Say it ain’t so, but it’s been 30 years since Weezer released their self-titled debut, which is now known as the “Blue Album.” To mark the occasion, the band decided to play the record in full on the road and put together a mini Lollapalooza of acts — Dinosaur Jr. and the Flaming Lips — to join them.

The tour kicked off Wednesday at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center in front of an enthusiastic crowd of more than 13,000 folks, most of them elderly millennials or Gen Xers.

Those outside that age range may not understand what a profound effect the “Blue Album” had on a generation, with its revved-up and extra nerdy power pop sounding like nothing else around in the aftermath of Nirvana in 1994. Its trio of hits — “Undone — The Sweater Song,” “Buddy Holly,” “Say It Ain’t So” — resonated deeply, not just as songs but as part of an overarching aesthetic that included the album art and music videos.

Alas, Weezer took a sharp left turn with the follow-up, the emo-centric “Pinkerton,” and spent the next few decades frustrating those seeking for more of what Weezer did on their first album. As for Weezer, or more accurately singer/songwriter/guitarist Rivers Cuomo, they’ve long since thrown caution to the wind and started making music that seemed more like memes.

The tour is dubbed Voyage to the Blue Planet and, Weezer being Weezer, they went all in on the outer space theme. They emerged beneath a faux rocket that launched into the rafters, wore astronaut outfits and performed on a stage decked out like a set from the original “Star Trek” TV show. Cuomo even thanked the crowd for going on this “dangerous and important mission” with the band.

For the first half of the concert, the foursome focused on hits from their first decade, including “Dope Nose,” “Pork and Beans,” “Island in the Sun,” “Beverly Hills” and “Hash Pipe” followed by a handful of “Pinkerton” tracks. The crowd was clearly there for the “Blue Album,” though, and once they heard the first notes of “My Name Is Jonas,” the energy in the room blasted off.

The three singles, plus “Jonas,” have been staples at Weezer concerts for decades, but it was thrilling to hear some of the deeper cuts, even if Cuomo tweaked the arrangements to bring out the arena rock flourishes he’s been relying on for years. The sheer strength of the songs proved all the outer space nonsense (and, uh, “Beverly Hills”) was utterly unnecessary.

After a brief set from Dinosaur Jr., Oklahoma psychedelic pop/rock band the Flaming Lips took the stage, which they filled with all their famous props, from a pair of inflatable pink robots to oversized eyeballs and lips.

Lead singer Wayne Coyne said the band rarely gets to play for crowds this size, so they were recording the show and he’d appreciate it if the audience made a lot of noise. It’s unclear if that was just a cheap ploy, given that the Flaming Lips play massive festivals all the time, but Coyne and company proceeded to perform a sonically and visually exciting show.

The Lips’ set list included some experimental noodling along with some of their best-known songs like “She Don’t Use Jelly,” “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)” and “Do You Realize??” They also pulled out their atmospheric take on Madonna’s “Borderline,” which they originally recorded for a 2009 Warner Bros. Records compilation and began playing live again in recent years.

Coyne also shared a fantastic Prince story about the time they both played an awards show. (He didn’t specify, but it was the 2006 Brit Awards.) They wanted to meet him, but instead gave a stack of their CDs to his bodyguard. Later in the evening, the bodyguard tracked down the band and handed them back, saying, “Prince doesn’t want these.”

With a laugh, Coyne said it was “so amazing, the most amazing diss in the history of the world … and we loved it.”

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Brent Headrick and Randy Dobnak combined to give up just one run on four hits and the St. Paul Saints defeated the Iowa Cubs 2-1 on Wednesday night at CHS Field.

Headrick started for the Saints and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk and striking out four.

Dobnak entered in the fourth and pitched the final six innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. had a run-scoring double for the Saints in the third inning, and Iowa tied the game on Chase Strumpf’s home run off Dobnak in the fifth.

In the seventh, the Saints manufactured the eventual winning run. Jair Camargo drew a one-out walk, went to second on a passed ball by catcher Moises Ballesteros and scored on Carson McCusker’s single to right field.

Byron Buxton started in center field for the Saints and struck out in both of his at-bats. After his second strikeout to end the third inning, he was ejected by home place umpire Willie Traynor.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Twins have seen too many of these types of games lately, in which things snowball during an opponent’s big inning and they quickly find themselves in a noncompetitive contest.

Louie Varland became the third Twins pitcher to give up at least eight runs in their past eight games Wednesday. All eight came as part of a disastrous fourth inning for the Twins in their 9-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Varland’s undoing was largely the result of poor team defense, which started when Varland himself threw an errant pickoff attempt, which allowed the first run of the game to score.

Jonny DeLuca, the next batter, grounded a ball to shortstop Brooks Lee that he tried to backhand. Lee missed the ball originally but grabbed it and made a high throw that catcher Christian Vázquez was unable to snag, allowing a second run to score.

