Indie rock legends Weezer recently stopped their road trip full of fun times and classic songs at the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, IN, and made sure to leave the crowd with memorable moments that only a band with thirty years of experience and countless classic albums can provide. Joining them for this stretch of the road trip is the veteran pop-punkers Joyce Manor who are no strangers to road trips, as they played in London, England the night before this show!
The Hard Rock Casino in Gary, IN has been making a significant effort over the past year to provide the residents of Chicagoland with premier musical acts that cater to all ages and backgrounds. Their latest show proves just that by bringing in the globally known Weezer to rock a venue that is much more intimate than what the band is used to playing in. Rivers Cuomo states halfway through their performance that the venue is “really cool” and appears to be a fun change of pace, allowing the band more connection with the fans in attendance. Lead vocalist of Joyce Manor, Barry Johnson, even said it was interesting that they played in London the night before, left England, and woke up to enjoy a full buffet at the Hard Rock Casino the next morning.
Joyce Manor opened the show and filled the room with pop-punk angst and energy that got members in the audience moving and dancing to start the night in the right direction. Band members would keep interacting with the audience throughout the night and playfully asked if anyone decided to gamble in the casino before the show and if they did, to share some of the winnings with them. Overall the band’s performance was fun and engaging, which got the audience ready for the headlining act!
When Weezer took to the stage, they wasted no time and immediately opened with a song that helped propel them into the mainstream and secure their spot in music history. With a gigantic display fixture behind them, which resembled an old traveling van’s dashboard, the opening notes of “My Name Is Jonas” started to carry over the loudspeakers and had fans screaming in excitement. The band also debuted the song “Endless Bummer” for the first time on this tour, which had an acoustic performance consisting of Rivers Cuomo, Brian Bell, and Scott Shriner. At one point in the night, even Joyce Manor’s Barry Johnson joined the band onstage for a short performance and played guitar with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members. During Weezer’s entire performance, a large LED screen mounted behind the band displayed fun artwork and animations specified for each song. Audience members were captivated by the fun and engaging set production that provided a playful and light-hearted atmosphere for those in attendance.
Weezer’s Indie Rock Road Trip to Gary, IN was a gigantic success. The night was full of fun moments, classic songs, and a “family picture” of the audience members that Cuomo photographed on a Polaroid camera, making sure to document the night for the band’s own memories.
