Ween at Terminal 5

Gene Ween & Dean Ween

Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in 1984 in a junior high school typing class in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Discovering a compatible interest in music, the duo formed Ween as an alternative rock band. They invented the band's name from an amalgamation of "wuss" and "penis." Inspired by the Ramones, the duo adopted stage names, Freeman as Gene Ween the vocalist and Melchiondo as Dean Ween on lead guitar. For the first 10 years, Ween performed most often as a duo backed by pre-recorded backing tracks from a Digital Audio Tape (DAT). In 1994, Ween expanded to include other musicians more regularly. After 28 years, Freeman quit the band in 2012 to focus on his recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Ween reformed for touring purposes in 2015 with no stated plans to record new music as yet. Since the band's 2015 reunion, Ween has consisted of Dean Ween, Gene Ween, keyboardist Glenn McClelland, bassist Dave Dreiwitz, and drummer Claude Coleman, Jr. Ween's ninth and most recent studio album is 2007's La Cucaracha.

Even Ween's most ardent fans are unable to predict what the next Ween show will be like. Headlining the first of two nights at Terminal 5, Ween performed an eclectic two-hour set that was comprised of songs from all of the band's studio albums except, oddly, the most recent album. The biggest surprise of the evening, however, was that Ween performed "Oh My Dear (I'm Falling in Love)" live for the first time since 2005. Otherwise, the band was the usual unusual. Starting with the opening song, "Take Me Away," Dean Ween animated excitement by wailing extensively on his guitar, bending high notes quickly and repeatedly. Adding offbeat lyrics, a wide range of musical styles and a jaunty spirit, the setlist proved to be alt-expansive: alt-funk, alt-country, alt-prog rock, alt-punk, alt-everything. Longtime Ween fans were in bliss; newcomers had their heads spun around, because few rock bands are this experimental and slickly polished at the same time.

Setlist:

1. Take Me Away
2. Gabrielle
3. Transdermal Celebration
4. Even If You Don't
5. Beacon Light
6. Pork Roll Egg and Cheese
7. Now I'm Freaking Out
8. Voodoo Lady
9. Zoloft
10. Mutilated Lips
11. Chocolate Town
12. Stay Forever
13. Piss Up a Rope
14. Oh My Dear (I'm Falling in Love)
15. Roses Are Free
16. Springtheme
17. The Argus
18. The Goin' Gets Tough From the Getgo
19. Stroker Ace
20. Old Queen Cole
21. Touch My Tooter
22. The Stallion, Part 5
23. Tender Situation
24. Birthday Boy
25. It's Gonna Be a Long Night
26. Dr. Rock

Encore:

1. Freedom of '76
2. Drifter in the Dark
3. Someday