Weezer at Pine Knob, June 18th, 2023

Three things you’re about to learn. I’m a massive hypocrite. The proper way to record a performance at a concert. And my latest Weezer experience.

My Weezer Back Story

Many reading are probably thinking, “yes, Don, you are a hypocrite and we’ve always known it, but we kinda like you anyway in spite of it.” The latest hypocritical moment is brought to you courtesy of Weezer’s 2023 “Indie Rock Road Trip” tour. Before Sunday, June 18th, I scoffed at people taking long video recordings of performances at concerts. Scoffed? I daresay I mocked. Recently I even openly ridiculed a friend and I said something along the lines of, “who is this video for …get off your phone …and just enjoy the show.” Before Sunday I thought about all those self-shot videos and laughed because they were probably all poor quality, hard to hear, and when …when …would anyone ever watch them back? For a day or two? Maybe a month? Would these people show friends, hey, you gotta watch this …it’s so-and-so singer from really far away and you can almost hear that so-and-so is singing such-and-such-song.

Sometimes, ya just gotta enjoy the moment and be happy with the memories. I believed that …until this most recent Weezer concert (my 11th time seeing them, by the way). I saw them in college. Where? I can’t remember. I know all they had at the time was the blue album and they played every song …including “Undone (The Sweater Song)” …twice …once to open the show and then at the end, again. I saw them once at an indoor skateboard park in Detroit. It was after Pinkerton (Weezer’s second album). I wish I had that playlist or maybe a little piece of video to try and piece that performance together. See where I’m going?

I love Weezer. I mean …love, LOVE Weezer. They came on the scene in 1994. I was at Michigan State University. Up until that point, I had never listened to an album of an artist I didn’t know, or an artist I’d never heard of, and instantly loved every song at first listen …love at first site, but audio. I was working at the campus radio station and really felt like an insider. I stole (borrowed) the CD from the station’s library, took it home, dubbed it from CD onto cassette (Denon CD player to my Fisher dual cassette player/recorder). I returned the CD to Impact FM the next day. Also at the time, I was delivering pizzas. On a college campus that means going into work around 6pm and working until 3am. So many miles. So much pizza delivered. And it’s no exaggeration I must’ve listened to Weezer’s Blue Album 500 times. Over and over and over again.

I remember thinking, hmmmm, this must be what superfans of every band feel like. Until that moment, I didn’t understand. In 1994, maybe I would wonder how anyone could be so raptured by U2 or The Dave Matthew’s Band that a concert would be life-changing. In 1994, I found my obsession.

Where am I going with this? Well, I’m glad you asked. Late last week, my son and wife ambushed me in our living room and said, “you’re going to Weezer for Father’s Day.” I had stopped talking about the concert. I’d seen them 10 times. I already had tickets to another concert later this summer (and spent too much money). I was among the fools who paid too much for Taylor Swift tickets. In my mind, one more Weezer show was really not necessary. But they pressed on …buy tickets and so I did and, to my surprise, when you wait until the last minute, all sorts of zany pricing happens with tickets and I got tickets in the pit for less than I would’ve paid for tickets in the first 10-20 rows. Boom. Bam. Pow. Purchase.

I’m a Hypocrite

Me and my son. In the pit at Weezer. Got there early and found ourselves in the 2nd row. One time I was in small venue and was way up close to see The Beastie Boys, and I love them, but this Weezer second-row was better.

I was moved by emotion. My son was with me. His third time seeing them. It was Father’s Day. I was so close to Rivers Cuomo it’s like I could’ve whispered to him that his music was a soundtrack to my life. I’ve never heard a Weezer song I don’t like. Not kidding. I love them all. I think they call that a “blind spot” usually reserved for one’s own children or something like that.

So moved by emotion … I did it. I pulled out my phone and recorded the opening song “My Name is Jonas” because, well, holy moly, I was second row and that song kicks ass. Then when they played “Greatest Man That Ever Lived”, my favorite Weezer song, even if it’s nobody else’s, and something I’ve never seen played live. Then their magnum opus (or their magnumest opusest) “Say It Ain’t So” and my iPhone came out each time. I never wanted to forget that moment …with my son …my favorite band …playing my favorite songs. Those videos will be, for me, as precious as baby photos of my kids. I don’t want to forget Sunday night …ever.

Yes. The video will help me remember. We sat stage-right. Second row. There was a tall red head in front of me, but not too tall. There was a super super drunk woman who wandered over by us and annoyed everyone …but then wandered off. Rivers played an accoustic version of “In The Garage” that, again, from the blue album and I’ve heard it so many times and he mentioned, in the middle of the song, he’ll be opening for KISS in Australia. I sang at the top of my lungs. My son sang at the top of his lungs.

See? Total hypocrite. Someone could easily mock me …who will ever watch that video. Why do you have that? It’s dumb. I know it. Yet, it’s a keepsake. A memory I can make come alive whenever I want. I’ve seen some great shows with great people. I wish I had those videos. I wish I had more video and had journaled more details about my Mom, my Uncle Jerry, my friend Matt, and dozens of others so that my memories weren’t fuzzy and I could bring them back from the catacombs of my mind when I need to remember them.

With my Mom, I saw some fun bands at a seedy dive bar called the Floribama. I could’ve recorded a song or two and captured my Mom singing along having a great time. I took my friend Matt to see Weezer at the skate park. What I wouldn’t give to have a song or two recorded and maybe even have panned the camera to my friend Matt singing along. I’m positive these things happened, but I can’t actually pull the memory out of my memory banks. A video would’ve helped.

To all I’ve mocked, I’m sorry. I did it only in my mind and behind your back, and I don’t really care because you weren’t harming me by sitting on the lawn at Pine Knob and shooting some low quality video… you were capturing a memory and now? I get it.

How To Shoot Good Video at a Concert

Finally, maybe most people know this but just in case, I’ll share the secret. When you whip out your iPhone and want quality sound, make sure your palm completely covers the microphone. Don’t worry. The sound will go right through your hand and you won’t have any distortion. Try it. It’s amazing.