Taking on London’s SSE Arena, Wembley Weezer bring us along on a hit parade through their discography.

Writing a setlist when you’re Rivers Cuomo can’t be easy. With 11 albums under their belt and another one already rumoured for next year, the LA band has a lot of material to draw on.

Still, Weezer somehow seem to exceed fan expectations. Entering the stage to an intro themed around their latest offering Pacific Daydream, the quartet delves into El Scorcho off their 1996 album Pinkerton. Their soundscape is just as vibrant as it was in it’s original wrapping, definitely drawing in a sense of 90s nostalgia. No One Else’s effervescent guitar combined with the fragility evoked through the lyrics have an immediate effect, causing a hyperbole response for the fans.

California Kid alludes back to the roots of the band, and though it might be a departure stylistically, it still keeps the fast pace and eminent guitar work at the forefront. Another White album classic King Of The World comes with anthem-like quality underlined by grand poses courtesy of bassist Scott Shriner. Brian Bell’s tremendous guitar effort and the auxiliary drum work of Patrick Wilson play back and forth, moulding the melody and creating the prefect reception for Rivers’ vocals. It’s no surprise Weezer know their craft well, but it is still great to see that years of experience have paid of rather than killed the spark.

Despite the delicious energy there is an earnest need for every track to be heard.

“First time headlining Wembley man. We’ve made it”, Rivers states, shining with joy as he glares out over the thousands of fans. While the set balances out hits from the past two decades, the band are here on a mission. “Weezer is in your land to promote our new album that just came out. ‘Pacific Daydream’. This song is called Happy Hour.”

Pacific Daydream is known to be Weezer’s biggest departure into the more contemporary landscape of pop, a move that seems hard to swallow for some old school fans, yet this doesn’t stop the quartet from kicking up a hell of an effort.

It’s no secret that Weezer love a good cover, though this one came slightly unexpected, who cannot love a full-fledged Weezer-take on OutKast’s mega hit Hey Ya. The unironic joy is infectious as Rivers asks “What’s cooler than being cool!”

Covers aside, Weezer are still at their best when they take on their own tunes. Thank God For Girls dips into the darker range of their sonics with vividly illustrated outstanding women flashing over their backdrop. There’s a darker hook lingering to the beat contrasting the otherwise so luscious soundscape.

Mike Posner’s I Took A Pill In Ibiza bleeds into Island In The Sun before Pacific Daydream’s lead Feels Like Summer’s majestic pop swoon. The dripping melody fills the room with a stoic sense, glittering riff and stern beat chasing each other before the massive course wipes off any doubt that Weezer still got there game on.

When returning for an encore, it’s a short pleasure. But of course Weezer couldn’t leave without playing up eternal anthem Buddy Holly. Glossy pop tricks or rickety guitar, Weezer know how to blow up a hook, taking you on for a journey through decades of music most vibrant influences.

Photos: Kasia Osowiecka