“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC
Location: OC Register Arena at the OC Fair
Next shows: 8pm Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21
Admission: Free

Al put on, as usual, an amazing show last night, and while it wasn’t 100% unique (I’d guess the show was about 40% previous concert material), the changes, additions and reshuffling made it all worthwhile. The only song I didn’t know (it’s not on any albums, as far as I know) is “I’m in Love with the Skipper” (apparently a parody of T-Pain’s “I’m N Luv Wit A Stripper”), and I laughed the whole way through. He did his usual Song – Al TV – Song – Al TV pattern until about halfway through, when he had a 30-40 minute medley that was easily the highlight of the main part of the show (Trapped in the Drive Thru got a 6-7 minute treatment. Very nice).

“White and Nerdy” got a huge response from the crowd (especially the first timers), as did “(It’s all about the) Pentiums” and “Amish Paradise”. Amazing the street cred that a white dude in his 40s can earn from the rap world. The show was fairly light on his ballads, though at the beginning of the encore he did a 100% straight version (no parody, no polka) of the Carpenter’s “Close to You”, before finishing the night with “Albuquerque” – in its glorious 13 minute entirety.

As someone who’s now seen Al at least 6 times, I’d give this show a B+ – great song selection, but crowd energy was lower than I’ve seen before, and I really do think it’s time to retire “Fat” (and the suit) and “The Saga Begins/Yoda” (though he had Storm Troopers and Vader come out and dance – that was fun). Otherwise, he did everything you’d expect in Al – and a good time was had.