The Rays’ fourth run scored on a groundball that Royce Lewis, in his first career start at second base, fielded and threw low to Vázquez. Lewis was charged with an error.

Two more runs scored on a Taylor Walls single, and Yandy Díaz later hit a two-run home run, ending Varland’s night. A clearly frustrated Varland walked off the mound yelling into his glove after giving up eight runs. All were earned despite the poor defensive execution by the Twins.

It was far from the return to the majors that Varland was hoping for. The St. Paulite, whom the Twins seem to be preparing for a relief role, came on in the second inning after Ronny Henriquez’s scoreless first.

Varland made quick work of the Rays in his first two innings before the fourth inning in which he recorded just one out. Scott Blewett (2 2/3 innings) and Michael Tonkin (2 innings) finished off the game for the Twins.

The Twins made some offensive noise in the seventh inning, scoring four runs. Kyle Farmer and Carlos Santana homered in the inning, making a dent in the Rays’ lead that wasn’t close to being nearly enough.

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Latimer’s loyal service to our community

I know that I’m merely one of countless St. Paul residents that has a George Latimer story.

I first met Mayor Latimer in 1977. I was a senior at Humboldt High School and the mayor addressed a dedication ceremony for our brand new building. We spoke that day of our shared Lebanese heritage and my plans for the future. In the many years since then, he and I would bump into each other several times, always within the St. Paul city limits. To his credit, Mayor/Dean/Professor/Citizen Latimer always remembered me and our first meeting. We’d greet each other as best we could in the Arabic language of our grandparents, and would catch up on each other’s family.

During one of those chance meetings, he reminded me how fortunate we were to live in a community where, despite its large size, it was commonplace for old acquaintances to run into each other every so often. In my view, George Latimer played a leading role in growing that sense of community in St. Paul. And I will always be grateful to him for his shining example of pride in, and loyal service to, our great city and its many excellent institutions. May he rest in peace.

Paul Ablan, St. Paul

 

Fast bikes, cars and no buffer

The other day we were driving along Summit Avenue and came across this group of bikers. I don’t imagine these bikers ever choosing to ride on a raised bike path.

With the current plan for a raised path, the street bike path and buffer zone would be taken away, leaving fast bikes and cars to share the street, which is much more dangerous than our current situation.

I’ve noticed that around 75% of the bikers on Summit Avenue are “fast” bikers who would not use a raised path. Please consider this before spending millions of dollars and cutting down trees.

Gretchen Cudak. St. Paul

 

Spend here? Then cut there

I’ve been involved in a small, cooperative business for the past 21 years, and while the United States is not a small business, there is a fundamental financial idea I think might apply: You don’t buy something, when you don’t have the money.

Clearly the U.S. is in debt to itself, and some debt is okay. Certain programs need to continue for the well-being of our citizens.

With this in mind, my “modest proposal” is that when the government wishes to spend our money on new projects (for example: the Green New Deal), the money projected to be spent is removed from other areas. So, if we want EV charging stations across the land, the money from this project could come from Education, Defense, Social Security, Medicare, Agriculture, other countries, world organizations, or even – gasp – Pork Barrel projects across the country. The greatest minds in Washington, D.C., could determine this.

Also, if a project is “guaranteed” to generate money, do not take this fictional future cash into account when determining the actual cost of the project. Any real cash generated could be used to reduce the deficit. As with a small business, things would be different if we were not so much in debt. Finally, those great minds could decide NOT to do the project at all.

As most of us know from experience, being in debt is not fun. It is a challenge to do better.

Mead Stone, Stillwater

 

The law is the law?

Regarding: “Driver, 20, is charged in fatal collision. Pregnant woman and baby killed, husband hurt; suspect drunk, police say” (Aug. 21, Pioneer Press).

The woman was five months pregnant with the baby that was killed in the collision. Lock that in your minds. The driver has been charged with one count each of criminal vehicular homicide (one for the woman and one for the unborn baby) while under the influence of alcohol and DWI plus two counts of criminal vehicular operation while under the influence of alcohol.

The puzzlement here is how can the unborn baby’s death be considered a criminal act, yet, a woman can voluntarily have an abortion and its considered a legal act?  The results are the same — a dead baby. There is no justification or legal grounds to have it both ways. If you say, “the law is the law and it must be upheld,” I say to you, “The law needs to be changed.”

Gary Schraml, Lindstrom

 

Why all the hubbub?

I don’t get what all the hubbub is all about regarding Project 2025. One of these comes out every four years by The Heritage Foundation no matter who’s in the White House. It’s a conservative think tank just like all the liberal think tanks at many of our universities. They’re all giving their opinions to anyone who will listen. But the Democrats sure are hammering on it just to scare the hell out of everybody. That’s all they got. I’d be more worried about the teachings of Mao that our governor seems so interested in.

Mark Ruecker, Roseville

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