Weezer fans pack Waterside despite rain By Ryan Murphy and Amir Vera The Virginian-Pilot May 11, 2017

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Weezer performs for a crowd to celebrate the grand opening of the Waterside District in Norfolk, Virginia on May 11, 2017. Fans waited in line for hours to receive free tickets to the concert.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Weezer's Rivers Cuomo plays for an audience during the grand opening of the Waterside District in Norfolk, Virginia on May 11, 2017.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Weezer's Brian Bell sings to a crowd during the grand opening of the Waterside District in Norfolk, Virginia on May 11, 2017.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Zach Jones was one of the first people to wait in line at the entrance of the Waterside District for free tickets to the Waterside grand opening concert in Norfolk on Thursday, May 11, 2017. Jones has attended 14 Weezer concerts.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Zach Jones poses for a portrait while waiting in line for free tickets to the Waterside grand opening concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the entrance of the Waterside District in Norfolk.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Jaida Garrison was the third to arrive at the entrance of the Waterside District for free tickets to the Waterside grand opening concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 in Norfolk. While Garrison also enjoys Weezer, she is waiting in line primarily to see New Politics.

Buy Now Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Jaida Garrison poses for a portrait while waiting in line for free tickets at the entrance of the Waterside District for the Waterside grand opening concert in Norfolk on Thursday, May 11, 2017.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Zach Jones was the second to arrive to stand in line for free tickets at the entrance of the Waterside District for the Waterside grand opening concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 in Norfolk. Jones, an avid Weezer fan, and is a member of the Weezer fan club.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Ben Coons poses for a portrait while waiting in line at the entrance of the Waterside District for free tickets to the Waterside grand opening concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 in Norfolk.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Ben Coons was the first to arrive at the entrance of the Waterside District for free tickets to the Waterside grand opening concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 in Norfolk. Coons traveled from Indianapolis to attend the Thursday night concert.

Allison Hess | The Virginian-Pilot Zach Jones waits at the entrance of Waterside for free tickets to the Waterside District grand opening concert on Thursday, May 11, 2017 in Norfolk.

NORFOLK Despite some sprinkles, there was still an energized crowd at Waterside District Thursday for the free Weezer Concert. The slightly cold temperatures also didn't stop people from throwing Frisbees, beer cans and inflatable balls through the audience. "It's awesome, it's a great time," said Bree Davis of Virginia Beach. She was standing on the light pole in the middle of the crowd with her friend Gray Jones. The two women were singing at the top of their lungs when the band took the stage and sang "Hash Pipe." "The band really responds to it. You can see a lot," Davis said, who added it didn't take her long to get through the line outside of the concert venue. Alex Noffke and Gwen Jerkins of Virginia Beach also said it didn't take them long to get through the line. "Finding the line was harder than getting in," Noffke said. Both he and his girlfriend have been Weezer fans since 2000. They're favorite songs are "Say It Ain't So" and "The Sweater Song." "Its a toss up," Jerkins said. About 10 hours before the concert, Zach Jones sat alone Thursday morning. For a little while, he was the only person in line for the free concert. Two other people had stepped away briefly to forage for food or water. As clouds heavy with rain loomed over Norfolk, Jones recounted memories of his favorite band – he's seen Weezer 13 times and is a member of the fan club. He said seeing his favorite band in his backyard was a no-brainer, even if he had to

burn a vacation day to wait in line. "I asked off (of work) as soon as I heard the news that they were coming," Jones said. The 28-year-old from Virginia Beach said he's traveled as far as Atlanta to see the venerated rock band. He said he converted his parents and his girlfriend into fans, playing Weezer albums in the car constantly and dragging them to shows. His mom and girlfriend were supposed to show up later to meet him in line. Jones said he stumbled into the 16-year love affair when he was in 6th grade and saw Weezer perform on Saturday Night Live. Often he would sneak downstairs late on Saturdays to watch the show. "Just the first riff of 'Hash Pipe' caught me. (Weezer frontman) Rivers Cuomo was wearing his glasses and looking nerdy and I was like, 'This is my band,'" Jones recalled, sitting on the brick patio behind Waterside as crews continued work on tents and barriers for the concert and the Waterside District's grand opening. He said he's stuck with the band through thick and thin since latching onto their third album in 2001 and then exploring their earlier work. The band's later albums were hit or miss with critics and fans alike. "Even if they do something completely ridiculous, from an artistic point of view I like that they can be silly and just not care," Jones said. "It's been a long journey with Weezer."