Weezer made a rare appearance at Slim’s last night for a for an intimate show that highlighted the band’s latest album, Everything Will Be Alright in the End, as well as rarely performed gems from the band.

With a 400-person capacity, Slim’s isn’t a typical venue for Weezer, which usually fills much larger spaces these days. The night started with front man Rivers Cuomo casually strolling alone onto the stage. Looking youthful as ever, with black-rimmed glasses, he strummed chords on an acoustic guitar for a beautiful solo rendition of “You Gave Your Love to Me Softly,” a rarity from the Angus movie soundtrack.

One by one, other members of Weezer made their way out. Guitarist Brian Bell received a warm welcome from the audience as he and Rivers played an acoustic version of “Why Bother?” from the 1996 album, Pinkerton. Fans sang along and blithely chuckled while Bell played the powerful solo on his acoustic guitar.

Next to appear was bassist Scott Shriner, with a cast covering his right arm, for “King,” a bonus song from the 2008 self-titled record, Weezer. The final member, drummer Patrick Wilson, came out to a modest drum set comprised of a detuned snare drum and a kick drum, delving into the fan favorite, “El Scorcho.” After playing a few more songs, Cuomo addressed the crowd.

“Last time we played here was in 1994 opening for a band called Material Issue,” he said, before introducing the final song of the acoustic set, 90s classic “Buddy Holly.”

“We were young, broke, confused—not quite sure where this was all leading,” he said. “Twenty years later we’re finally back, headlining.”

With the acoustic set over, the lights immediately dimmed and thunderous bass rumbled through the speakers as black sheets were removed to reveal giant amps and drums. The band emerge from a fresh wardrobe change with Cuomo rocking a one-piece laboratory suit with the name “Sebastian” embroidered on it. Shriner was in a bright orange jacket with white pants and big boots and stage techs wore white lab jackets.

As the band faced away from the stage, creating a wall of feedback with their guitars, they simultaneously turned and plunged into “Ain’t Got Nobody,” the first song from Everything Will Be Alright in the End. They continued through the album in its entirety with lots of surprises mixed throughout.

At one point, someone shouted in between songs, “your new album rocks!” before a cannon of ticker tape was shot into the air, covering everyone with multicolored pieces of paper. For the song “Go Away,” local favorite Thao Nguyen from Thao and the Get Down Stay Down stepped in to cover Bethany Cosentino’s (of Best Coast) part. Later, a chorus comprised of Weezer fan club members joined for an on-stage singalong.

The performance seemed like an ode to all the fans that had stuck by Weezer through the years, including a tenuous phase album sales slumped while the band experimented with new sounds and pop collaborations

It was like they were making a statement, proving to everyone that they weren’t just a tired pop band trying to make riches, but a relevant rock band that still has it 20 years later. Whatever they were trying to achieve, they undoubtedly rocked Slim’s for an unforgettable evening.

Acoustic Set List
You Gave Your Love To Me Softly
Why Bother?
King
El Scorcho
The Other Way
The Good Life
Island in the Sun
(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
Buddy Holly

Electric Set List
Ain’t Got Nobody
Back to the Shack
Eulogy for a Rock Band
Lonely Girl
I’ve Had It Up to Here
The British Are Coming
Da Vinci
Go Away
Cleopatra
Foolish Father
The Futurescope Trilogy: I. The Waste Land
The Futurescope Trilogy: II. Anonymous
The Futurescope Trilogy: III. Return to Ithaka

Encore
No Other One

• Tag: Everything Will Be Alright in the End, Slim's, Weezer