Photos + Review by Brad Goldstein – Weezer’s Voyage To The Blue Planet Tour touched down at their Canadian stop in Toronto this past Sunday, September 8, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena. It was self-evident that the excitement levels were gradually increasing as fans filled the arena to witness Weezer celebrate the 30th anniversary of their groundbreaking Blue Album. Over a decade had passed since I last caught Weezer live with headlining act The Tragically Hip, and they certainly exceeded all expectations on this latest tour. This time, the band embraced an outer space theme, turning their concert into a cosmic voyage of music and spectacle.
As the lights dimmed, an elusive curtain draped over center stage slowly lifted, revealing what appeared to be a space capsule—or rather, a “Weezerpod.” With a countdown projected on the stage-side monitors, it became clear that the next two hours would be an elaborate journey through space, enhanced by meticulously crafted visuals and musical discoveries. Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell, Rivers Cuomo, and Scott Shriner emerged from the Weezercraft, clad in matching “Voyage to the Blue Planet” suits, ready to guide us through the full Blue Album experience.
The production was well scripted too. Cuomo early on in the show says: Ontarioooo…. How you space cadets doing tonight? Well we are 30 light years out from the blue planet and we’re so excited to get back there. Thank you guys for coming on this very important and very dangerous mission.
The set began with a series of dynamic tracks designed to kick off the Blue Voyage. The opening numbers included “Anonymous,” “Return to Ithaka,” and “Dope Nose,” which featured a nostalgic snippet from “Troublemaker.” The energy surged with “Hash Pipe,” “Pork and Beans,” and “Beverly Hills,” where Toronto was subbed in as the city Weezer wants to be in. “Burnt Jamb” and “Island in the Sun” then followed. The crowd was then introduced to “Any Friend of Diane’s” and “Perfect Situation” as part of this captivating journey. During Perfect Situation we were treated to visuals of spaceships flying through asteroid fields and large scale models of planets such as Saturn lowered from the stage rig to add to the production design. As “Getchoo” played, fans were told that a shuttle had launched and a rescue mission was underway to recover a missing part. The narrative continued with the introduction to “Why Bother,” marking the entrance into the Pinkerton Asteroid Belt.
The story progressed with “Pink Triangle” and was followed by “You Gave Your Love to Me Softly” and “Across the Sea,” which saw Rivers, Patrick, and Scott move to center stage for a powerful shred session. As “Across the Sea” concluded, Rivers emerged with a Weezer flagpole bearing the iconic w symbol, planting it in a space rock to declare the arrival at the Blue Planet. The arena erupted as the arrival was announced, with the title track of the Blue Album, “My Name Is Jonas ,” ushering in the next segment of the set.
The concert continued with a series of massive hits and fan favorites from the Blue Album. “Buddy Holly,” “Undone – The Sweater Song,” and “Say It Ain’t So” were met with particularly loud cheers and chorus chanting, followed by “No One Else,” “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here,” “Surf Wax America,” “In the Garage,” “Holiday,” and “Only in Dreams.” The show was capped with blue confetti raining down and movie-style credits rolling across the screen, giving the Voyage to the Blue Planet a cinematic finale.
Supporting the night were Dinosaur Jr., who set a high bar with their opening set. The Oklahoma band delivered a mix of tracks including “Little Fury Things,” “Feel the Pain,” “Start Choppin’,” and “Freak Scene,” along with a memorable cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” The Flaming Lips, led by Wayne Coyne, followed with their characteristic flair. For the third time seeing them live, they proved to be endlessly entertaining. Their set began with “The Spark That Bled” and “Suddenly Everything Has Changed,” which was dedicated to a fan who had recently lost their mother. After a brief pause for a medical emergency on the GA floor, Wayne Coyne rallied the crowd with a spirited performance of “Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung.” The Flaming Lips’ set featured inflatables, lasers, and exuberant energy throughout tracks like “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Parts 1 and 2,” “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power),” “She Don’t Use Jelly,” and “Do You Realize??” A Madonna cover, “Borderline”, and “Love Yer Brain” were also included in their performance.
Embarking on the journey to the blue planet with Weezer was indeed a memorable adventure. If they touch down in your city, make sure you don’t miss out on this otherworldly experience.
