As the rowdy boys from Minnesota continue to spread Replacements joy around the world, yesterday (Sept. 13) the band brought their alternative fury back home to St. Paul.
Paul Westerberg and company jammed in front of a packed Midway Stadium for 31 songs, making their first homecoming gig in 23 years epically spectacular, Billboard reports. Original bassist Tommy Stinson stood beside Westerberg as Josh Freese filled in for original drummer Chris Mars (who wasn't into the whole reunion thing) and Dave Minehan took the place of Bob Stinson/Slim Dunlap (Stinson died in 1995 and Dunlap suffered a stroke in 2012). The set included everything from early punk takes like "Takin' A Ride" to stadium rocker "Bastards Of Young" and covers of The Jackson Five and Jimi Hendrix. Check out the fan footage of "I'll Be You," from 1989's Don't Tell A Soul.
Currently, The Replacements have only a handful of shows scheduled. The group will head to New York on Sept. 19 and Arizona on Sept. 27 before wrapping things up with appearances at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 5 and 12. Last week, the boys returned to NBC's 30 Rock to play "Alex Chilton" on The Tonight Show after a nearly 30-year ban stemming from a botched Saturday Night Live gig.
The band's Minnesota concert also included Replacements supporters Lucero and The Hold Steady, whose frontman Craig Finn grew up in Minnesota adoring the alt-rock heroes. In a recent interview with Spin, Finn spoke about the first album her ever connected with, 1984's Let It Be.
"And the Replacements' Let It Be came out that fall, and I went and got it, and I think it was like 'Sixteen Blue' and 'Unsatisfied' - the second side there was really exciting," he said. "And also it was exciting to know that these guys lived in my hometown. And I think that those were really moving. I wasn't even 16 yet, but that whole, 'Your age is the hardest age and everything drags and drags' was really comforting. I always go back to 'I Will Dare,' where there's this idea of love being a brave or daring thing - to take that leap, to have that leap of faith to fall in love with someone. It's a very romantic song to me."
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