Sheezer Bust Out Weezer's 'Pinkerton,' 'Blue Album' Hits at NXNE

Posted on Jun 18th 2011 3:30PM by Heather Cleland

Tom Cochrane, MySpace

If you'd put famed Toronto venue Sneaky Dee's on wheels Friday night (June 17), you'd have had the makings of one hell of a road trip, thanks to the playlist provided by Sheezer -- the Rivers Cuomo-approved, all-girl Weezer cover band. There appeared to be nary a crowd member unwilling to belt out the lyrics in their best alone-in-the-car voice, meeting the cardinal rule of road trip tunage selection: sing it loud, sing it proud... and sing the guitar solos, too.

It's not all that bizarre, then, that the idea of Sheezer was born on the road. The five ladies that make up the band were spot-on when they figured a tribute to Weezer might be a fun aside to their existing indie rock gigs (members include Laura Barrett of the Hidden Cameras, Dana Snell of Gentleman Reg and the Bicycles, Magali Meagher of the Phonemes and Robin Hatch of Sports: the Band). The only strict rule was that they stick to tracks from 'The Blue Album' and 'Pinkerton' only.

With five songs apiece from each album, Sheezer didn't disappoint the packed room that burst into song with the first "Oooh-eee-oooh" of 'Buddy Holly' and carried on through 'Holiday,' 'Tired of Sex,' 'In the Garage,' 'My Name is Jonas,' 'Why Bother?,' 'Say It Ain't So,' 'Across the Sea,' 'El Scorcho' (complete with introductory gargle) and 'The Good Life.'

The excitable NXNE crowd often drowned out the microphoned singers, but no one on stage seemed to mind as their faces cracked into smiles at the sight of a bouncing masses before them, singing with the full force of their collective lung-power and thrusting fists, pointed index fingers and even a rogue case of jazz hands at one point towards the ceiling.

In the end, the only trip Sneaky Dee's had taken was back to the '90s for a quick visit, with a full load of passengers that couldn't have been happier to be along for the ride.

Watch Sheezer Perform 'Say It Ain't So' in 2010
See Spinner's Complete Coverage of NXNE 2011
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