Photos courtesy of David Becker and Robert Trachtenberg
Musician, songwriter, actor, bandleader, TV show host, author: The hugely popular performer coming to Columbus in early July wears a lot of hats.
And given the lengthy line-up of costume changes his shows entail, that’s a literal statement as well as a figurative one.
On July 6, “Weird Al” Yankovic takes the stage at the Palace Theatre, bringing with him 14 albums of material to choose from and almost 40 years of musical experience – not to mention decades of performing (and outfit-switching) experience.
“It’s a pretty costume-heavy show,” Yankovic says.
The show is part of the second run of his Mandatory World Tour, named after his Grammy winning 2014 album Mandatory Fun. Not only was Mandatory Fun the accordion-toting parodist’s first album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart, it was also the first comedy album ever to debut there.
With his more-than-capable band backing him to perform spot-on parodies of songs by artists from Billy Joel and the Kinks to Lady Gaga and Imagine Dragons, Yankovic is a force to be reckoned with on the tour circuit.
His set is a balance between songs from Mandatory Fun and hits from his catalog, with appropriate attire to match: surgical scrubs for “Like a Surgeon” (a parody of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”), an elaborate fat suit for “Fat” (Michael Jackson’s “Bad”), a Jedi robe for Star Wars tributes “The Saga Begins” and “Yoda” (Don McLean’s “American Pie” and the Kinks’ “Lola,” respectively), a version of Robin Thicke’s pinstriped Grammy outfit for “Word Crimes” (Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”), and so forth. There’s even the occasional song that never made it onto an album.
“I don’t want to give away any surprises, but there will be some things not recorded,” Yankovic says.
Though he’s best known for his parodies, Yankovic also has a long list of original songs in his repertoire. A sizable number of them are pastiches, songs that are in the style of other artists but not direct parodies of any of their songs. Artists given the pastiche treatment over the years include Peter Gabriel, Nine Inch Nails, the Foo Fighters, Hanson, Queen, Meat Loaf and Bob Dylan.
Then there are the medleys of popular songs converted into polka tunes – “the way God intended,” as he once said. The one now making the rounds at his shows includes “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus, “Gangnam Style” by Psy, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen and “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Yankovic and his long-tenured band members – keyboardist Ruben Valtierra was the latest to join, in 1991 – aren’t the only ones whose outfits reflect various songs and stages throughout Yankovic’s career. Weird Al has a very dedicated fan base, and he often sees them donning duds that resemble his own.
“Some people get very into it,” says Yankovic. “Some will wear Hawaiian shirts or Jedi uniforms or Amish (clothes).”
The latter is a reference to “Amish Paradise,” a parody of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise.”
Even when they’re not in costume, though, Yankovic’s audience members always impress him. It’s not, as he notes, just teenage boys anymore; it’s every demographic, and it’s multigenerational, as people who went to see his shows in the 1980s and 1990s are now bringing their own children.
“I’m seeing it every night,” he says. “It’s the whole ‘circle of life’ thing.”
The tour, which runs through September, comes between Yankovic’s other engagements. In April, he finished filming as bandleader and co-host on IFC show Comedy Bang! Bang!. The role – this season premiered June 3 – is an exciting one, he says.
“I got to work with a lot of old friends and make a lot of new friends,” says Yankovic. “It’s the most fun job I’ve ever had.”
He also voices the title character in Disney animated TV show Milo Murphy’s Law, which premieres in October, and is continuing to record lines while on tour.
“I’ll have to literally phone it in,” he says.
Yankovic isn’t sure what will be on his schedule after the tour and voice recording wrap, but he always has a few ideas in the workshop. He’s been talking to a few potential collaborators about writing a Broadway musical, for example.
And, of course, there’s always the possibility of improving on some of his past struggles. Prior to Comedy Bang! Bang! and Milo Murphy’s Law, his major foray into TV – 1997’s The Weird Al Show – was canceled after one season, and his 1989 film UHF famously bombed, though it has since found a cult following.
“Someday, it would be nice to have a successful movie or successful TV show,” Yankovic says. “That would be good.”
Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
One thing that won’t be found in any of Yankovic’s forthcoming shows: a Prince parody. The Purple One famously never gave Yankovic permission to parody any of his songs – parody is protected speech under copyright laws, but Yankovic always seeks permission for his parodies to maintain good relationships – and Yankovic isn’t about to take any liberties now.
“I had a fantasy that, someday, I’d be able to get his approval on something,” says Yankovic.
(It has to be noted that, though Yankovic never parodied Prince, “Traffic Jam,” an original song from Yankovic’s 1993 album Alapalooza, may be in the style of Prince. Parts of it sound a lot like Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,” and the guitar solo is definitely Prince-esque)
“Someday, it would be nice to have a successful movie or successful TV show. That would be good.”
CAPA presents “Weird Al” Yankovic
July 6, Palace Theatre
www.capa.com
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