The concert reviewed in this paper is the one given by The Replacements in the Hollywood Palladium last month. The rehearsal took place a day before the concert and included the band members, the director and all the crew involved in special effects such as lighting, sound and decorations. The performers on the stage were the front man of The Replacements Paul Westerberg and the bass guitarist Tommy Stinson. The drummer position was occupied by John Freese, the legendary drummer. Besides, the guitarist position was filled in by Dave Minehan.
The rehearsal included all of the songs mentioned in the set list and in the end they also practiced some of the additional songs that were not put on the list. From the interactions of the band members and other performers it was obvious that the musicians are very close not only as friends but also as professionals. The interactions between the musicians were minimal and very short. The performers kept it incredibly professional and understood each other without lengthy explanations, sometimes they used only gestures. It was noticeable that the band works as a well-organized mechanism where each participant is very clear about their part.
The director spoke mainly to the crew responsible for the technical aide of the performance, he directed the lighting and the sounds, told people to mark something or change the approach. He watched the rehearsal sitting in one of the first rows and addressing his comments using a microphone. His main objective was to achieve the perfect sounding. It was also obvious that the performers had a great deal of independence concerning to the choice of the songs. They were allowed to improvise. The interaction between the performers and the director was carried out in a light and friendly key but with obvious focus and professionalism, some of the directors comments were done with humor and sarcasm.
The first composition The Replacements presented was I’m in Trouble which I found a perfect concert opener because it is very energetic and vibrant with fast rhythm and overwhelming beat – it responds perfectly to the excitement of the fans anticipating the beginning of the concert. The second piece was Kissin’ in Action, it is slower and calmer, but still very rhythmic. The third piece Little Mascara maintained the speed of the beat.
The fourth composition on the set list was Color Me Impressed, it was in tune with the opening song and was designed to fire up the audience again to keep them on their toes. The next two songs had the same speedy rhythm and vibrant melodies and the fast beat did not slow down until Treatment Bound was played. The whole concert is built in a way to interlace slower and faster compositions in order to create the overall atmospheres of euphoria and excitement.
As to my personal feelings and impressions – I have learnt how important it is for the musical band members to be close and have mutual understanding on the professional and personal levels. A well-organized and professional band functions as a whole and achieves the best results during a performance. One more lesson I obtained from the attended rehearsal was the importance of the organization of the a list, the compositions there are to be placed in a specific order depending on the impact they produce on the listeners in order to create the best impression.