“Weird Al” Yankovic

July 26, 2025

Charlotte, NC

Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre

Review by Joseph Hett

“Weird Al” Yankovic Sizzles In Charlotte

Despite the sweltering triple-digit temperatures, fans were treated to an unforgettable show by “Weird Al” Yankovic in Charlotte on Saturday. When the massive “Bigger & Weirder 2025 Tour” was announced, the intimate Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre quickly sold out. Whether delivering a flawless parody or one of his deceptively intricate original tunes, Yankovic reminded the capacity crowd that his talent as a musician is just as sharp as his comedic timing.

The show opened with a live video of Yankovic walking toward the stage while singing “Tacky,” his parody of Pharrell Williams’ hit. As he made his way on the walkway, Puddles the Clown—the opening act—was hilariously hit in the face with a pie by a man in a banana suit.

Yankovic joked that he was “contractually obligated to begin tonight’s performance with a brief PowerPoint presentation.” It was time for the Crosby, Stills & Nash sounding “Mission Statement,” which featured plenty of business jargon.

Of course, an accordion had to be showcased for “Polkamania!” This medley was comprised of number one hits from the past 10 years.

It was now time for the much-hyped drum solo. Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz then humorously delivered a single quick drum fill. They then played the original “Everything You Know is Wrong.”

Before “One More Minute,” Yankovic said in a deep voice, “I’ve got a little ritual that I do. Whenever it’s over 100 degrees on stage, I always like to put on a big, warm heavy jacket and sing a song just for the ladies.” Yankovic made his way down and walked up the aisle for the doo-wop style song that had the women swooning. He even threw a lucky lady a pair of polka-dotted underwear.

The video screen showed the “Another One Rides the Bus” clip from the critically acclaimed movie “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.” Throughout the show, to allow for breaks and costume changes, the big screen spotlighted comedic clips and cultural references from throughout Yankovic’s illustrious career.

When Yankovic came out dressed as Kurt Cobain, everyone knew it was time for the rocking “Smells Like Nirvana.”

The band came out wearing Devo-inspired, flowerpot-like hats. Yankovic was wearing the yellow jumpsuit for the synth-pop tune, “Dare to Be Stupid.”

Yankovic performed an extended medley of classic parodies, highlighted by “Eat It” and “Like a Surgeon.”

In these extreme temperatures, the performers constantly wiped away sweat from their faces. The costumes made things even hotter on stage—literally and figuratively. With that being said, Yankovic gave a full-throttle performance in the iconic fat suit for “Fat.”

The theme songs from the movie “Captain Underpants” and “It’s My World (and We’re All Living in It)” from the animated series “Milo Murphy’s Law” delighted fans.

Yankovic said people always ask him, “Do you think it is possible for you to sing a classic rock song without changing the lyrics into something stupid?” He then crushed a no gimmick version of the “cover song of a cover song” titled “The Letter.”

After much anticipation, it was time for the drum solo reprise – another witty quick drum fill. It was now time to represent boy bands with “eBay” (Backstreet Boys parody).

Yankovic came rolling on a Segway while wearing a durag for the fan favorite “White & Nerdy.” Yankovic and the band then changed into Amish outfits for “Amish Paradise.” While we didn’t get the James Brown parody “Living with a Hernia,” Yankovic did pay tribute to Brown by performing the infamous cape routine.

Backed by a veteran group of musicians, the performance never missed a beat. During band introductions, Charlotte native Payton Rose Velligan (guitar) received plenty of support from the hometown crowd.

After a quick break for the encore, Yankovic and the band came back out for the original “We All Have Cell Phones.” A mass of cell phone lights soon lit up the amphitheatre.

A line of stormtroopers marched out as Yankovic and the band made one more costume change into Star Wars themed characters. This final act of the show started with “The Saga Begins” (“American Pie” parody). “Yoda” (“Lola” parody) included an impressive band chant interlude that contained many quick song references. They left the stage to a standing ovation – an overwhelming show of appreciation for an unforgettable evening.

“Weird Al” Yankovic brought his signature fusion of sharp-witted comedy and genre-hopping musical talent to Charlotte, delivering a performance that was as hilarious as it was musically impressive. This show was a celebration of music, memories and Weird Al’s enduring place in pop culture. It truly is a wonderfully weird world.