MC Escher, that's my favorite MC

Update: Video added to post.

I saw "Weird Al" Yankovic in concert last night.

My street cred has never been higher.

Tardist, my friend Theirzal and I ventured up to the Muskegon Summer Celebration kick-off night in order to be bathed in the healing power of the clever song parody, to bask in the white-hot glow of an accordion played at lightning speed by a man with crazy eyes and enough hair to make us all a sweater. And really, a sweater would've been great; I haven't said anything like this since my a/c-less house has had me melting into a puddle of tard, but it was fucking chilly at the festival last night! I guess the fact that the fairgrounds are right on the water makes a ton of difference. I'd lugged a fleece jacket with me, but poor Theirzal was shivering, wrapped up in the tarp she'd brought in case of rain. At least Tardist wasn't injured at this show; it seems like it was the last time he and I went to a concert together that he collided, pee-pee first, with a concrete stanchion in the parking lot, as an onlooker commented "Whoa! Vicious hit!"

I'd seen Weird Al once before, back in 1984 at the Kentucky State Fair, accompanied by my very unwilling and bored cousin who just wanted to get back to the midway to flirt with the toothless carnies. The show last night was decidedly more high-tech and a whole lot better funded than the first time I saw him. There were multiple costume changes, and lots of vintage Al videos projected on the giant screens on either side of the stage. Let me just say right now, the man is a hell of an accordionist. He's also a killer vocalist, whether he's singing in his natural voice or imitating another singer, and he had the crowd in the palm of his white, nerdy hand. The crowd itself was a wonder to behold, a huge gathering of folks from babies to retirees, and everything in between, all delighted by the show, many singing along to most of the songs.

It all boils down to one thing: Weird Al has been kicking ass for a long fucking time.

Here's a list of the songs played, compiled after the show. The order of the songs is not representative here, except that he did open with Polkarama (the polka medley from Straight Outta Lynwood) and his final encore song was Albuquerque. Also, a number of the songs were featured in a long medley, but I can't remember exactly which ones were in there.

Polkarama
Amish Paradise
Gump
Bedrock Anthem
The Saga Begins
Yoda
You're Pitiful
Fat
Eat It
Smells Like Nirvana (they even had hairy-pitted cheerleaders onstage!)
Bob (the palindrome song)
Ebay
Ode to a Superhero
Pretty Fly for a Rabbi
It's All About the Pentiums
White and Nerdy
Canadian Idiot
I'll Sue Ya
Confessions Part 3
Weasel Stomping Day
Close But No Cigar
Trapped in the Drive Through
Do I Creep You Out?
We've All Got Cell Phones
Albuquerque












Crappy camera phone pictures of the screen at stage left, because they were all "Noooo cameras!" at the gate.



I might go back to the fest on Saturday night to check out Kenny Wayne Shepherd, though I have to admit that I'm actually more interested in seeing his opening band, Black Stone Cherry. Even if I don't go, I still have Tool coming up next week, and I'm seeing Zappa Plays Zappa later in July (and then possibly They Might Be Giants if I'm not too whipped from my ZPZ trip).

If my eardrums aren't ruptured by September, it's not for lack of tryin'.