Ten years ago today on February 12th, 2016, alt-rock weirdos Ween performed at Broomfield, CO’s 1stBank Center to kick off a three-night run, celebrating the band’s long-awaited return to the stage. Prior to this night, Ween had not performed live together since New Year’s Eve 2011 at Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium. Officially, the band had “broken up.”
Ween split suddenly in 2012 after Aaron Freeman–a.k.a. Gene Ween–announced in an interview with Rolling Stone that he was “retiring Gene Ween,” and referred to his time with Ween as a “closed book.”
As he explained, “It’s been a long time, 25 years. It was a good run.” Freeman had just released a solo record and was going through the process of getting sober, among other personal tribulations and disputes with his partner-in-brown, guitarist Dean Ween–a.k.a. Mickey Melchiondo.
Dean Ween Pens Excuse Letter For Student Wanting To Attend Colorado Ween Reunion
Mickey seemed just as surprised by the breakup as any of the band’s fans. As he posted on Facebook at the time, “This is news to me, all I can say for now I guess.” He later spoke about the surprisingly decisive manner in which Freeman had ended Ween in an interview with Mxdwn:
It’s common knowledge that Aaron just went away for a long stint in rehab. He’s trying to get himself sober and get his life on track, and that extends way deeper than just Ween. And I love Aaron, he’s one of my best friends in the world, my whole life. So, I kinda thought, that maybe the band would be on ice for a year, or two, or three, or five, and I was totally cool with that. However long it took for him to be healthy and more importantly happy, I was prepared to do it, and I was going to wait for him to take the lead on it. And the next thing I know I read in Rolling Stone that he said that he was breaking up the band. And I was heartbroken. I still am. It’s only been a month. And I also knew, you shouldn’t make a decision like that, the day you get out of rehab or the week you get out, and I think he regrets it. I don’t think that you’ve seen the last of Ween.
Thankfully, it turned out that Deaner’s instinct was correct. After years of eager waiting and encouragement from fans (some of whom you may know), the two eventually mended fences. Freeman’s sobriety held strong, issues were worked out, and the New Hope, PA natives finally reunited in Colorado following the four-year break and picked up where they left off back on New Year’s Eve 2011.
Watch a complete-show fan-shot video compilation from Ween’s first reunion performance on February 12th, 2016 below:
Ween Reunion — 1stBank Center — Broomfield, CO — 2/12/16 — Full Video
[Video: phrazelle]
Today, in 2026, Ween fans are once again in a similar situation. On the precipice of the band’s 40th anniversary tour in 2024, Ween abruptly canceled half of the dates, with Deaner announcing, “At this moment in time though I need to step away from performing live in order to preserve my mental and spiritual well being, and instead focus on myself and loved ones.”
A few months later, the band played a trio of shows in Montana and Washington, only to scrap the rest of the touring year and announce that there would be no more tour dates for the foreseeable future.
“It is with sincere regret and heavy hearts that Ween must make the decision to step away from the stage for the foreseeable future,” the band wrote on August 29th, 2024. “This includes next month’s sold-out Chocolate and Cheese 25th [sic] Anniversary show at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia. Despite three great shows this summer, it’s become clear that touring and performing is too taxing on Deaner’s mental health to continue. As always, we thank you for the love, dedication and ongoing support.”
Now, fans once again eagerly await the return of the brothers in Boognish, Dean and Gene Ween. As Deaner himself said during the first breakup, “I can only speak for myself, but as far as I’m concerned, as long as Aaron and I are both alive on this planet, Ween is still together. This isn’t something you can quit. This is a life sentence.”
Get well soon, Deaner. We’re ready whenever you are, mang.
Setlist: Ween | 1stBank Center | Broomfield, CO | 2/12/16
Set: What Deaner Was Talkin’ About, Buckingham Green, Beacon Light, Bananas and Blow, Japanese Cowboy, Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down), Now I’m Freaking Out, Roses Are Free, A Tear For Eddie, Your Party, How High Can You Fly?, Nan, Puerto Rican Power, Tick, Wayne’s Pet Youngin, The Goin’ Gets Tough From the Getgo, Mister Richard Smoker, Waving My Dick in the Wind, Gabrielle, Ooh Va La, Awesome Sound, The Stallion pt 3, Big Jilm, Licking the Palm For Guava> Mushroom Festival in Hell, Even If You Don’t, Sorry Charlie, With My Own Bare Hands, Don’t Laugh (I Love You), Boy’s Club, Homo Rainbow
Encore: Fiesta, Buenas Tardes Amigo
[Poster: by Justin Hampton, via Brownbase]
[Cover photo via YouTube user phrazelle‘s fan-shot compilation]