Fountains Of Wayne played their first full gig in over a decade this weekend — and their first since the passing of founding member Adam Schlesinger — opening for Weezer in Boca Raton, Florida.
It was a night drenched in nostalgia, catharsis, and maybe a few quiet tears behind the sunglasses.
Schlesinger died in 2020 from COVID-related complications at the age of 52. A genius songwriter and the band’s melodic backbone, his absence left a gap no one could really fill — but on Saturday (May 24), the band found a way to honour him onstage without turning it into a eulogy. Stepping in on bass was Max Collins of Eve 6, a perfect match in both spirit and sound.
The setlist was pure old-school: 15 songs pulled exclusively from the band’s first three albums — Fountains of Wayne, Utopia Parkway, and Welcome Interstate Managers. Mexican Wine, Hackensack, Radiation Vibe, and, of course, Stacy’s Mom all made an appearance. No deep cuts from later records, no new material — just a tight, unfussy tribute to the era that made them.
“Thanks Boca Raton for a lovely evening!” the band posted after the show. “Pleasure meeting so many of you and sweating on many of you.” Fittingly tongue-in-cheek for a band that always had their hearts stitched into their sleeves — usually right next to a sarcastic punchline.
It was their first full performance since 2013 and, by all accounts, they didn’t miss a beat. The harmonies were there, the guitar tones felt like flipping through old yearbooks, and the crowd — equal parts Gen X lifers and millennial converts — soaked it up like a time warp.
Next stop: Japan’s Mano-Mugen Festival, then Summerfest in Milwaukee and Oceans Calling in Maryland later this year. It’s not a full-blown reunion, and maybe it shouldn’t be — but it’s something. And that something feels right.
Adam may be gone, but the melodies still hit. Hard.
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