The FuMP
2025-10-17
Artist
Worm Quartet
Title
I Was in the Weird Al Pit at Riot Fest
When I discovered that Weird Al was actually on the bill at the most eclectic festival lineup I'd ever seen ("I can see Agnostic Front and Weird Al on the same day?!?" was my initial response) I had to drop "Start a Pac-Man-related cult" from my bucket list to make room for "participate in a Weird Al pit."* This has been one of many situational exceptions I've had to make to my well-documented "Too Old For The Pit" rule. I made perhaps too many exceptions during the weekend of Riot Fest, as my ribs remain bruised (presumably from Sunday's Screeching Weasel prancings,) but I appear to have survived.
Highlights that I was unable to fit into the song:
1. A dude dressed as a banana in said pit
2. A dude dressed as Jesus in said pit (I told him "Hey! I read your book!")
3. Moshing to "Ricky." Seriously. "Ricky."
4. Watching Steve Jay and Jim West occasionally take photos of said pit
5. Watching a dude on the edge of said pit explain to his teenaged daughter the cardinal rule of "someone goes down, you help them up." Felt that in my soul.
Special thanks to Al, whose birthday is next week. And also to my wife, for encouraging me to go to this thing. And to MC Lars for absolving me of the inadvertent theft of his "damn, son" bit. And to Dr. Demento for the years upon years of support...it just hit me that this is the first song I've ever released that has NO chance whatsoever of being played on the Dr. Demento show. But damned if he didn't end the show strong as hell, and on his own terms. (Barry, if you're reading this, all the best in your retirement.)
* Apologies to anyone who has already converted their worldly posessions to tokens in anticipation of said cult. No refunds.
Music and Lyrics by Timothy F. Crist
Vocals / Programming / Arrangement / Keytar by Tim "Shoebox" Crist
Gang vocals by Luke Ski, Lindsay Smith, Tony Goldmark, Devo Spice, Steve Goodie, Chris Mezzolesta, and Insane Ian (who was there!)
Mixed and Mastered by Steve Goodie
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Comments
A-Log - Oct 17, 2025
A mosh pit in a Weird Al concert? Count me in!
Sdubow - Oct 17, 2025
OMG ! This song us absolutely insanely frckin amazing. Ur lyrics are brilliantly dabomb .Your production is awesome. It definitely would be number one if Dr Demento had a continuing top ten. . A video would be so appropriate watched on a humongous screen would be pretty awesome to make us feel like we were there’ in the middle of mayhem. At Riotfest . .. Blown away !
madmanOTL - Oct 17, 2025
This amazing track perfectly captures the awesome chaos of that concert. I can hear that ShoEboX tapped into how special that experience was to him as I saw him immediately after the crowd dispersed covered in sweat, streamers, and that look someone only has after achieving a long time dream.
EclecticLee - Oct 17, 2025
Wait, you paid $3.99 for Weird Al's first album after "In 3-D" came out??? I had to pay full price!
devospice - Oct 17, 2025
Man, I wish I was there. Then I could also make a song like this.
Illbotz - Oct 17, 2025
Hell yea! Me too! :)
NoYouAre - Oct 17, 2025
Wow, this is great! Comedy punk... Cunk!
Dr. Demento Fan Account - Oct 17, 2025
Nice Shoebox!
weirdojace - Oct 17, 2025
I swear this sounds like it has real guitars on it. Are keytars just that good now?
shoebox - Oct 17, 2025
I have some new toys I'm trying out for guitar and drums. This is the first experiment with such. The accordion, however, is all keytar.
goofygavinscherr - Oct 18, 2025
[deleted]
Dr. Milo T. Pinkerton III - Oct 19, 2025
ROCK IT!!!
Sdubow - Oct 19, 2025
Just talked to Weird Al in person about this song yesterday and he really really likes this song. He just heard it. !
Spaff.com - Oct 20, 2025
Amazing!
I went to Riot Fest once and my most vivid memories aren't as fond as yours: My shoes got so destroyed by the mud I had to throw them away. And I way overspent on a beer that a random woman immediately (inadvertently?) knocked out of my hand.
It was fun to see you perform on Steve Goodie's show the other night. Don't think I didn't catch the Smile and Heartbeat City albums on your wall. Or the Pac-Man machine. But more importantly:
Amazing!
shoebox - Oct 20, 2025
Both albums are signed! One by Brian Wilson, one by Greg Hawkes! Guess which is which! Thanks for the kind words!
Spaff.com - Oct 20, 2025
Sweet! I collect signed vinyl. When Robert Lund and I presented Weird Al with a copy of The FuMP Volume 27 (containing "If I Could Be Weird Al," featuring many of you), I was able to get him and Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz to sign my Greatest Hits LP. (Not sure whether that relates to THIS song, but when else do I get to brag about it?)
lukeski - Oct 20, 2025
It is unfortunate that there will be no Funny 25 in 2025, because if there were, this would be #1 for the year. Astounding track, ShoEboX. Another slam dunk touchdown home run hattrick gooooooal. Bocce balls.
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stevegoodie - Oct 17, 2025
This. Is. Incredible.