KROQ’s Annual Weenie Roast Closes out Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre With Rock Greats

Matt Corkill

Saturday marked the final KROQ Weenie Roast in Irvine with a bittersweet closing. Attendees had a full day of incredible music while walking alongside the artists and celebrities in attendance but a large majority of the guests were left with a void that only the MIA Red Hot Chili Peppers could have filled.

Even for heartbroken fans, following the announcement that RHCP would not perform, there was more than enough for them to rave about and rock out to; to start, a surprise set from Blink 182 with an explosive finale. They came out full speed with hits “Family Reunion,” “The Rock Show” and “All the Small Things” while also taking every opportunity to have fun with the Roasters in attendance in proper Blink fashion. Debuting tracks like “Built This Pool,” “Bored to Death” and “Brohemian Rhapsody” from their upcoming album “California” gave fans a taste of what the band’s future holds with Matt Skiba on guitar and vocals.

Appropriately opening with “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time,” KROQ veterans Panic! At The Disco came out and absolutely lost their minds for 40 minutes. Crushing tracks from their new “Death of a Bachelor” album before closing with mega hits “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” “Miss Jackson” and “Victorious,” they included a very special “Bohemian Rhapsody” tribute to Queen with Brendon Urie’s vocals so spot on it was hard not to feel as if the rock gods themselves were present.

Garbage put on a performance that the fans will remember for some time to come and not just because Shirley Manson gracefully fell off the stage directly into the photo pit. Without missing a beat, Manson jumped up into the crowd to personally serenade them. Along with the live debut of their new single “Empty,” Garbage revived hits like “#1 Crush” and “Special” before closing with “Only Happy When it Rains.”  

Unfortunately for the roasters in attendance and equally for Flea and Chad Smith, it was a major let down that Anthony Kiedis was hospitalized with intestinal flu symptoms, but Flea promised to “come back and play like the animals you deserve” the next time RHCP comes through town. We wish you a speedy recovery Anthony and will be holding Flea to that promise.

Weezer took the headlining spot in Kiedis’ absence while helping fans transport back to earlier years opening with hits such as “Island in the Sun,” “Back to the Shack” and “Hash Pipe” (the venue filling with a pungent skunk aroma), before closing with “Undone – The Sweater Song,” “Buddy Holly” and appropriately, as this was the final KROQ Weenie Roast song at Irvine Meadows, “Say it Ain’t So.”

Miike Snow and The Lumineers each came out and delighted fans with hits such as “Genghis Khan” and “Ho Hey” respectively. Los Angeles locals Fitz and the Tantrums had the entire main stage crowd up and clapping throughout their set to songs like “Out of My League,” “Clap Your Hands” and closing with “The Walker.” Empire of the Sun brought their eccentric style to Weenie Roast while paying a proper tribute to Prince opening with “Let’s Go Crazy” that had fans doing exactly that.

Over on the Bud Light Stage, Roast fans were treated to the emerging artists that have been receiving a large amount of play time recently on KROQ like Bishop Briggs, The Strumbellas, Nothing But Thieves and Lukas Graham. Briggs had a powerful energy to her set that had the crowd singing along. Graham closed the Bud Light stage in proper fashion with a lyrical (and shirtless) performance that had some dancing and some crying when he played “7 Years” and “Take the World by Storm.” R.I.P. Irvine Meadows.

KROQ’s Weenie Roast set the stage on fire at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on May 14.