Only in dreams: onstage with Weezer, twice

The world has turned and left me here - onstage with Weezer.

By Joey Vergara

Published Oct. 28, 2008

By all means, no one should have the opportunity to play with his or her favorite band. To do it twice is even less imaginable, but somehow I've done just that.

About a month ago, I came to the realization that if I listen to anything other than Weezer for more than 20 minutes, I tend to get a little bored. At first, this struck me as a problem. Looking back, it all started out with a few sumo wrestlers and a simple guitar solo. No matter how big a fan I am today, I still feel like I got into the game a little late.

The Green Album had just been released, and I was watching late-night MTV with my best friend the summer before seventh grade. I was hooked. Green turned me on to Blue , and though Pinkerton took a little more time to get used to, I finally understood it.

Today, I've spent money on vinyl, plane tickets, albums, concerts in various cities, a lunchbox, T-shirts and, what I'm most proud of, three tattoos - a Weezer "flying W," the Pinkerton artwork and a line from "Across the Sea."

I have long since given up trying to defend my obsession with all things Weezer. Sure, everything post-Pinkerton has divided Weezer fans, but not me. There are weak spots on each album, obviously, but a constant longing for the sounds of the past gets us nowhere. More than anything, I respect this band for doing things on its own terms, something the majority of bands are too limited in their ideas to even begin to do.

A little more than three years ago, my passion turned out to have a reason, if you're into that sort of thing. I left school that day to wait for three hours to be the first person inside the venue at my second Weezer concert. When bassist Scott Shriner asked for someone to help play "Undone (The Sweater Song)" late into Weezer's set, I seriously doubt there was a hand raised faster than mine. In any sort of regular life, that would have been the extent of my playing with Weezer, but six days ago, I was proven wrong.

I entered a video submission to be part of Weezer's Hootenanny at the Houston show Oct. 23 and was chosen to play banjo on two songs with my favorite (clearly an understatement) band - "Island in the Sun" and "Beverly Hills." That's one more than the previous time and a hell of a lot of time with the band in any sense.

What I appreciate most is the better perspective I gained from the entire experience. In 2005, it was such a shock I was barely aware of what I was doing up there. I'm surprised I even remembered the chord progression before the song began.

This time around, I took my time and let it all in. I was joined by 28 other fans, including four good friends from my Weezer tribute band. We rehearsed backstage with guitarist Brian Bell before the show, and it was great hearing these songs I have listened to for years re-imagined with saxophone solos and even a cello, all under Brian's direction.

When the time came to meet backstage for the Hootenanny, I could not have been more ready. We watched "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" from the sidelines and got in position.

Soon after, I was surprised to find Rivers Cuomo onstage, clad in his red jumpsuit, explaining what was going on to the audience. We ran through the songs perfectly, every "Gimme! Gimme!" raised to a sharp pitch and every instrument held high above our heads in celebration when it was all over.

In a lot of ways it was like reliving the best day of my life (sorry, future wife). I rehearsed these songs with Brian Bell. I played in front of thousands of fellow Weezer fans. Rivers Cuomo asked me to "shred" on the banjo.

In the long line of Weezer-related 20 minutes, the ones I spent on stage were the best.