Cosmic Riffs by the Mississippi: Weezer’s Visual Voyage at the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival

It’s the tail end of a sun-soaked Saturday on July 19, 2025, and Harriet Island is electric with that festival hum—the Mississippi shimmering gold as the crowd packs in tight for the evening’s big draw. The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival has been a whirlwind of vibes all day, but as twilight creeps in around 7 p.m., Weezer hits the main stage, and suddenly, the sky’s not the limit; it’s just the backdrop. I’m not super familiar with this band’s music—honestly, the only song I knew going in was “Buddy Holly”—but from the first chord, it’s clear I’ve been missing out on something special. I knew some other songs, but didn’t realize it was Weezer. Rivers Cuomo, all geeky charm and power-pop precision, strums into “Hash Pipe,” and the field erupts, a sea of arms waving like they’re signaling stars.

Brian Bell’s guitar duels with Rivers’ riffs on “My Name Is Jonas,” a cover that nods to their influences, while Scott Shriner’s bass grounds the swirl, Patrick Wilson’s drums driving steady. The energy’s infectious; even if you’re like me, piecing together the catalog on the fly, the hooks land hard—upbeat, anthemic, with that Weezer wit shining through.

“Dope Nose” bounces next, a funky detour that has folks jumping, “No One Else” slows it just a touch, harmonies layering sweet under the ice cave’s chill, before “Perfect Situation” cranks back up, guitars gleaming. “Surf Wax America” brings a surf-punk rush, and “Undone – The Sweater Song” unravels with fuzzy charm, the crowd murmuring along. Then, the peak: “Island in the Sun,” that breezy earworm with its island paradise visuals clashing. Genius. Voices rise as one, a massive sing-along that bridges the unfamiliar for me, turning strangers into a chorus. They wrap tight, no encore stretch thanks to the schedule,

Weezer formed in 1992 in Los Angeles when Rivers Cuomo, fresh from art school rejection, teamed with drummer Patrick Wilson, bassist Matt Sharp, and guitarist Jason Cropper to channel power-pop angst with a geek-rock twist. Their self-titled debut, the Blue Album, dropped in 1994, exploding with MTV-fueled hits that defined ’90s alt-rock. Pinkerton followed in 1996, raw and confessional, though it initially flopped before cult status. Lineup shifts came—Sharp out in 1998, Cropper earlier—with Brian Bell stepping in on guitar and Scott Shriner on bass by 2001. Green Album revived them that year, then a string of colorful releases: Maladroit (2002), Make Believe (2005) with “Beverly Hills,” Red (2008), Raditude (2009), Hurley (2010), Everything Will Be Alright in the End (2014) circling back to roots, Weezer (White, 2016), Pacific Daydream (2017), Black (2019) going metal, OK Human (2021) orchestral, Van Weezer (2021) hard rock. Recent: SZNZ (2022, seasonal EPs), Weezer (2023, Indigo for summer vibes). Over 35 million albums sold, endless tours, Weezer’s endured as nerd kings, blending irony with earnest hooks.

That Yacht Club night, amid the lasers and lost-in-space graphics, Weezer hooked a newbie like me—proof their universe expands. If “Island in the Sun” stuck, imagine the full dive. Catch the next launch; it’s out-of-this-world fun.

Band Members

• Rivers Cuomo – Lead Vocals, Guitar
• Brian Bell – Guitar, Backing Vocals
• Scott Shriner – Bass, Backing Vocals
• Patrick Wilson – Drums

Verified Setlist from Minnesota Yacht Club Festival, July 19, 2025

• Hash Pipe
• My Name Is Jonas
• Dope Nose
• No One Else
• Perfect Situation
• Surf Wax America
• Undone – The Sweater Song
• Island in the Sun
• Holiday
• In the Garage
• Why Bother?
• You Gave Your Love to Me Softly
• Pink Triangle
• Beverly Hills
• I just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams
• Pork and Beans
• El Scorcho
• The Good Life
• Say it ain’t So
• Buddy Holly

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