Bringing it Back to the Old School with Weezer and Pixies

Weezer and Pixies w/ Sleigh Bells
White River Amphitheatre, Auburn, WA
08.04.18

With Bumbershoot’s throwback-heavy lineup and Pearl Jam’s two-night stint downtown, it seems like the summer of 2018 is one focused on bringing back old memories—and Pixies’ and Weezer’s joint tour was no exception.

The night at Whiteriver opened with Sleigh Bells, a hard-hitting pop group that didn’t stand still for more than a few seconds to get the crowd all excited.

When Pixies took the stage next, it was definitely a shocking change of pace. Relying more on their music than a crazy performance, there was an air of respect among the crowd as they watched such an incredible band. Tracks like “Classic Masher” and “Cactus” were performed in all their glory, while more popular ones like “Where is my Mind?” were slightly reinvented to keep things interesting. Even after being around for so long, the band plays beautifully, still fully invested in their music, and with a captive audience enjoying every minute.

Weezer is simply guaranteed to be a good time. They’ve been around touring for years, so at this point it seems as if all the choices they make are just for fun because they’re already so successful. The set started out with a cute reminiscent stage setup and fans screaming along to “Buddy Holly” and “Beverly Hills” before the band welcomed the crowd.

It’s the kind of show where you don’t really realize just how many Weezer songs you have buried deep in your head until they start playing and suddenly you know most of the words, and that’s one of the things that makes their set so much fun. They have such a dedicated following of fans just looking to enjoy the rock music that’s been around for so long.

And finally ending the encore with the entire amphitheater shouting “Say it Ain’t So” was a beautiful way to end the night and an incredible performance.

Review and photos by Lulu Dawson

Weezer