Post by cellarfullofnoise on Feb 23, 2005 0:52:24 GMT -5
Concert review: Alt-rock icon Westerberg's still bloody got it
By Tony Hicks
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Paul Westerberg was halfway through a song Monday night, on his second guitar in about two minutes, when the thing went out again.
He turned as if to look for his roadie, then calmly pulled the strap over his head, holding the guitar by the bottom ... and suddenly smashed it over his amp, sending splinters everywhere. Then he pleasantly turned back to the mic and kept singing, ignoring the roadie holding a towel, waiting to stop the blood running down the side of Westerberg's head from a shrapnel wound.
Then, looking dazed and mumbling to the crowd that he might have to go, since he "(expletive) split my head open," Westerberg abruptly took his next guitar, knelt down, and held it out for his bassist to repeatedly try kicking in two. While they were still playing.
So much for Paul Westerberg, gentle folk singer.
The whole thing was absolutely beautiful for fans of the Replacements, the legendary '80s Minneapolis alt-rock band fronted by Westerberg. It was a band that drank, fought, and made enough amazing guitar rock for some to believe it would become America's Rolling Stones, until the band fizzled around 1991.
Westerberg has since made some good rock music, and some hit-and-miss, slowed-down acoustic stuff. He's become a father, stopped drinking, started again, and done solo tours that didn't produce much spark. Which is why seeing him have some loud, sloppy fun Monday at the Great American Music Hall was a such a great time. Anyone who showed up to see the Paul Westerberg whose last record, "Folker," made it sound like he'd given up the rock ghost, had to be disappointed.
In two hours, Westerberg rolled through old Replacements' songs, knocked out some sweet acoustic music, destroyed gear, and admonished his band for sounding like "a drunken Holiday Inn band," right after which he laughed and said "Hey, I saw Tommy a couple weeks ago and I didn't (expletive) recognize him." He was referring to old Replacements baldpate Tommy Stinson, now stuck under contract and paralyzed in the hard rock hell that is Guns N' Roses.
Warming up with "Merry-Go-Round" and "Someone Take the Wheel," from the Replacements' last record "All Shook Down," Westerberg came out looking appropriately not put together, in some kind of beanie, sunglasses, a green coat and red, black and white scarf. By the time he got to "Bad Times Roll," he was back in classic form -- a bit ragged around the edges, but clearly bringing out the roots-influenced riffs that play canvas to his signature vocal choruses. He introduced the Replacements' "On the Bus" by pointing out "it reached No. 97 on the charts," dragging the song along until he took the guitar solo, coming alive with a brief and powerful burst of noise.
Westerberg still brings that slight hesitation on stage that suggests maybe he doesn't always know what he's doing, but will eventually land on his feet, which leads to great moments. After getting pushed by his band through a good "I'll Be You," he dropped his guitar, looked around, and announced through the feedback "It's hotter than two rats (expletive) in a wool sock. Whaddaya want to do now?"
Destroying what started out as a beautiful version of "Skyway" was, ironically, one of the night's best moments. His white guitarist walked back next to the black drummer and started to shake some maracas, sending Westerberg into a brief calypso episode, before stumbling and laughing. "I knew it was a white man shaking those," before trying to go back to the song. The next five minutes featured Westerberg trying to apologize, while the guitarist complained. Naturally, they couldn't get the next song right either, with Westerberg finally cursing his band.
Things settled down by the time they played "Love Untold," which morphed into the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You." Then, after big crowd favorite, "Can't Hardly Wait," came the guitar-smashing bloodletting during "I Will Dare."
It was almost like a Replacements' show by then. With a brief acoustic interlude, Westerberg and band finished strong with an inspired "Alex Chilton," and with the song so many screamed for all night, a powerful version of "Left of the Dial," which, of course, inspired huge screams with the part about San Francisco being better than L.A.
