Somehow I totally missed The Replacements when they were in their prime. Maybe it’s because I was just a bit too young or maybe it was because Motley Crue’s Too Fast For Love came out the same year. Regardless, I discovered the genius of this band late and I was absolutely thrilled that I would be able to witness their legendary live show first hand earlier this week in San Francisco. Paul Westerberg and company came out all guns a-blazing. It was like a cross between The Rolling Stones and The Sex Pistols and I loved every minute of it.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the strange antics at the band’s shows including Paul pouring salt and pepper on his guitar, but this time it was beyond strange. There was a tent on stage in the back corner—a camping tent nonetheless—that would play a pivotal role in the show. It served not only as an interesting stage prop, but also doubled as a poetry reading space and a backstage pre-encore gathering area. Whatever the hell it was, it just added to the fun.
The setlist that night was a cornucopia of classic songs that spawned the band’s brilliant catalog. Opening up the night with “Taking a Ride” the first song on their 1981 debut, these guys were flying around the stage like they were trashing a hotel room. Then they tore right into “Favorite Thing” from their third album Let it Be and they were off to the races.
Other highlights included one hell of a T-Rex jam that seamlessly blended together “20th Century Boy” and “Bang a Gong” into “All Shook Up.” And of course they wouldn’t dare disappoint without playing the “hits” if you will. “Can’t Hardly Wait” graced the end of the setlist and it was all capped off by a blistering encore of “Alex Chilton.”
Bottom Line: brilliant show, brilliant setlist, crazy high energy—and a few wild Paul and Tommy antics made for one hell of a ride. Don’t miss this one folks as the chemistry is still working well for these guys.
Check out hi res photos in the gallery here.
