More on Riverbend coming Sunday
For more on Weezer, other Riverbend headliners and festival information, check the Life section of the Sunday, May 26, edition of the Times Free Press.
For the last two decades, every time a Riverbend Festival lineup was announced, there were always undercurrents from fans asking why the festival couldn't book Weezer.
"Weezer has been in the top five most-requested acts for many years," confirms Dixie Fuller, Riverbend talent and production coordinator.
Well, Weezer fans, this is your year.
The Los Angeles rock band will open the 2019 Riverbend Festival at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, at Ross's Landing.
And the timing couldn't be more perfect since this month is the 25th anniversary of the release of Weezer's self-titled debut album, yet the band is still bringing its A game with its remake of Toto's "Africa," one of the tracks on "Weezer (Teal Album)." The teal album was the first of two studio albums the band released during the first three months of this year; the other was "Weezer (Black Album)."
Fuller says Riverbend actually had Weezer confirmed to play about six years ago, "but there was a marketing mishap and they decided not to do the show."
Fuller believes Weezer is the perfect act to kick off Riverbend "because they are just such a good rock 'n' roll band. They've played every major festival in the country with very good results."
Weezer has sold 9.2 million albums in the U.S., and over 17 million records worldwide. Their megahits include "Buddy Holly," "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "Say It Ain't So," "Island In The Sun," "Beverly Hills" and "Pork and Beans."
Weezer has been nominated for four Grammys, won once for "Pork and Beans" Best Music Video; won five MTV Video Music Awards and earned two iHeart Radio Music Award nominations for "Africa."
Fuller also dropped this tease about Keith Urban's Saturday performance: "Riverbend has every reason to believe Keith Urban will be going out into the crowd."
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT LINEUP
* Bud Light Stage: Larkin Poe, 6:15-7:30 p.m.; Jimmie Allen, 7:45-9:15 p.m.
* Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union Stage: The Bohannons, 6:30-8 p.m.; Rubiks Groove, 8:15-10 p.m.
* Chevy Stage: Rosewood Grips, 6-7:15 p.m.; Stephen Busie Band, 7:30-9 p.m.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
* General-admission four-day passes are $95 at Food City and Harry's locations until May 28. General-admission four-day passes go up to $115 on May 29.
* One-day general admission May 29-June 1 is $55 in advance, $60 beginning May 29.
* Admission wristbands double as the way to pay for drinks, food or merchandise at the festival. Riverbend is a cashless event, so you'll pay with your radio frequency identification wristband rather than using tokens, cash or credit cards.
* During the festival, you can visit stations set up to load cash onto your wristband. Those stations are called top-up stations.
* Tokens left over from previous Riverbend festivals can be redeemed this year only. The only way to add cash or tokens to your wristband is by visiting a top-up station on-site during the festival.
* To make purchases at the festival, your wristband will be scanned and the cost of the purchase withdrawn from the credit balance loaded on your wristband.
* Arrive wearing your wristband. To save time, festival staff recommends adding funds to your wristband before the festival begins. Register on the festival website at https://riverbendfestival.com/about-admission.
AT THE FESTIVAL SITE
* Gates will open at 5 p.m. nightly. For safety reasons, no chairs will be allowed on-site until 5 p.m. and all bags will be searched. No backpacks will be allowed.
* Wristbands will be scanned upon entry and exit. Failure to scan out could prevent your return into the festival.
* Shirt and shoes are required.
* Picnic supplies, coolers, outside food and beverages, refillable containers and glass bottles are prohibited.
* Recording performances is prohibited by terms of contracts; therefore, camcorders and audio equipment are not allowed. Cameras are permitted, but may be restricted in some areas.
* Age verification wristbands are required for all alcoholic beverage purchases and consumption.