Rivers Cuomo treated fans in Chicago to an intimate solo performance on Monday (April 9), including covers of Green Day and Smashing Pumpkins.
The Weezer frontman released his first solo single ‘Medicine For Melancholy’ last month – his first since 2011.
Performing at the Beat Kitchen, which is reported to have a capacity under 300, Cuomo played stripped-back versions of Weezer hits like ‘Say It Ain’t So’, ‘Buddy Holly’, and ‘Island In The Sun’, as well as performing their 2016 track ‘(Girl We Got A) Good Thing’ live for the first time. Elsewhere in the 27-strong set, he dropped a number of covers, including Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Today’ and ‘1979’, ‘Where Is My Mind’ by the Pixies, and Green Day’s ‘When I Come Around’ and ‘Basket Case’.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that, while speaking to the audience, Cuomo referred to the frontmen of Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day, saying: “Both the Billies are so awesome.” Watch fan-shot footage of the show below.
Rivers Cuomo played:
‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ (REO Speedwagon cover)
‘Say It Ain’t So’
‘Pink Triangle’
‘When I Come Around’ (Green Day cover)
‘Buddy Holly’
‘Island In The Sun’
‘Across The Sea’
‘Today’ (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
‘Can’t Stop Partying’
‘El Scorcho’
‘The Good Life’
‘Basket Case’ (Green Day cover)
‘Do You Wanna Get High?’
‘Falling For You’
‘L.A. Girlz’
‘(Girl We Got A) Good Thing’
‘1979’ (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
‘Getchoo’
‘Magic’ (B.o.B. cover featuring Rivers Cuomo)
‘Medicine For Melancholy’
‘Sober Up’ (AJR cover featuring Rivers Cuomo)
‘No One Else’
‘No Other One’
‘Where Is My Mind’ (Pixies cover)
‘Tired Of Sex’
‘Why Bother?’
‘You Gave Your Love To Me Softly’
Cuomo recently performed a similar set in Los Angeles, where he covered Oasis and R.E.M, as well as Pixies and Smashing Pumpkins.
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Weezer are set to release their next record ‘The Black Album’ later this year. Speaking to Zan Rowe on Australian radio station Double J last month , the group said the album would be available for fans to hear from May 25.