Live in Canberra, It's Weird Al

Rock-parody legend Weird Al Yankovic played Canberra last night -- and it was a great show. I'm amazed at how much energy Weird Al (he's 47) brings to the stage.

Highlights included a Star Wars set where he did a version of "American Pie" called "The Saga Begins" and went into a ripping "Yoda" (based on the Kinks' "Lola"), complete with a bizarre segment where Al sang nonsensical lyrics taken from real songs (you know, phrases like "pappa oo mao mao pappa oo mao mao" and "aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi") that looked for all the world like a rock star with a bad case of Tourette's Syndrome. "Smells Like Nirvana" was fantastic and so was "Canadian Idiot". The opening polka medley had funny versions of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" and some dance song by some chick (whose name I don't remember) about how you wish your girlfriend were as hot as her -- even funnier in the polka style with the wrong-gender singer. Al did a great parody of Justin Timberlake's "Someone to Love", going into the crowd and grinding his hips and butt in the faces of the folks sitting on the aisle.

The interludes where Al went off stage to change costumes (at least a dozen, including a huge fatsuit for "Fat", Star Wars gear, Amish garb for "Amish Paradise", dressing like Gilligan from "Gilligan's Isle" and even sporting a SpongeBob t-shirt at one point) were slightly annoying, although the funny clips from Al TV featuring bizarre false interviews with luminaries ranging from an incoherent Keith Richards and a babbling Paul McCartney to a mysterious Madonna, sleepy-looking Snoop Dogg, and moronic Eminem helped keep us entertained.

Al's band is great -- I was impressed how well they played songs from acts as different as Green Day and Nirvana to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Justin Timberlake and Coolio to Johnny Cash, Billy Joel, and Bob Dylan (the hilariously incomprehensible "Bob"), and even a smoking Led Zeppelin snippet during "Albuquerque".

When you have a catalogue as extensive as Weird Al's, you can't play everything. He did include some of his older classics like "Yoda," "Fat", and "Eat It", but I was a bit disappointed that he didn't do "I Lost on Jeopardy" or "Another One Rides the Bus." Still, many of the newer songs like "Sue You" and "Albuquerque" were great crowd pleasers.

But speaking of the crowd, I was surprised at how relatively passive the Canberra crowd was. Maybe this is just because most of the concerts I've seen over the past 5 years have been at Washington's 9:30 Club, an all-standing venue that forces you to get to your feet. I mean, they were responsive, clapped and cheered loudly, and clearly knew the songs -- and it was sold out. Maybe it's just the all-seater thing.

Anyway, great show -- see Weird Al and laugh.