Post by dannyc12 on May 26, 2004 9:02:23 GMT -5
Hello,
Through the incredible graciousness of a good friend, I was put on the guest list for Laurie Lindeen's graduation party Sunday night at the 400 Bar. I arrived a bit after 8 soon after the band, Retro Fit,
started it's second set. It was a fairly small gathering primarily made up of close friends and family... and me.
When I arrived, the band was playing a a "KQ Doubleshot" of Elton John and Paul was there just hanging out. Retro Fit played a couple songs, then launched into "Folsom Prison Blues" and Paul bounded onto the stage, donned his black Les Paul, and inserted some cool blues fills into the song.
The first song after that, Paul jokingly asked the band "You guys know any Guess Who??"
John Eller, Retro Fit's singer/guitarist/keyboard player (and Laurie Lindeen's guitarist when she plays) began keyboarding the opening riff to "These Eyes" and the band was off and running, even doing the
"These eyes have seen a lotta love but they never seen another woman like i have in youoooooo" bit.
Following that, Paul started into "American Woman" but that fizzled when no one knew any more words than the opening. It was going to be that kind of evening: loose, freewheeling and a hell of a lot of fun.
(Fine, I'll say it, it was a hootenanny. Sue me.)
There were a fair amount of songs that Paul didn't know all the words to, but the band was great and held him up when he needed it and stayed the hell out of the way when he didn't.
After that, the band went into a kick ass Stones medley that began when Paul scratched out the opening to "Honkytonk Woman" Also featured in that group was a great performance of "Dead Flowers", and
Jumpin Jack Flash was played later in the evening. Paul broke out the harmonica for a number of these and was switching between his Les Paul and John's Fender.
Some improvised and standard blues songs with Paul on the harp were really fun, with Paul singing "through" the harmonica on a few songs. Paul was asked by a bandmate to play some Mats, but this evening was
to be covers only. The blues stuff led to a blistering performance of "Heard You Been to College", the only Mats nod of the night.
Paul occasionally asked the small, dancing, raucous, audience "Does anyone wanna hear anything special?" I kept my Mats song wishlist to myself, and some goofball yelled "Freebird." To which Paul responded
by starting "Stairway to Heaven"...and didn't stop.
Randy, Retro Fit's other guitarist asked "Are we really going to do Stairway??" Laurie said, firmly "No", ended that nonsense, and made a couple great requests including "All the Young Dudes" and "Suffragette City", with her and Lori Barbero singing some great backup.
During a break after the second set, I introduced myself to Paul and he was very gracious and engaging. Laurie immediately pegged me for the mats-geek-fan-boy that I am and sprinted the other way. Paul seemed like he was having a blast playing with the guys.
To me, the most heartfelt cover came at the end of the night with Paul singing "Like a Rolling Stone." I think he nailed the entire song, no small feat!
As the band wound the song down, he said "This song is actually "La Bamba"" and started singing "La Bamba" over the closing of "Rolling Stone". Then he started up the first chords of "La Bamba" but sang the lyrics to "Like a Rolling Stone." Classic Paul Westerberg.
A more complete songlist below.
Dylan Hicks of the City Pages recently wrote an article titled "I Buried Paul." Well, Dylan, dig that f*cker back up.
After "La Bamba Like a Rolling Stone" fizzled, Paul unplugged, placed his Gibson into it's case, and, his work done, exited the stage as the
rest of the band launched into "Radio Radio" to end the show. The band probably played more than 3 hours with Paul and everyone was just spent. Just an awesome show and an incredible evening.
After the show, as the band was tearing down and a few of us were wondering if all this really happened, I spied a sweat-soaked necktie on the stage floor. I pilfered it and the Man Without Ties now has one fewer. It is the only piece of memorabilia I've ever owned. (By the way, if he wants it back, I will be happy to give it up.)
What a night. I remember thinking a few years back, during the post-Eventually/Suicane days,
"Dontcha wish Westerberg would just show up somewhere in some bar some night, jump onstage and just tear the roof off the place?"
Well, that's pretty much what I thought of the evening.
Retro Fit (the best cover band on the planet) is:
Tom Alsides - Drums/Vocals
Randy Casey - Guitar/Vocals
John Eller - Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals
Steve Price - Bass
Grandpaboy - Vocals/Guitar/Harmonica/…
Songlist as best anyone can remember:
Substitute
I Can See For Miles
Folsom Prison Blues
These Eyes
Share The Land
American Woman
Hand Me Down World
It’s All Over Now
Honky Tonk Women
Loving Cup
Silver Train
Dead Flowers
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
All The Young Dudes
Ziggy Stardust
Suffragette City
Rebel Rebel
Daydream Believer
Walkin’ The Dog
Misty Mountain Hop
Son Of A Preacher Man
Never Been To College*
Sunshine
Like A Rolling Stone/La Bamba
Stay With Me
Oh! Darling
Thank you guys. Best damn show I ever seen.
