Ween rocks Axis

For more than a decade, the band Ween has remained afloat on the edge of mainstream music. It hasn't "hit it big," per se; you may be familiar with Phish's cover of "Roses Are Free" or even own a copy of the 1994 release "Chocolate and Cheese." But for rock, punk and devoted Ween fans, Wednesday's sold-out show at Axis Nightclub was a raucous, fist-pumping, head-banging treat. \nFormed in 1984, the group is essentially Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman, a.k.a. Dean and Gene Ween. Dean plays lead guitar, and Gene takes up rhythm guitar and lead vocals. For Wednesday's gig they brought a full band -- bass, keys and drums. The band remained solid throughout the night -- especially drummer Claude Coleman -- but the dynamic duo stole the spotlight.\nOn its albums, Ween plays a variety of musical styles, everything from psychedelic rock to funk to country. Live, Dean and Gene strip down their songs to their rock core and fill each one with a healthy dose of punk. And the crowd at Axis loved it. \nBefore the show even started, anticipation and excitement filled the nightclub. When Dean's white T-shirt could finally be seen walking across the dark stage, the crowd wasted no time cheering for Ween. With a cloud of smoke shrouding them from view, Dean and Gene strapped on their axes and ripped through the opener, "Buckingham Green." But this was only the beginning of a long, 28-song set.\nAfter a few tunes, the band played "Voodoo Lady" and pulled out its first long jam of the night. Adding a psychedelic twist to the sound, Dean walked up to microphone and sang into a talk box, a la Peter Frampton. The solo was one of his best of the night and showed his ability as a lead guitarist.\nGene also had his moment to shine. He put down his guitar for a brief period and sang into the microphone like a true punk front man. Staring menacingly into the crowd, he sang the old classic "You Fucked Up," with his middle finger at full extension. \nThe song list spanned Ween's entire career, pleasing both hardcore fans and those who were only familiar with more popular songs. The audience responded with affectionate applause after every tune, and the boys of Ween fed off it all night.\nTo close the show, Dean revisited the talk box for a spacey intro to the funk-laced tune "Let Me Lick …" The song featured a lengthy keyboard solo, the only one of the night, and some of the wackiest and sexiest singing from Gene.\nIf you missed the show, check out Ween on the last night of the Bonnaroo Music Festival. And if any of you are wondering if Dean and Gene played "Roses Are Free," they did, and it rocked.