Teenage Francesca used to go to so many concerts that I can't even remember some of the bands that I've seen. The clubs and the shows have all started to meld together and I can barely distinguish most of them. As I got older, I started getting more selective with shows, pickier about where I chose to spend my money and who I chose to spend it on. I got more uncomfortable with going to small club shows and more apt to go to larger arena or stadium tours once a year instead of multiple smaller shows. Eventually, it got to seeing one or maybe two concerts a year, which is where I am now. However, when my cousin asked if I wanted to see this show with her, there was absolutely no way I could possibly turn it down. Andrew McMahon has been my favorite musician since middle school (we're going on ten years together, I think) through his bands Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate and now his newest solo endeavor. Panic! At the Disco's first album was my favorite for years in middle school and then I sort of fell out of love with them with time, just because things happen. And Weezer...I think everyone likes Weezer one way or another, so I was stoked out of my mind to see them. So on Saturday evening, my cousin and I set out to CMAC in Canandaigua, New York so we could be in the presence of our favorites.
Andrew McMahon was unfortunately on first. I only say unfortunately because that meant he had the shortest set by ten songs. With a seven song set list, I wanted to bawl my eyes out. The last time I saw Andrew McMahon, he had a full set list just shy of twenty songs. But, being Andrew McMahon, he of course blew his seven songs out of the water. He played mostly new songs from the album released in fall of 2014, mixing in one new track called "Fire Escape" that you should watch a live video of if you can find one that's good quality because it was killer. And, of course, he brought it back to 2005 with "Dark Blue" which honest to god made me want to cry. That was the first Jack's Mannequin song I ever heard, meaning it was my introduction to the man that created my favorite song of all time ("Konstantine" by Something Corporate, give it a listen if you WANT TO CRY YOUR EYES OUT). Let me just say...very, very disappointed by the lack of people standing for this beauty of a man. YOU WERE IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS. I just don't understand not standing at concerts (unless you're physically unable to, that is obviously a different story), but hey, that's just me wanting to support everyone. Anyways, in conclusion, Andrew McMahon should've had a longer set list, but even still he used his seven song setlist to blow it out of the water, spread love, dance with the crowd, and took more time than the other two bands to speak to the crowd, which I appreciated.
Next up was Panic! At The Disco. So, background...Panic! At The Disco's first album is one of my favorite albums of all time. Each song flows into each other brilliantly, the lyrics are sharp, the music is crisp and layered and had this speakeasy vibe that I love. Panic's second album was...okay. And by their third album, I think I gave up. So needless to say, I didn't listen to their fourth or fifth albums, aside from a few songs on Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!. If you like older Panic, there are two songs on the setlist for you. If you love the new stuff, well damn, you are in luck. However, I can't fault them for this because obviously there is a whole new line-up (I believe the lead singer is the only original member now) and the two newest albums are a whole new sound. They can't play A Fever You Can't Sweat Out over ten years later in its entirety. So, while the setlist wasn't for me, it seemed like everyone else was having a grand old time. They had really incredible stage presence and there were some sick horn players. Brendon Urie clearly has a lot of vocal ability, which he tried to show at every moment he possibly could, whether or not it made sense in the song...Anyways. Overall, the performance was great, I was just incredibly lost during it, which is more my fault than theirs, isn't it?
Onwards and upwards to Weezer. Oh Weezer...formed in 1992, a whopping three years before I was born, Weezer is just a damn cool group. They all look like cool lads who I would love to just sit down with and just relax. I dunno, they give off this relaxed and chill vibe, like they would go with the flow on anything. While I'm not wildly familiar with the ins and outs of Weezer's entire discography, I can't get around it and I sure as hell found no problem in getting into songs I didn't know. Even if you don't know the words, there is a rhythm in there for you to follow and bop along to. Or if you're me, you just go straight for the dancing. I can't stand still at concerts. Even if I don't know the words, I still have to move my hips and my arms and just do something to follow along with the song. Plus, they played my favorite song by them, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," which is always a plus. But truly, Weezer easily became one of my favorite bands to see live. There wasn't a lot of conversing with the crowd, which is usually my favorite type of concert, but I have to appreciate the art there. There were incredible reprise and toned down versions of fan favorites, as well as a really great four song mashup that shot out some classics rapid fire. When you've been around for over two decades, you rack up a pretty decent sized discography. You can't play everything that you want to at a show, so what better way of fitting in some songs than mashing four of them up? It was a really great use of a setlist, I think.
