Weird Al Caters To Hardcore Fans At Poughkeepsie Show

Last night, Weird Al Yankovic performed live at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie. But it wasn't your typical Weird Al show. There were no video clips, wild costumes, or dancing through the audience. And the craziest thing of all: the show mostly did without the parodies.

Casual Weird Al fans may be wondering, "Well then, what did Weird Al do at his show?" But hardcore fans (like me) who have been obsessing over Weird Al since they were ten years old know that he's got a vast collection of original songs, and that's the focus of this tour. Dubbed the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, Weird Al fans in the Poughkeepsie area were treated to deep cuts from albums new and old, ranging from his very first self-titled album to his latest release, Mandatory Fun.

After a hilarious opening performance from comedian Emo Philips, who starred with Weird Al in the cult classic UHF, Al's band introduced him with "Fun Zone," off of that movie's soundtrack. And from there, we were off. This was the very first stop on the tour, so I genuinely had no idea what to expect, but I wasn't disappointed. Three tracks from my first Weird Al album, Poodle Hat, were represented ("Bob," "Why Does This Always Happen To Me?" and "Party At The Leper Colony"), and longtime favorites like "One More Minute" and "You Don't Love Me Anymore" got their due. There were songs that Al and his band were playing live for the very first time, like "Jackson Park Express" and "Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me." And on top of it all, it was just really, really funny.

The show ended with a medley of some of Weird Al's well-known parodies, reworked to stay in the spirit of the tour. "Eat It" was played acoustically, "Smells Like Nirvana" turned into a doo-wop song, etc. For the encore, the band covered "Smoke On The Water" before launching into one of his biggest songs (and the one that got me into Weird Al in the first place when I was a kid), "The Saga Begins."

This was a great opportunity for Weird Al fans to come out and hear songs they don't typically hear at a Weird Al show, and a great experience for the sold-out crowd at the Bardavon. This is only the first stop of a 70+ date tour, but if you can go to any of the other shows in New York, I'd highly recommend it.

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