Photos by Bang Ho
From the moment “Weird Al” Yankovic hit the stage, his hilarious antics and beloved parodies had the crowd in stitches.Kicking off the evening, “Weird Al” appeared in a classic Hawaiian shirt that many in the crowd were also sporting. He was joined by a nine-piece backup band, including the four core members who have toured with him for decades alongside five additional multi-instrumentalists. The sound they produced was astounding and filled the Moody Center. ‘Weird Al’s” vocals were as sharp and as enduring as ever. One of my favorite moments of the evening was “Weird Al” rocking out on his accordion during Polkamania! covering many hit songs very quickly.
While the two drum solos were a massive “hit”, the nonstop outfit changes were incredible. First came ’90s grunge god Kurt Cobain for “Smells Like Nirvana,” followed by a bright yellow hazmat suit for “Dare to Be Stupid,” the full inflatable outfit and prosthetics for “Fat,” and some expertly executed Segway maneuvers for “White & Nerdy.” Next up was full Amish attire straight out of South Central Pennsylvania for “Amish Paradise.” Finally, for the encore, the whole band and crew rocked Star Wars costumes with the local 501st Legion Star Garrison —featuring Vader, Stormtroopers, Princess Leia, and Jedi and more—for “The Saga Begins” and “Yoda,” capping the concert with a perfect ending. If you ever get a chance to see a Weird Al extravaganza, DO IT!
