Weezer plays the hits

Weezer doesn’t need to play non-hits. As the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club closed the shed on 2015, thousands of 18-and-ups amassed before the Weezer “W” hung behind the stage. No stranger to Del Mar, Rivers Cuomo said, “Hello, Del Mar,” during a minimal-banter set.

The night opened with “My Name Is Jonas” before Green Album’s single, “Hash Pipe.” Cuomo and bandmates Scott Shriner, Brian Bell, and Pat Wilson, who sported a Padres cap, played “Back To The Shack,” “Surf Wax America,” and “The Good Life” early in the set.

“Say It Ain’t So” sounded clean and powerful as the crowd sang along. “Memories” was one of the fastest songs played. After a brief pause, the crowd chanting “Weezer” and “Buddy Holly,” Weezer returned to play “Beverly Hills” as Cuomo chanted the chorus, “Beverly Chills!” They closed with “Buddy Holly.”

The set balanced the band’s early indie-rock leanings and their later modern pop as Rivers jammed out on his Warmoth Strat. The night was everything you’d expect: rock professionals playing songs they’d played thousands of times in a festival setting.

• Concert: Weezer
• Date: September 6
• Venue: Del Mar Race Track
• Seats: GA