Replacements on tour, played Rubber Tracks Boston show, Chicago w/ Smoking Popes (pics, setlist, video of new song)

photos by James Richards IV

The Replacements in Chicago – 4/29/15

Make no mistake, by most standards the show was a bit of a mess, full of missed cues, flubbed lines and plenty of fooling around. Westerberg conspicuously avoided nearly all of his most heartfelt ballads, and he and the band gleefully sabotaged some of their most popular tracks, kicking “I Will Dare” into double time or tacking on a taste of the bubblegum ditty “My Boy Lollipop” to the end of an otherwise blazing “Bastards of Young.” The airtight “Left of the Dial” and heavy “The Ledge” were balanced by loose renditions of lighter fare like “Waitress in the Sky” and “Kiss Me on the Bus,” all to the band’s mischievous delight. A new song, “Whole Foods Blues,” was as much a goof as a truncated T. Rex medley.

Yet if Westerberg and Stinson didn’t want to be doing this, they clearly wouldn’t. Anchored by unflappable session drummer Josh Freese and enabled by guitarist Dave Minehan, the pair were having a blast, every indulgence and detour tempered by the fact that they were still singing and playing their hearts out. Yes, you can repeat the past, and farce trumps tragedy every time. [Chicago Tribune]

The Replacements are currently on a US tour, which kicked off in Seattle, hit the ongoing ‘Converse Rubber Tracks Live Boston’ series with Dinosaur Jr on Monday (4/27), and began a two-night stand at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre last night (4/29). We caught the Chicago show, and pictures of that one are in this post.

We got tons of favorites at the show, including “Alex Chilton,” “Bastards of Young,” “Can’t Hardly Wait,” “I Will Dare,” “Kiss Me on the Buss,” “Color Me Impressed,” and so many more, a few covers, and the new song they’ve been playing on this tour, “Whole Foods Blues.” Opening was Chicago’s hometown heroes The Smoking Popes, making for a great double bill of veteran alternative rock. Both bands do it at the Riv again tonight. Replacements’ full setlist and a video of the new song at last night’s show, below.

The Replacement’s tour continues, and though it never comes to NYC, it will be sorta close on May 9 at Philly’s Festival Pier which is another double bill of veteran alternative rock with Superchunk playing as well. Rootsy rockers J. Roddy Walston & the Business open as well. Tickets are still available. All remaining Replacements dates are listed below.

Paul Westerberg has apparently also been wearing shirts on this tour with different letters on the front and back that are in the process of spelling a sentence. So far the front says “I HAVE ALW…” and the back says “NOW I MUST…” What could it be?

There’s also more shows in Converse’s above-mentioned series of free Boston shows with Chance the Rapper / Action Bronson tonight (4/30) and Descendents on Friday (5/1).

More pictures from Chicago, Replacements’ setlist, video, and tour dates, below…

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Smoking Popes

The Replacements

The Replacements at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre Setlist – 4/29/15: (via)
I’m in Trouble
Kissin’ in Action
Little Mascara
Color Me Impressed
Treatment Bound
Take Me Down to the Hospital
Waitress in the Sky
Valentine
Achin’ to Be
Kiss Me on the Bus
Rattlesnake
Nobody
Whole Foods Blues
I Will Dare
My Boy Lollipop
Sixteen Blue
The Ledge
I’ll Be You
Can’t Hardly Wait
Bastards of Young
20th Century Boy / Bang a Gong (Get It On)
Anywhere Is Better Than Here
Left of the Dial
If Only You Were Lonely
Alex Chilton

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The Replacements — 2015 Tour Dates
Apr 30 The Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL w/ Smoking Popes
May 02 Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee, WI w/ Midnight Reruns
May 03 The Fillmore Detroit, MI w/ The Silks
May 05 Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA w/ The Gotobeds
May 06 LC Pavilion Columbus, OH w/ Two Cow Garage
May 08 EchoStage Washington, DC w/ J. Roddy Walston & the Business
May 09 Festival Pier Philadelphia, PA w/ Superchunk, J. Roddy Walston & the Business
May 28 Primavera Sound Barcelona, Spain
May 30 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jun 02 Roundhouse London, United Kingdom
Jun 03 Roundhouse London, United Kingdom
Jun 05 Primavera Sound Porto, Portugal