Weezer kicked off their Coachella debut on Saturday with a hit-packed set and a surprise Metallica cover.
The 45-minute performance on the Mojave Stage featured fan favourites like “Say It Ain’t So,” “Beverly Hills”, and “Island in the Sun”. The band started with “My Name Is Jonas” and ended with an energetic performance of “Buddy Holly,” as the crowd cheered them on.
Midway through the set, Weezer threw in a cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”, earning cheers from festival goers and adding a rock twist to the afternoon slot.
Fans showed up in full force, with many holding up signs bearing the band’s signature “W” logo, matching the projection behind them. The audience spilled beyond the tent, with chants of “Weezer” echoing as the set wrapped up.
However, their Coachella appearance was also marked by recent controversy. Weezer had stepped in to fill FKA Twigs’ spot on the lineup, and bassist Scott Shriner’s wife, bestselling author Jillian Lauren Shriner, was shot by police in Los Angeles just days before the show. She was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly firing a gun at officers during a confrontation.
The band were last in Australia in 2023 where they supported KISS and played some of their own arena shows. Since forming in 1992, Weezer have sold over 17 million records worldwide, earning Grammy Awards and many other accolades in the process. Shriner first joined Weezer in 2001 and has featured on every album since their 2002-released fourth studio album, Maladroit.
Shriner’s wife is also an author and has released two books under the name Jillian Lauren – 2010’s Some Girls: My Life in a Harem in 2010 and 2015’s Everything You Ever Wanted.
Weezer are also lined up for a run of major festivals this year, including Glastonbury in the UK this June, Soundside Music Festival in Connecticut in September, and the When We Were Young event in Las Vegas in October.
Looking ahead to 2025, the band has announced a European tour with headline shows and festival dates across cities like Berlin, Zurich, and Dublin. “You think we’d go across the pond for one show only? No way!! Europe and UK, see you next summer for a bunch of headline shows and festivals. BRB, we’re already packing our bags,” the band shared in a post on their website.
