as he seemed to be pulling from an unending tap of energy. Dancing, high kicking, and reaching out to the crowd while that synth-propelled pop by Gerrit Welmers (synths), William Cashion (bass), and Mikey Lowry (drums) pumped out those catchy rhythms.

As the sun slowly set over the packed pavilion, the stage crew unveiled an incredible set to Toto’s “Africa.” Then from the moment Weezer hit the stage with fan-favorite, “My Name is Jonas,” it was non-stop rock ‘n’ roll joy.

Singer, Rivers Cuomo played to the crowd. This was a spectacle that hit all the right buttons. As the massive dashboard display behind Rivers, bassist, Scott Shriner, and guitarist, Brian Bell, lit up with moving gauges, switches, and passing scenery, drummer Patrick Wilson kept the beat high atop the stage.

Going straight from one hit to another, Weezer kept things rolling with “Beverly Hills” as the whole place erupted. Pulling from their extensive catalog, there were a few slower numbers. Rivers even came out at one point to play “Getchoo” solo acoustic, telling the crowd, “We put out 832 songs since we started and most of them we haven’t even played, so we try to play one of those each night…” And there was the “old school” version of “Susanne” where Rivers, Scott, and Brian gathered around one mic to sing the song with just their voices and an acoustic guitar.

Watch the official music video for “Beverly Hills” by Weezer on YouTube:

But this was the rock show that fans craved. Heavy on the hits, with a good deal pulled from their first two albums — Weezer (Blue Album) and Pinkerton. Cuomo and company tend to write hook-heavy songs, and those earworms were in full effect. From “El Scorcho” to the sly transition from Cuomo’s “Blast Off!” into “Undone (The Sweater Song),” the band had a lot of fun as Cuomo stumbled up to the top of the raised platform above the stage as it sloped over the giant stage steering wheel.

“I threw a pick at you, and I saw it bounce off your head.”

But it was that last third that the gloves came off with heavy hitters like “Hash Pipe” and perfect show capper, “Thank You and Good Night.” That is, though, before the band returned, donning baseball caps, to play the instrumental “The Futurescope Trilogy: I. The Waste Land,” “”Surf Wax America,” and everyone’s favorite, “Buddy Holly.”

It was an incredible set that shows this prolific band knows how to put on a great show!

Weezer continue their Indie Rock Road Show through the US, and it’s one heck of a ride.

Weezer’s setlist included:

My Name Is Jonas
Beverly Hills
Return to Ithaka
The Good Life
Pork and Beans
Pink Triangle
El Scorcho
Blast Off!(Rivers Cuomo solo song)
Undone – The Sweater Song
Getchoo (Rivers Cuomo solo acoustic)
Susanne
Only in Dreams
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)
Island in the Sun
Perfect Situation
All My Favorite Songs
Say It Ain’t So
Run, Raven, Run
Hash Pipe
Thank You and Good Night

Encore:
The Waste Land
Surf Wax America
Buddy Holly

Here are more photos of Weezer performing at Merriweather Post Pavilion on their Indie Rock Road Trip tour. All photos copyright and courtesy of David LaMason.

And here are more photos of Future Islands performing at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Jun3 23, 2023.

And here are more photos of opener, Joyce Manor, performing at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 23, 2023.