Danny Contreras
Through the incredible graciousness of a good friend, I was put on the guest list for Laurie Lindeen's graduation party Sunday night at the 400 Bar. I arrived a bit after 8 soon after the band, Retro Fit,
started it's second set. It was a fairly small gathering primarily made up of close friends and family... and me.
When I arrived, the band was playing a a "KQ Doubleshot" of Elton John and Paul was there just hanging out. Retro Fit played a couple songs, then launched into "Folsom Prison Blues" and Paul bounded onto the stage, donned his black Les Paul, and inserted some cool blues fills into the song.
The first song after that, Paul jokingly asked the band "You guys know any Guess Who??"
John Eller, Retro Fit's singer/guitarist/keyboard player (and Laurie Lindeen's guitarist when she plays) began keyboarding the opening riff to "These Eyes" and the band was off and running, even doing the
"These eyes have seen a lotta love but they never seen another woman like i have in youoooooo" bit.
Following that, Paul started into "American Woman" but that fizzled when no one knew any more words than the opening. It was going to be that kind of evening: loose, freewheeling and a hell of a lot of fun.
(Fine, I'll say it, it was a hootenanny. Sue me.)
There were a fair amount of songs that Paul didn't know all the words to, but the band was great and held him up when he needed it and stayed the hell out of the way when he didn't.
After that, the band went into a kick ass Stones medley that began when Paul scratched out the opening to "Honkytonk Woman" Also featured in that group was a great performance of "Dead Flowers", and
Jumpin Jack Flash was played later in the evening. Paul broke out the harmonica for a number of these and was switching between his Les Paul and John's Fender.
Some improvised and standard blues songs with Paul on the harp were really fun, with Paul singing "through" the harmonica on a few songs. Paul was asked by a bandmate to play some Mats, but this evening was
to be covers only. The blues stuff led to a blistering performance of "Heard You Been to College", the only Mats nod of the night.
Paul occasionally asked the small, dancing, raucous, audience "Does anyone wanna hear anything special?" I kept my Mats song wishlist to myself, and some goofball yelled "Freebird." To which Paul responded
by starting "Stairway to Heaven"...and didn't stop.
Randy, Retro Fit's other guitarist asked "Are we really going to do Stairway??" Laurie said, firmly "No", ended that nonsense, and made a couple great requests including "All the Young Dudes" and "Suffragette City", with her and Lori Barbero singing some great backup.
During a break after the second set, I introduced myself to Paul and he was very gracious and engaging. Laurie immediately pegged me for the mats-geek-fan-boy that I am and sprinted the other way. Paul seemed like he was having a blast playing with the guys.
To me, the most heartfelt cover came at the end of the night with Paul singing "Like a Rolling Stone." I think he nailed the entire song, no small feat!
As the band wound the song down, he said "This song is actually "La Bamba"" and started singing "La Bamba" over the closing of "Rolling Stone". Then he started up the first chords of "La Bamba" but sang the lyrics to "Like a Rolling Stone." Classic Paul Westerberg.
A more complete songlist below.
Dylan Hicks of the City Pages recently wrote an article titled "I Buried Paul." Well, Dylan, dig that f*cker back up.
After "La Bamba Like a Rolling Stone" fizzled, Paul unplugged, placed his Gibson into it's case, and, his work done, exited the stage as the
rest of the band launched into "Radio Radio" to end the show. The band probably played more than 3 hours with Paul and everyone was just spent. Just an awesome show and an incredible evening.
After the show, as the band was tearing down and a few of us were wondering if all this really happened, I spied a sweat-soaked necktie on the stage floor. I pilfered it and the Man Without Ties now has one fewer. It is the only piece of memorabilia I've ever owned. (By the way, if he wants it back, I will be happy to give it up.)
What a night. I remember thinking a few years back, during the post-Eventually/Suicane days,
"Dontcha wish Westerberg would just show up somewhere in some bar some night, jump onstage and just tear the roof off the place?"
Well, that's pretty much what I thought of the evening.
Retro Fit (the best cover band on the planet) is:
Tom Alsides - Drums/Vocals
Randy Casey - Guitar/Vocals
John Eller - Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals
Steve Price - Bass
Grandpaboy - Vocals/Guitar/Harmonica/…
Songlist as best anyone can remember:
Substitute
I Can See For Miles
Folsom Prison Blues
These Eyes
Share The Land
American Woman
Hand Me Down World
It’s All Over Now
Honky Tonk Women
Loving Cup
Silver Train
Dead Flowers
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
All The Young Dudes
Ziggy Stardust
Suffragette City
Rebel Rebel
Daydream Believer
Walkin’ The Dog
Misty Mountain Hop
Son Of A Preacher Man
Never Been To College*
Sunshine
Like A Rolling Stone/La Bamba
Stay With Me
Oh! Darling
Thank you guys. Best damn show I ever seen.
Danny Contreras
