Ween Plays ‘If You Love Me’ For 1st Time Since 1995 At Las Vegas Opener

Ween took the stage for their first show of 2023 last night at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas to begin a three-night stand in Sin City. The purveyors of brown had big treat in store for fans within the encore as they dusted off rarity “If You Love Me,” which was last played live on April 20, 1995 as per Brownbase.

“If You Love Me” was debuted by Ween at their home venue of John & Peter’s in New Hope, Pennsylvania on October 30, 1993. The rock song featuring NSFW lyrics saw action regularly in 1994 and then disappeared after a performance in Melbourne, Australia on April 20, 1995.

Frontmen and co-founders Mickey “Dean Ween” Melchiondo and Aaron “Gene Ween” Freeman led the rest of the band — bassist Dave Dreiwitz, keyboardist Glenn McClelland and drummer Claude Coleman Jr. — through the hard-charging “If You Love Me” as the penultimate song of the night on Thursday. McClelland fit in a barrelhouse piano solo towards the end of the tune.

Watch fan-shot video of Ween busting out “If You Love Me” below:

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Ween’s 31-song show on Thursday featured a handful of additional rarities. “Mango Woman” was played for just the sixth time, while “Suckin’ Blood From The Devil’s Dick” continues a resurgence after its return in 2022 following a 27-year absence. “Polka Dot Tail,” “Seconds,” “Beacon Light,” “How High Can You Fly?,” “Transitions” and “Koko” were other songs played less than 60 times over the course of Ween’s career trotted out last night.

The concert was not without its fair share of staples starting with opener “Piss Up A Rope.” Ween also performed such classics as “Roses Are Free,” “I Can’t Put My Finger On It,” “Exactly Where I’m At,” “Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down),” “Pandy Facker” and “Don’t Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy).” The quintet concluded their main set with Pure Guava standout “Touch My Tooter” and returned for a four-song encore featuring “Bananas And Blow,” “Big Jilm,” the aforementioned “If You Love Me” and “You Fucked Up.”

Ween are back at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas tonight and tomorrow. Purchase livestreams via FANS.live.

Check out pro-shot video of the first four songs from last night’s show below:

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Audience Recording (Taped by CPS)

Setlist (via Brownbase)

Set: Piss Up a Rope, The Golden Eel, The Stallion pt 3, Roses Are Free, Polka Dot Tail, The Grobe, Puerto Rican Power, Seconds, Tick, I Can’t Put My Finger on It, Beacon Light, Mango Woman, Exactly Where I’m At, Awesome Sound, Frank, Help Me Scrape the Mucus Off My Brain, Learnin’ to Love, Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down), How High Can You Fly?, Tried and True, Springtheme, Transitions, Suckin’ Blood From the Devil’s Dick, Pandy Fackler, Koko, Don’t Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy), Touch My Tooter

Encore: Bananas and Blow, Big Jilm, If You Love Me, You Fucked Up

Source: JamBase.com