Things did lag a bit through the middle of the set, despite a spirited performance of вЂњTroublemaker.вЂќ The middle section culminated in a medley that shouldвЂ™ve been a punchy bit of fun but despite kicking off with the catchy вЂњoh-ohвЂќ refrain from вЂњDope NoseвЂќ and concluding with the chorus of вЂњSurf Wax America,вЂќ it felt like a scattershot, less focused part of an otherwise tightly tailored set. During the part where the band takes turns on lead vocals in вЂњPork And Beans,вЂќ drummer Patrick Wilson paused a moment to jokingly shout out a particular totem in the crowd: вЂњSomeoneвЂ™s holding up a fidget spinner вЂ¦ come on, man.вЂќ Near the fidget spinner, someone else was holding up a giant Joe Biden head totem fitting since we were in Delaware. In between that, you also had the image of Cuomo decked out in a regal red cape and crown for вЂњKing Of The WorldвЂќ and a sombrero later on.

This time, they snuck their tease of вЂњI Took A Pill In IbizaвЂќ in before вЂњIsland In The Sun,вЂќ and they also played a pop-rock rendition of вЂњHey Ya!вЂќ which theyвЂ™d only done once before, at Boston Calling last month. Years ago, I saw them cover BlurвЂ™s вЂњSong 2вЂі in a half-deadpan, half-fervent tone. They also bring a nonchalant cheekiness to the whole proceeding thatвЂ™s always welcome. ItвЂ™s comforting to know youвЂ™re going to see Weezer, and theyвЂ™re going to play the singles and favorites from all over their career, saving the biggest ones for last.

Cuomo has, of course, had his fair share of fixations on Top 40-type pop success here and there. The often-maligned вЂњBeverly HillsвЂќ-now somehow over ten years old and, thus, registering as an old Weezer hit-garnered the same reaction, by the way.В ?Contrary to their occasionally perplexing stylistic detours, or Rivers CuomoвЂ™s status as an idiosyncratic frontman even by the metrics of idiosyncratic вЂ™90s frontmen, or the bandвЂ™s ability to still come across like the weirdo high school kids (no doubt partially because of CuomoвЂ™s and Brian BellвЂ™s apparent agelessness), itвЂ™s somewhat striking to realize you can catch Weezer at a festival in 2017 and theyвЂ™re crowd-pleasers. People cheered and sung along to it all with consistent exuberance. ?This was clear from the strong beginning of the set: вЂњHash PipeвЂќ into вЂњMy Name Is JonasвЂќ into вЂњPork And Beans.вЂќ That shouldnвЂ™t necessarily read like a greatest hits opening salvo - there are plenty of Weezer diehards who probably still hate вЂњPork And Beans,вЂќ and at one point вЂњHash PipeвЂќ mightвЂ™ve felt cartoonish preceding вЂњMy Name Is Jonas.вЂќ But how can you deny that riff, that chorus? Whatever peaks and valleys exist throughout their career, thatвЂ™s almost entirely swept away when they put it all together live. TheyвЂ™re an arena-alt act perfect for these things, with a clutch of hits and singalongs that provide the ideal mix of pathos, quirkiness, and sheer infectiousness.В ? And every time they do, the bring a set built to ensure an almost unyielding endorphin rush across an hour or hour and fifteen minutes.

Weezer appears at festivals often they appear at unhip ones often, too. But approaching it that way not only squanders the joys littered throughout the bandвЂ™s career, but also ignores the fact that theyвЂ™ve become a pinnacle of reliability in the context of the festival circuit.

All these years and albums later, some fans are still waiting for a euphoric recall of the bandвЂ™s mid-вЂ™90s classics. And, thankfully, Weezer were there to deliver last night. All of which is to say: The acts that are here this year that are worth getting excited about have that much more pressure to deliver, to be the bright spots worth remembering amidst an generally lackluster bill. Even in its better installments, Firefly often has a tendency to grab a few truly massive names, mix it with some of indieвЂ™s exciting but ubiquitous names of that particular year, then some past-their-moment rock acts and pop-leaning acts you donвЂ™t really know or care much about. Whether itвЂ™s over-saturation or simply artistsвЂ™ touring and album cycles, the initial batch of fests this year have offered somewhat anemic and repetitive lineups from one to the next. Like many American festivals through the first half of 2017, FireflyвЂ™s lineup has suffered this year.

Weezer perfect situation letra