Gene Ween (government name Aaron Freeman) surprised a hometown crowd in his adopted burgh of Seattle on Saturday when he sauntered onstage at Royal Records for a brief solo concert. The surprise show on Record Store Day marked Gener’s first solo acoustic performance since 2015, a time when he was going by Aaron Freeman rather than his Boognish-baptized monicker.

In addition to the significance of Gene’s first solo show in nearly a decade, Saturday’s appearance had even more meaning given that Ween was supposed to be onstage at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville that night. The show was announced as the first leg of the band’s 40th-anniversary tour, however last month Ween canceled the seven-show swing through the Southeast. In a message to fans, guitarist Dean Ween (born Mickey Melchiondo Jr.) wrote that he is temporarily stepping from performing live “in order to preserve my mental and spiritual well being.” The band is still due to play a seven-show run in Montana, Washington, and Oregon in August, followed by a Chocolate and Cheese 30th-anniversary concert in Philadelphia on September 27th.

So with all of that in mind, it was a joyous sight to see Gene Ween take the stage at 4:20 p.m. on 4/20, whether you were one of the lucky few in attendance or tuning in via livestream thanks to the devoted online Ween community. Eschewing any grandiose reflection on his return to solo performing, Gene offered a simple greeting and the explanation “I live here so I just drove up.”

He proceeded to offer up a nine-song set of Ween classics including the opening “Don’t Shit Where You Eat”, sea shanty “She Wanted to Leave”, singalong “Banas and Blow”, “The Mollusk”, and “Stay Forever”. The acoustic simplicity gave added beauty to White Pepper‘s “Back to Basom” ahead of the rarity “Ooh Va La”, a song from The Caeser Demos performed only 19 times by Ween as a unit but 46 times by Gener solo (per Brownbase). Deaner’s absence was surely felt on the a cappela ending of “Don’t Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy)”, though luckily Gene had a room full of willing participants to help shoulder the lyrical load. Finally, the half-hour set closed out with the inherent goofiness of “Push th’ Little Dasises”, with Gene forgoing the “Your Party” finale printed on his original setlist.

Saturday’s in-store appearance came in stark contrast to Gene’s last solo acoustic show on March 21st, 2015. The most apparent differences include the fact that he was introduced as Gene Ween, rather than in 2015 when he was performing as Aaron Freeman amid Ween’s breakup from May 2012–November 2015. There’s also Gene’s physical appearance, as he has noticeably slimmed down over the past year and moreover beams with radiant positivity every time he steps onstage. The fact that Gene should return to solo performing at this time also carries heavy significance, as during the FREEMAN days Deaner, the band, and their fans allowed Aaron the time and space to work through what he was going through. Now we are all extending that same courtesy to Dean as he gets himself right. All that to say, it was more welcome now than any time in the past few years to see Ween (any Ween) back onstage.

Check out a full video of Gene Ween performing solo acoustic at Royal Records in Seattle on Saturday. Ween is currently due to return to the stage on August 2nd for a sold-out show at KettleHouse Amphitheater. Visit the band’s website for full tour details. Get well soon, Deaner.

Gene Ween — Royal Records — Seattle, WA — 4/20/24 — Full Video

[Video: The Stallion Mang]

Setlist: Gene Ween | Royal Records | Seattle, WA | 4/20/24

Set: Don’t Shit Where You Eat, She Wanted to Leave, Bananas and Blow, The Mollusk, Stay Forever, Back to Basom, Ooh Va La, Don’t Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy), Push th’ Little Daisies

– surprise show – Gene solo acoustic