Weird Al & His Band Make Like The Harlem Globetrotters of Rock (SHOW REVIEW)

Writing a review of Weird Al is writing about an American original. While still (only) in his 50s, Weird Al Yankovic has been writing parodies – and polkas – since 1976. Seriously. His recent show at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo on July 27th (an oddly fitting venue for Al, despite the fact that he had to end his show early due to neighborhood restrictions) showcased the breadth of his fans, with everyone from babies to grey-haired grandparents singing along to his multitude of hits.

While knowing Al’s musical catalog isn’t required to enjoy a show, his extensive catalog of parodies means you likely know the original version of many of his works even if you haven’t heard his version. Weird Al has touched a huge range of music ranging from Madonna and Michael Jackson to Nirvana to contemporary hip-hop. Indeed, that breadth would, to this reviewer, make choosing a set list incredibly difficult. Weird Al nails it on this tour, playing many of his most notable pieces with impressive costume changes between nearly every song. Further, while himself a talented performer, Weird Al is backed by a solid band that never detracts from the performance, and often adds to it. The comparison that popped to the mind of this reviewer was to the Harlem Globetrotters: a bunch of incredibly talented people using their skills for humorous good, bringing joy to the faces of those who have come to see them perform.

Like the Globetrotters, Weird Al is a part of American cultural fabric, and this tour highlights Weird Al’s ubiquity and legacy in pop culture. Audience members were highly engaged, whether singing or just gaping with broad smiles as Weird Al & Co played songs like “Tacky” and “Amish Paradise,” “Dare to be Stupid,” “Fat,” “White and Nerdy” (in which Al entered on a Segway), “Word Crimes,” “Smells like Nirvana,” and many more. Between songs, video after video showed clips of other pop elements in which Al was referenced, ranging from Family Guy and the Simpsons to innumerable TV shows and movies.

Closing out the show were a pair of Star Wars-themed songs (“The Saga Begins” and “Yoda”), in which the stage was full of storm troopers and Jedis. Somehow, those two songs – referencing a movie franchise deeply embedded in modern American pop culture – served as the perfect exclamation point to the central theme of Weird Al and his own wonderful, outsized contribution to that culture.

“Weird Al” Yankovic Setlist Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre, Seattle, WA, USA 2016, Mandatory World Tour

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