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Lead guitarist Dean Ween (left) and lead vocalist Gene Ween played for nearly three hours, despite an odd choice of venues. Bob Heil Visit the Photo Place

>> QUIRKY ALT-ROCKERS RACED THROUGH 20-YEAR CATALOGUE WEEN SPACES OUT ON DAR AUDIENCE

Ween rocks out DAR Constitutional Hall in DC

Date published: 1/31/2008

By Dan Telvock

Ween, one of the most eclectic rock bands on the planet, invaded DAR Constitutional Hall in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 23, with nearly three hours of wackiness.

The five-piece rock band is back on the road to promote its new album "La Cucaracha," a low-budget disc recorded in one day.

Frontmen Gene Ween and Dean Ween (real names are Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, respectively) belted out a 32-song set list that spanned their 20-year career together, which was spawned in grade school.

Ween neophytes may have been confused by such tunes as "Pork Roll Egg and Cheese," "Spinal Meningitis" and "Bananas and Blow." But that's what this band wants to do: mess with your head. The bizarre--oftentimes offensive-- lyrics and song titles are somehow produced into guitar-heavy rock ditties that actually sound pretty good.

With so many songs in their repertoire, the band can turn a flamenco-style melody into a country song and thrash metal into a ballad, using lyrics that often make fun of serious subjects. Last Wednesday, for example, they played a song "Zoloft" dedicated to the antidepressant: "Suckin' 'em down, I'm happy, man/ Can feel it inside, makin' me smile," sang Gene Ween.

The spaced-out "Transdermal Celebration" and smash-mouth "Doctor Rock" were highlights of the show. The band, which didn't sound so fresh, seemed to cut many of the songs short, especially the epic guitar solo in "Buckingham Green."

The 3,500-person venue wasn't packed, a likely reason why the band decided to start 30 minutes late.

If there could be one complaint, it would be the venue for this band. The vocals were often hard to hear, and the guitar and bass were muffled--but that's DAR's problem. I am sure a lot of fans were disappointed that the band couldn't get a gig at the much more compact 9:30 Club, which doesn't have seats for general admission.

--Dan Telvock

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Date published: 1/31/2008