Replacements: Flawed, Great

By Larry Marotta [The Other paper]
(February, 1991)

February 10, 1991, Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH

See the lead singer forget the lyrics to a songs he's written himself - a song he's sung hundreds of times before. See The band start a song before all the musicians know what song is being played.

You would have seen this and more if you attended The Replacements' sold-out performance at the Newport Music Hall Sunday evening. You alsoo would have seen some great rock 'n' roll.

After getting things started with 'I Don't Know,' the concert proceeded at a somewhat less-than-energetic level. Singer and guitarist Paul Westerberg sang with little enthusiasm while the rest of the four-man group reflected his attitude.

Finally sensing the lack of energy, bassist Tommy Stinson tried his best to breathe life back into the band with some strong background singing and some comical between-song banter. However, it wasn't until his all-out screaming at the end of 'Happy Town' that Westerberg, guitarist Slim Dunlap and drummer Chris Mars loosened up.

From then on, the quartet switched between just playing the tunes and attaining the intensity for which their performances are known. For the most part, the songs from their lastest album, 'All Shook Down,' although sounding great on vinyl, didn't come across well live.

Westerberg, his raspy voice struggling to hit the high notes, delivered his best vocal performance on 'Alex Chilton,' in which guitarist Dunlap drove the point home with well-executed solos.

The concert had it's share of quiet moments as well. Westerberg lit a cigarette and played lounge lizard as he crooned the words to 'Nightclub Jitters' while the rest of the band provided a jazz background. Westerberg's poignant ballad 'Skyway' hushed the crowd, except for those who joined in the singing.

As uneven as it was, you might ask why I still think it was a great show. Well, in this world of polished stage acts where you can hear each song exaclty as it sounds on vinyl, it's refreshing to see a band take some chances, play a song they might not have performed in a while and, yes, screw up occasionally. That's what great music is all about.

Opening for The Replacements were the Goo Goo Dolls. With more adrenaline than a football team, this trio played an upbeat set of melodic hard-core reminiscent of The Descendents, but with the tongue-in-cheek humor of a band like Redd Kross. Their cover of Blue Oyster Cult's 'Don't Fear The Reaper' - complete with a long, annoying guitar solos - was hilarious. They are certainly a band worth checking out.