Best Dressed Ghost, First President of Japan, and Tommy Stinson

You had to be there...

Being my fourth time seeing Tommy, I was accustomed to seeing him with his band Bash And Pop or as a member of the epic band The Replacements. What set his legacy band The Replacements apart was the EXPERIENCE of seeing them live. The stops, starts, stories, and laughter was always a part of a show that could fall apart at any moment. The small crowds, back in the day, couldn't help but feel like the fifth member of the band as they contributed in some small way in the performance. Tommy has somehow transitioned into a solo act that possesses an element of that. Just to the point that it doesn't take away from the music or the performance as a whole. His show, most of all, was sincere. One part Dylan, one part Costello, and one part Westerberg. You have to be there.