All I gotta say...what a concert. And also, Andrew McMahon, when are you going on a headline tour again? ;)
Andrew McMahon was unfortunately on first. I only say unfortunately because that meant he had the shortest set by ten songs. With a seven song set list, I wanted to bawl my eyes out. The last time I saw Andrew McMahon, he had a full set list just shy of twenty songs. But, being Andrew McMahon, he of course blew his seven songs out of the water. He played mostly new songs from the album released in fall of 2014, mixing in one new track called "Fire Escape" that you should watch a live video of if you can find one that's good quality because it was killer. And, of course, he brought it back to 2005 with "Dark Blue" which honest to god made me want to cry. That was the first Jack's Mannequin song I ever heard, meaning it was my introduction to the man that created my favorite song of all time ("Konstantine" by Something Corporate, give it a listen if you WANT TO CRY YOUR EYES OUT). Let me just say...very, very disappointed by the lack of people standing for this beauty of a man. YOU WERE IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS. I just don't understand not standing at concerts (unless you're physically unable to, that is obviously a different story), but hey, that's just me wanting to support everyone. Anyways, in conclusion, Andrew McMahon should've had a longer set list, but even still he used his seven song setlist to blow it out of the water, spread love, dance with the crowd, and took more time than the other two bands to speak to the crowd, which I appreciated.
Next up was Panic! At The Disco. So, background...Panic! At The Disco's first album is one of my favorite albums of all time. Each song flows into each other brilliantly, the lyrics are sharp, the music is crisp and layered and had this speakeasy vibe that I love. Panic's second album was...okay. And by their third album, I think I gave up. So needless to say, I didn't listen to their fourth or fifth albums, aside from a few songs on Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!. If you like older Panic, there are two songs on the setlist for you. If you love the new stuff, well damn, you are in luck. However, I can't fault them for this because obviously there is a whole new line-up (I believe the lead singer is the only original member now) and the two newest albums are a whole new sound. They can't play A Fever You Can't Sweat Out over ten years later in its entirety. So, while the setlist wasn't for me, it seemed like everyone else was having a grand old time. They had really incredible stage presence and there were some sick horn players. Brendon Urie clearly has a lot of vocal ability, which he tried to show at every moment he possibly could, whether or not it made sense in the song...Anyways. Overall, the performance was great, I was just incredibly lost during it, which is more my fault than theirs, isn't it?
Onwards and upwards to Weezer. Oh Weezer...formed in 1992, a whopping three years before I was born, Weezer is just a damn cool group. They all look like cool lads who I would love to just sit down with and just relax. I dunno, they give off this relaxed and chill vibe, like they would go with the flow on anything. While I'm not wildly familiar with the ins and outs of Weezer's entire discography, I can't get around it and I sure as hell found no problem in getting into songs I didn't know. Even if you don't know the words, there is a rhythm in there for you to follow and bop along to. Or if you're me, you just go straight for the dancing. I can't stand still at concerts. Even if I don't know the words, I still have to move my hips and my arms and just do something to follow along with the song. Plus, they played my favorite song by them, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," which is always a plus. But truly, Weezer easily became one of my favorite bands to see live. There wasn't a lot of conversing with the crowd, which is usually my favorite type of concert, but I have to appreciate the art there. There were incredible reprise and toned down versions of fan favorites, as well as a really great four song mashup that shot out some classics rapid fire. When you've been around for over two decades, you rack up a pretty decent sized discography. You can't play everything that you want to at a show, so what better way of fitting in some songs than mashing four of them up? It was a really great use of a setlist, I think.
All I gotta say...what a concert. And also, Andrew McMahon, when are you going on a headline tour again? ;)
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