Weezer and BRELAND Entertain Crowd with Performance at Naval Base San Diego’s Operation MWR
Story by Naomi Wilkins | Commander, Navy Installations Command
Operation MWR has continued to see big-name artists perform for Sailors and their family members across the globe, and Naval Base San Diego was no exception. Grammy award-winning rock group Weezer and country breakout star BRELAND lit up the stage and gave the crowd an unforgettable performance.
In preparation for Operation MWR, Naval Base San Diego’s (NBSD) Admiral Prout Field was transformed from a football field into a major concert venue, set to accommodate 10,000 attendees. Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) worked effortlessly to bring the stage to life and offered various food, drinks, games and family-friendly options to please the crowd. Steven Pitruzello, NBSD MWR Director spoke about the preparations at length, and explained, “We chose a venue that could give people a great experience – good food, good entertainment, fun and a good place to enjoy the show.”
Presenting Sponsor, GovX was also on site for the event. “When this opportunity came up to be involved in something that was directly impacting Sailors around the world, while also allowing GovX to help make it happen, it was an easy yes for us!” said Aaron Pelander, Vice President of Brand Marketing for GovX.
At 6 p.m., BRELAND took to the stage and performed a fun and engaging set that included his hit song, “My Truck,” and talked candidly about his genre of music which includes a mix of country, rap, soul and hip hop. “The genres definitely appeal to a large group of people. My drummer comes from the rock world. My bass player comes from the reggae world. My guitarist used to play in gospel, and here we are with this country sound! It really is a fusion and hopefully it will make it so as many people as possible can connect.” The crowd cheered for the energetic performer as he belted out more songs like “High Horse,” a collaboration with Grammy winner Nelly. “I have a lot of service members in my family. So, to be able to come out here and play these types of shows, it always means a little bit more than just playing our regular show. If I can bring just a little bit of joy, then I know I’ve done my job,” expressed the singer.
After a short break, the crowd welcomed Weezer to the stage as they opened with the song “My Name is Jonas,” from their debut album. The band continued to play for 90 minutes to a crowd that showed as much adoration and energy as there were people, covering hits like “Enter Sandman” during their set. At the end of the show, the band thanked the service members for their service. “Everybody’s health and well-being is important,” said Scott Shriner, bass player for the band. “We are happy to support this, and to help keep morale high. Doing a short run in the Marine Corps myself, I realized how important this would be.” When recalling how it felt to perform, he stated, “I felt like this crowd was really present, and I felt present and connected to everybody. I don’t know what you guys (MWR) are doing, but you’re doing something right!”
Michael Hernandez, a Marine Corps veteran, and his wife Alicia were in attendance with their young son. “There’s a sense of community on base so we feel a lot safer bringing our son to a concert here,” Alicia said. Michael said he saw the event advertised at the Admiral Robinson Recreation Center while bowling. Michael continued to say that even though he has been out of the Marine Corps for over a year, he sent the event information to his active duty friends and encouraged them to attend the free concert in a safe environment.
Capt. Robert Heely, Commanding Officer of NBSD, was thrilled and ready for the concert. “Naval Base San Diego is a community. Events like this are incredible to really show the quality of life activities that we can provide for the community, free of charge,” said Heely, as he proudly spoke about the base, which sees 50,000 people through the gates daily. “Operation MWR provides an opportunity to relax, decompress and enjoy a first-rate show from both BRELAND and Weezer. It’s been a while, so bringing this back has really generated a lot of excitement!”
Navy MWR's Operation MWR will host 65+ free events at Navy installations worldwide from May to June 2024. These events aim to boost morale and resilience among service members and their families through live entertainment, recreational activities, food, games and more. Open to active duty members, reservists, veterans, retirees, DoD civilians and eligible MWR patrons. For more information about Operation MWR and to find your local event, please visit NavyMWR.org/OperationMWR.
Navy MWR’s mission is to deliver high-quality, customer-focused programs and services that contribute to resiliency, retention, readiness and quality of life. Navy Entertainment tours make a positive impact on the morale of our troops. The program provides quality, live entertainment for Sailors stationed overseas and on deployed ships at sea. For more information about the program, visit NavyMWR.org/Entertainment.
No Navy endorsement implied.