Blast off, Nashville: Top moments from Weezer's out-of-this-world 'Voyage to the Blue Planet' show

On Tuesday night, Weezer took their Music City fans much farther away than just their "Island in the Sun," they transported them to a galaxy light years away on their "Voyage to the Blue Planet" show.

The alternative rock band known for "Undone - The Sweater Song," "Buddy Holly" and "Say It Ain't So" brought their other-worldly "Voyage to the Blue Planet Tour" to Nashville to celebrate 30 years of their first iconic record, the "Blue Album."

The band kicked off the 22-stop tour in Minnesota earlier this month and played shows in New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and more before visiting Nashville on their ninth stop of the tour.

As the night kicked off, openers Dinosaur Jr., known for "Feel the Pain" and "Start Choppin,'" "Do You Realize??" band The Flaming Lips took the stage.

Then, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, lead guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards) and Scott Shriner (bass, backing vocals) brought their space mission to center stage.

They played the "Blue Album" in full along with some of their other fan favorites throughout a tight 90-minute show.

Frontman Cuomo delivered a minimalistic but powerful performance as he let his vocals and guitar speak for themselves — he didn't feel the need to thrash and dance. And as the rest of the band rocked out, the audience was told a celestial sci-fi tale.

Here are the highlights.

Weezer embarks on a mission of cosmic exploration with Nashville crowd

Before the show began, a video played over two circular screens on each side of the stage.

The Weezer band members gave a mock news interview about their upcoming space voyage, discussing their plans with the news anchor while wearing space suits.

After the newscast, curtains onstage dropped to reveal a space shuttle illuminated by blue-lit smoke as a countdown started on the screens for five minutes. The Weezer "W" shone on the back wall of the stage.

The crowd watched in anticipation and screamed as the clock declined — chanting the countdown as if it were New Year's Eve in New York City or a real-life NASA rocket launch.

Finally, the ship launched into the sky shooting sparks and revealing the Weezer crew, all standing under the vessel, donning black jumpers decorated like space suits.

The band quickly shot into "Anonymous" as Cuomo belted out his beloved whiny, grungy vocals, Wilson clamored on the drums, and Bell and Shriner brought soaring guitar licks and distorted bass.

After "Return to Ithaka" and "Dope Nose," the show gained momentum as the crowd sang along to "Hash Pipe." The band cycled through more of their hits, like "Burndt Jamb" and "Pork and Beans," where flashing red bulbs hung over the stage.

Before song "Beverly Hills," Cuomo addressed the crowd: "Well, we're still about 30 light years away from the Blue Planet but we are so excited to get back there," he said.

"Thank you guys so much for coming with us on this very important mission, this very dangerous mission."

Bell joked that Bokkus — an alien character created by the band that "doesn't like them" — had "destroyed his sweater" (a lyrical reference to 'Undone – The Sweater Song'), so the band had to go shopping. Weezer cleverly segued into their 2005 hit "Beverly Hills" as pink graphics of the city played in the background.

Bell's guitar riffs impressed as the audience clapped along. Cuomo even gave the crowd a lyric change, singing "Livin' in Nashville, Tennessee."

Sticking with the space theme, the band's graphics showed an island literally inside of the sun as they sang the 2001 song "Island in the Sun" — another one of the evening's crowd-pleasers.

Weezer spacecraft marooned in 'Pinkerton Astroid Belt,' arrives on 'Blue Planet' to play 'Blue Album' in full

Throughout the show, videos played in the background of clouds, outer space, the fat-cheeked alien creature Bokkus flying in a space ship and a Weezer-themed space shuttle. And in the graphics, Weezer continued to tell the crowd a story.

"Looking for parts to fix the ship," an automated voice said over the speakers after an unexpected mechanical failure. "We are currently marooned in an asteroid belt ... the Pinkerton Asteroid belt."

The crowd cheered; it was time for some tunes from the band's '96 second studio album, "Pinkerton."

Throughout songs "Getchoo," "Why Bother?" and "Pink Triangle," the band traveled closer to what everyone was waiting for: Weezer's performance of the "Blue Album" in full.

After an outfit change, the band dramatically returned to the stage to plant a flag on the Blue Planet.

Cuomo said, "One small step for Weezer, one giant leap for Weezer-kind" as blue streamers shot into the crowd and "My Name is Jonas" commenced.

Though the Blue Planet first appeared abandoned, dismal and gray, the band shared their plan to breathe life back into the planet through their music.

As they played through the 1994 album, hits "Buddy Holly," "Undone – The Sweater Song," and "Say It Ain’t So" stole the show.

During "Undone," Bell changed the conversational parts of the song to invoke Nashville.

"Oh man, you know about the party after the show? It’s at Tootsies. I'm so stoked," Bell said. "Do you know about Tootsies? I think I wanna go, but my friends don’t wanna go. Can I get a ride to Broadway?" he added.

The audience howled after the first guitar lick of "Say It Ain’t So," of which Cuomo let the fans sing certain refrains alone.

As they sang, the Blue Planet's inhabitants, the Weezerites — which were just hundreds of animated Cuomos, shot down Bokkus in his space ship with their laser eyes.

By the end of the "Blue Album," the band had created a thriving civilization on Blue Planet with flying cars and high rise buildings, all through the power of their music. The band ended the night with an ethereal rendition of the "Blue Album" closer, "Only In Dreams."

"Well we made it guys," Cuomo said. "30 light years. Thanks so much for coming with us, sticking with us all these years ... Weez on."

Weezer's 'Voyage to the Blue Planet' Nashville Set List

• Anonymous

• Return to Ithaka

• Dope Nose (with “Troublemaker” snippet)

• Hash Pipe

• Pork and Beans

• Beverly Hills

• Burndt Jamb (with “Everybody Get Dangerous” snippet)

• Island in the Sun

• Any Friend of Diane’s

• Perfect Situation

• Run, Raven, Run

• Getchoo

• Why Bother?

• Pink Triangle

• You Gave Your Love to Me Softly

• Across the Sea

• My Name Is Jonas

• No One Else

• The World Has Turned and Left Me Here

• Buddy Holly

• Undone – The Sweater Song

• Surf Wax America

• Say It Ain’t So

• In the Garage

• Holiday

• Only in Dreams

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Weezer brings 'Voyage to the Blue Planet Tour' to Nashville, top moments