Weezer with Panic at the Disco at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

Photos by Randall Vasquez

Summer Tour 2016 made its Toronto stop on their North American Tour. Headliners, Weezer and Panic at the Disco! play an incredible show with a packed arena at Toronto’s very own, Molson Canadian Amphitheatre with support act, Andrew McMahon.

“We live in a day and age where people think they can tell you who you are and who you should love, I say fuck that!” exclaims lead singer, Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco! Just the tip of the ice berg to a show stopping performance, Urie’s words gave me chills and left me feeling more inspired than ever.

Maybe it was because I had put an end to what I thought Panic at the Disco! would return to or maybe it was because I was a die-hard fan of their 2008 album, Pretty Odd. The original member and lead singer, Brendon Urie did conduct a show that was worth every cent fans and friends had spent. Panic’s latest album, Death of Bachelor (2016) is one that I still have to get use to. Using this album as the tier of the set list, Urie began the show like no other with dramatic vocals that sent girls shrieking every time he falsetto. From pyro lights to a LCD screen projecting colorful and animated characters, this show was flair of dramatics. Playing a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” Urie challenged his inner Freddie Mercury and did the out most justice to the hit song as he held back tears while the crowd sang the final chorus to the 1975 suite. Various faces across the arena were in awe and taking back by such an emotional performance. Faithful fans were in luck as the band played old favorites like “The Ballad of Mona Lisa”, “New Perspective” and “Nine in the Afternoon.” The Vegas natives closed their set with an encore duo performance of their well know emo-cult song off their debut, A Fever You Can’t Sweat (2005), “I Write Sins and not Tragedies” and “Victorious” off their latest album.

Now it hasn’t even been a year since I last saw Weezer. When they headlined Riot Fest Toronto back last September, it was truly a dream to see them live. Definitely worth reliving it when I saw them again during this tour. Opening their set with “California kids “off their latest album, White Album (2016) they captivated the crowd with their catchy chorus and epic entrance. Although, just like Panic! , The band’s latest album was the tier of their set list which had the crowd feeling a bit disconnected. I felt a more collective aura when the band played songs off their older albums. Songs like “Sweater Song” and “Pork and Beans” created cohesion like a gospel choir. Being an immensely huge fan of Weezer, it was amazing seeing Rivers Cuomo’s well known stage performance come to real life like his shy awkward stands before beginning each song. Sporting multiple looks throughout the night including being decked out in guy liner and having black chipped nails, to turning into a king with a robe and crown as they performed “King of the World” to wearing a sombrero for an acoustic version of “Island in the Sun”; Weezer just kept everyone on their toes. The 90’s heartthrobs closed their set with an encore of “Buddy Holly” off the Blue Album (1994). At that point, you could have probably seen me somewhere sings at the top of my lungs as confetti flew in the air.