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Paul Westerberg
The Supper Club, New York
Filter Grade: 91%
by Tom Birner | 01.01.2007

Having arrived at the Supper Club expecting Paul Westerberg’s show to be less good than cool, what a pleasant surprise that, like his albums, the indiefied echo of Keith Richards offered plenty of both.

With a set divided equally of Replacements and solo material, Pa stung the mostly male crowd with beery shards of guitar in that uber-cool gravelly way of his. No, he wasn’t too drunk to play- he played passionately and deftly; yes, he forgot a few words but didn’t noticeably mar one song.

Old professionals and young lollygaggers alike sought not the august yet bristly folk rock of his solo years, but the impenitent squabble that was the Replacements, as revealed by a strong reaction to the bouncy, confident “I Will Dare” and an aided rendition of “Never Mind.” His solo songs are far more retrospective and were received that way. “Making Me Go” was sloppy and unnecessarily uptempo but “Anyway’s All Right,” off last year’s Folker, bloomed perfectly into a rooty, gushing solo from Pa.

Paul was of good spirit and not a little tipsy. His band had character- particularly drummer Michael Bland (best known for his work with Prince), who more resembles an offensive tackle and looks like he’s risking a coronary while pounding ceaselessly on trembling skins. Finishing off the first set with a sparkling sing-along of “Can’t Hardly Wait,” the band stopped, changed instruments, and resumed with Pa on drums and bassist Jim Boquist and some eight hundred fans on vocals.

For a while Westerberg took the stage with only an acoustic guitar and a husky, coolly weathered voice. Here his lack of range and delicate playing came into equal focus. There were the usual yawners, including a tired playing of “Love Untold” and a cover of “Different Drum”- written by Monkee Michael Nesmith, popularized by Linda Ronstadt, and as comfortable as a Real World reunion.

But Westerberg plays self-conscious, fibrous heart songs with a sneer, most of which came out strong if a little gruff. His songs are true and of a broken, courageous melody- his genius bare, his fear honest. A shame the show didn’t sell out but you won’t catch Paul doing it either.