The Replacements @ London Roundhouse, June 2 and 3

Written for Record Collector Magazine.

Below is the version I emailed to the reviews editor of Record Collector. The version that appeared in the August 2015 edition of the magazine contains several typos but I have no idea why.

View: DJ booth, stage right

24 years since they last played London the reunited Mats delighted a packed Roundhouse with 29 songs per night, 41 different songs in all. Joining founders Paul Westerberg (guitar / vocals / songs) and Tommy Stinson (bass) were new recruits Dave Mineham on lead guitar and Josh Freese on drums. Requests from the vociferous crowd and Paul changing his mind resulted in spontaneous versions of Dust My Broom and Treatment Bound. Early thrashers like Takin’ A Ride and I’m In Trouble benefitted from being played in more measured way; conversely later songs such as Nobody and Talent Show were all the better for being played harder than their recorded versions. Can’t Hardly Wait, I Will Dare, Color Me Impressed, Left Of The Dial and Alex Chilton rocked hard both nights, whilst the more sensitive side of the band was shown by If Only You Were Lonely, Skyway and Within Your Reach. Trademark twisted covers included Lost Highway, Maybellene, I Want You Back, Be My Lover (sung by Dave), Another Girl Another Planet and My Boy Lollipop, the latter appended incongruously to Bastards Of Young. With no future plans this may be the last ever Replacements tour: if so it was a triumphant note on which to end.

Picture by Robin Pope (Instagram @RobinLDN)