Weezer Fan Recounts Hootenanny Experience

Posted on Jul 4th 2008 3:00PM by Ashley Iasimone
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Weezer with horns? Maracas? Weezer covering a Radiohead song that Radiohead won't even perform ('Creep' for those keeping score)? Must be a Hootenanny.

A Hootenanny finds Weezer playing shows with a couple hundred of their biggest, musically talented fans. For California fan Jenna Fields, who has loved the band for years (and even had the famous =W= symbol put on her retainer when she was 14), performing with Weezer was a once in a lifetime experience.

Fields explains to Spinner that to be considered to attend, she was instructed to choose a Weezer song, submit a YouTube video of herself playing it and mention which instrument she would bring to the show if chosen. She had a guitar sitting around and a friend in a band who could help teach her how to play it, so she "became extremely ambitious to try and learn 'Island in the Sun' in enough time to be able to video tape it." Her musician friend -- a pizza delivery boy on his band's off-time -- tried to coach her through it all while still, well, delivering pizzas. Despite the effort, Fields failed and resorted to singing the tune acapella for her video audition. Luckily for her, the submission still won her admission to the Los Angeles Hootenanny on June 23.

"I worked so hard to enter, so once I knew I made it in, I felt this extreme rush of happiness and relief," Fields says. "They must have been impressed that I sang the whole song in key without any backup music."

On the day of the Hootenanny, Fields brought a maraca and a friend with a tambourine as her guest. She speaks fondly of the time spent bonding with the group of 200-something other fans, some who traveled from as far as West Virginia just for the show, while waiting to be let in. "Everyone was singing and playing Weezer songs together in the parking lot, and it was a truly special experience," she says. "People were extremely friendly, and we were all clearly meant to be there."

That day's Hootenanny set list included the recent single 'Pork and Beans,' 'Creep' and various favorites like 'Island in the Sun,' 'Automatic' (Rivers Cuomo and drummer Pat Wilson switched places for this one), 'Say It Ain't So,' 'El Scorcho' and 'Beverly Hills.' In between takes, the band engaged their fans in playing such songs as 'Why Bother,' 'Jamie' and 'Surf Wax America.'

Fields also got the chance to meet bassist Scott Shriner after the show, though Cuomo left in a hurry because, as he told the Hootenanny crowd, he had to meet his mother for dinner. But when asked what her favorite part of the day was, Fields is quick to respond. "Just being there, being a part of the music," she says. " And feeling like a part of the band for the day. Perhaps if bands see the impact Weezer has just made with this mini Hootenanny Tour, they will consider doing this, too. It's the nicest gift you could ever give a fan."

Watch the Weezer Sessions