Detroit - Weezer may have dropped off the rock radar for the better part of five years, but one would never know it based on its performance or the size of Saturday’s crowd at Cobo Arena in Detroit.

The listed capacity for Cobo Arena is 12,191, and there were some noticeably empty seats in the upper tiers. The arena was an unusual venue for a rock concert. The acoustics were below par, and banter between songs was, at least from the floor, difficult to make out.

Inside, the excitement grew as fans snatched up a variety of Weezer articles for sale. From T-shirts to bumper stickers to self-autographed copies of its CDs, the long line of credit card-toting Weezer fans helped illustrate the atmosphere of anticipation before the show. Within the sports arena, fans did the infamous “wave” following an opening performance by newcomers The Start.

Weezer took the stage shortly after 9 p.m. much to the surprise of the arena of Weezer faithful. When thousands of people, unaware that former openers Cold, had quit the tour, saw Weezer take the stage, the screams and cheers were deafening.

Playing all but two songs from its most recent release, three new songs and seven off its debut LP, Weezer delivered a set precisely calculated to please the fans.

Fans formed the band’s trademark “W” with their hands and tossed shoes onto the stage during an encore performance of “Buddy Holly.” Particularly noteworthy was how Rivers Cuomo, the band’s Harvard-educated frontman, changed his guitar solos in some of the band’s newer songs. It gave the tunes a fresher, newer feel and were far more impressive musically.

Despite hundreds of young fans, some who looked as young as 10 with parents in tow, there was nary a soul who wasn’t singing along to everything. No one sat still in their seats except the seemingly unamused parents.

Noticeably absent, however, were songs off the band’s second album, “Pinkerton.” “Tired of Sex” was the only track played from the sophomore release, and fan favorites such as “El Scorcho” and “The Good Life” were nowhere to be found.

The only exception to the constant pogoing and crowd surfing were the band’s new tunes. Listed on the setlist as “So Low,” “Do You Want Me to Stay?” and “We Go Together,” the new tracks drew little fan reaction and almost sounded like B-sides to its green album.

Scott Shriner, normally a member of the band Broken, made his Detroit debut filling in for Weezer’s normal bassist Mikey Welsh. Welsh, it has been reported, was in a hospital of some sort, but such information has been discredited on the band’s Web site.

The missing Mikey, however, does not seem to be impacting the band whatsoever.

Cuomo, nerd-pop icon to thousands, seemed to be in better spirits than usual. Normally soft-spoken, quiet, unenergetic and shy, Cuomo actually smiled, thanked the fans for showing up and added playing in an arena as big as Cobo was “pretty cool.”

Further illustrating the band’s togetherness and good spirits, roadie extraordinare Karl Koch and drummer Pat Wilson skateboarded through the miles of ramps and hallways throughout Cobo Hall before the show. Koch said he videotaped the event and promised the band’s Web site, www.weezer.com, would soon have footage online.

After the final encore, the band held hands and gave a bow reminiscent to the KISS Farewell Tour.