Slayer has more fans. Passion Pit has the attention of the industry. But of all the free Converse Rubber Tracks Live shows at the Sinclair this week, the ’Mats had the buzz.
Old dudes who grew up on the Stones love the Replacements. Kids weaned on the Strokes love the Replacements (or will). The reunited band– No, that’s not right. Rebooted band? Reinvented band? Whatever. Originals Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson plus Bostonian and Neighborhoods’ guitarist Dave Minehan and everyband-drummer Josh Freese had the songs, skills, style, swagger and clout to justify the Replacements’ cult going nuts at last night’s show.
A trick to rock ‘n’ roll is loosening the screws to the point just before total collapse. Exhibit A: “Left of the Dial.” Then, if you can, in among the nihilistic noise, do something sweet and nostalgic, introspective and soft (but not too soft). Exhibit B: “Kiss Me on the Bus.”
The boys put their tongues in their cheeks plenty of times: T. Rex’s “20th Century Boy” with a dash of “Bang A Gong” (hey, they even teased some Sabbath). But what made the set great, what makes everything the Replacements do great, was the songs.
After the little gems and gags — “Whole Foods Blues” is a joke but it might also be the best blues songs this century — the quartet unrolled the aces. No rock band in recent memory can string together a set with the filth and the fury and the fun of “Can’t Hardly Wait,” “Bastards of Young,” “Unsatisfied,” “Alex Chilton.” Of course, the ‘Mats can barely string them together themselves. And that’s what’s so awesome, watching them barely pull it all off.
Like at Boston Calling last summer, sometimes you wish upon a star and it’s actually a star.
About the time you realize J. Mascis is your favorite guitarist you realize Dinosaur Jr. is covering “Just Like Heaven.” Then you realize it’s your favorite cover ever then it’s over. But you can’t linger on that idea because Mascis has cranked the guitar even louder and the band is ripping through a minor masterpiece like “Watch The Corners” and you’re thinking, “Man, this band’s catalog runs deep.” All the sudden: “Start Chopping” — a major masterpiece — and your just-reassembled mind is blown again.
Best not to think too much during Dino’s Sinclair set. Best to soak in the volume and guitar solos. Later you can ponder how 11 percent of you considers Mascis the greatest guitarist alive and that he should have been considered to lead the Grateful Dead reunion shows. (Say what you will, but I bet he’d be into it.)
Cheers to locals The Young Leaves. It’s an honor to open for two bands you worship but it’s not an easy slot. The trio handled it with confidence and booming rock ‘n’ roll. And I liked that Christopher Chaisson’s sound makes it obvious he loves Dino. (His second favorite band might be Buffalo Tom, a good one and two in this town.)
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