The only thing missing by show's end were the rest of the Replacements. Maybe next time -- if he can keep from bleeding to death.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Hicks is the Times pop music critic. Reach him at 925-952-2678 or thicks@cctimes.com.
www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/10963088.htm?1c
By Tony Hicks
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Paul Westerberg was halfway through a song Monday night, on his second guitar in about two minutes, when the thing went out again.
He turned as if to look for his roadie, then calmly pulled the strap over his head, holding the guitar by the bottom ... and suddenly smashed it over his amp, sending splinters everywhere. Then he pleasantly turned back to the mic and kept singing, ignoring the roadie holding a towel, waiting to stop the blood running down the side of Westerberg's head from a shrapnel wound.
Then, looking dazed and mumbling to the crowd that he might have to go, since he "(expletive) split my head open," Westerberg abruptly took his next guitar, knelt down, and held it out for his bassist to repeatedly try kicking in two. While they were still playing.
So much for Paul Westerberg, gentle folk singer.
The whole thing was absolutely beautiful for fans of the Replacements, the legendary '80s Minneapolis alt-rock band fronted by Westerberg. It was a band that drank, fought, and made enough amazing guitar rock for some to believe it would become America's Rolling Stones, until the band fizzled around 1991.
Westerberg has since made some good rock music, and some hit-and-miss, slowed-down acoustic stuff. He's become a father, stopped drinking, started again, and done solo tours that didn't produce much spark. Which is why seeing him have some loud, sloppy fun Monday at the Great American Music Hall was a such a great time. Anyone who showed up to see the Paul Westerberg whose last record, "Folker," made it sound like he'd given up the rock ghost, had to be disappointed.
In two hours, Westerberg rolled through old Replacements' songs, knocked out some sweet acoustic music, destroyed gear, and admonished his band for sounding like "a drunken Holiday Inn band," right after which he laughed and said "Hey, I saw Tommy a couple weeks ago and I didn't (expletive) recognize him." He was referring to old Replacements baldpate Tommy Stinson, now stuck under contract and paralyzed in the hard rock hell that is Guns N' Roses.
Warming up with "Merry-Go-Round" and "Someone Take the Wheel," from the Replacements' last record "All Shook Down," Westerberg came out looking appropriately not put together, in some kind of beanie, sunglasses, a green coat and red, black and white scarf. By the time he got to "Bad Times Roll," he was back in classic form -- a bit ragged around the edges, but clearly bringing out the roots-influenced riffs that play canvas to his signature vocal choruses. He introduced the Replacements' "On the Bus" by pointing out "it reached No. 97 on the charts," dragging the song along until he took the guitar solo, coming alive with a brief and powerful burst of noise.
Westerberg still brings that slight hesitation on stage that suggests maybe he doesn't always know what he's doing, but will eventually land on his feet, which leads to great moments. After getting pushed by his band through a good "I'll Be You," he dropped his guitar, looked around, and announced through the feedback "It's hotter than two rats (expletive) in a wool sock. Whaddaya want to do now?"
Destroying what started out as a beautiful version of "Skyway" was, ironically, one of the night's best moments. His white guitarist walked back next to the black drummer and started to shake some maracas, sending Westerberg into a brief calypso episode, before stumbling and laughing. "I knew it was a white man shaking those," before trying to go back to the song. The next five minutes featured Westerberg trying to apologize, while the guitarist complained. Naturally, they couldn't get the next song right either, with Westerberg finally cursing his band.
Things settled down by the time they played "Love Untold," which morphed into the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You." Then, after big crowd favorite, "Can't Hardly Wait," came the guitar-smashing bloodletting during "I Will Dare."
It was almost like a Replacements' show by then. With a brief acoustic interlude, Westerberg and band finished strong with an inspired "Alex Chilton," and with the song so many screamed for all night, a powerful version of "Left of the Dial," which, of course, inspired huge screams with the part about San Francisco being better than L.A.
The only thing missing by show's end were the rest of the Replacements. Maybe next time -- if he can keep from bleeding to death.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Hicks is the Times pop music critic. Reach him at 925-952-2678 or thicks@cctimes.com.
www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/10963088.htm?1c