The Melismatics Setlist

The Melismatics is bringing their Tribute to the Replacements by performing Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take out the Trash and other hits. Featuring an all-star cast: • Al Church • Alex Hanson (Products Band) • Alli KB (Mary Jam) • Annie Kuchenmeister (Loki’s Folly) • Arzu Gokcen (Selby Tigers, Pink Mink) • Ashley Ackerson (The Mood Swings) • Ava Levy • Brian Vanderwerf (Eleganza!) • Christy Costello • Cindy Lawson • Claire Luger (The Silent Treatment) • Curtiss A • Dan Hoffstrom (MURF) • Dan Israel • Faith Boblett • Gini Dodds • jeremy messersmith • Jo Kellen (Products Band) • Mary Cutrufello • Nikii Post (In Lieu) • Scott MacDonald (Arcwelder) • Tommy Ratz (Toilet Rats)

Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash	Vocalist
Takin a Ride ¹	Ryan Smith (Melismatics)
Careless¹	Dan Hoffstrom (Murf)
Customer¹	Annie Kuchenmeister (Loki’s Folly)
Hangin Downtown¹	Nikii Post (In Lieu)
Kick Your Door Down¹	Cindy Lawson
Rattlesnake¹	Mary Cutrufello
Johnny’s Gonna Die¹	Vandey (Eleganza)
Shiftless When Idle¹	Gini Dodds
Somethin’ to Dü¹	Scott Macdonald
I’m in Trouble¹	Pony (Melismatics)
I Hate Music¹	Alli KB (Mary Jam)
Don’t Ask Why¹	Claire Luger (The Silent Treatment)
Greatest Hits	Vocalist
Swingin Party¹	Dan Israel
Can’t Hardly Wait¹	Christy Costello
Bastards of Young¹	Al Church
I Will Dare¹	Jeremy Messersmith
Here Comes a Regular¹	Mark Waid (Melismatics)
Alex Chilton¹	Tommy Ratz (Toilet Rats)
Unsatisfied¹	Alex Hanson (Products Band)
Androgynous¹	Jo Kellen (Products Band)
Skyway¹	Ava Levy
Left of the Dial¹	Ashley Ackerson (The Mood Swings)
Never Mind¹	Mary Strand
I’ll Be You¹	Curtiss A
Achin’ to Be¹	Sher Stiles
Within Your Reach¹	Arzu Gokcen (Selby Tigers)
Favorite Thing¹	~~Faith Boblett~~ Ryan Smith & Cindy Lawson

¹ The Replacements cover

Pullstring Setlist

Kids Don’t Follow¹
Color Me Impressed¹
Hold My Life¹
Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out¹
Kiss Me on the Bus¹
Nowhere Is My Home¹
Hayday¹
Answering Machine¹
Little Mascara¹
¹ The Replacements cover

Those dead in the middle of winter shows can often be sleepy affairs in terms of attendance. Not so at a sold out show at Turf Club which had a number of Twin Cities performers, featuring The Melismatics and Pullstring, along with a group of special guests vocalists in A Tribute to the Replacements. The list of planned vocalists was very long and full of artists from bands that we have reviewed over the years.

The latter performance of the evening was featuring the album Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, the Replacements pretty brilliant 1981 debut studio among many other hits. First though, Pullstring was up and the quartet (vocals/guitar, guitar, bass, and drums) started with Kids Don’t Follow, but it was the next number Color Me Impressed which was played at a blazing tempo and really showed off the band’s skill. These guys were right in the zone, and the lead singer had the vocal intonations right for Westerberg. Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out was exactly the right vibe and Pullstring understood how to get the crowd into the moment. Learning that their regular bassist was out sick, huge kudos to the older replacement (heh) who was excellent throughout. Guitar solos were on fire and the band was moving through some of The Replacements better known work. Hayday let the band continue to fly at breakneck speed and they really kept pushing things forward. (Side note: I’m pretty sure that was the first time I’ve seen a drummer actually juggle between numbers.) Finishing up with Little Mascara, Pullstring had answered the call with their fast paced takes on the classic rock songs.

Side note: There was also performances in the Clown Lounge downstairs and who actually kicked things off (from what I could tell it was solo performers on acoustic guitar), but I didn’t dare try to work through the large crowd multiple times. My apologies to Ana Devine and Sophie Hiroko, whom I’m sure were nailing it.

The Melismatics were up next, and unsurprisingly, all of those guest vocalists were going to be part of that. (Another proof point that Ryan Smith knows everyone). After the quick intro of Takin’ a Ride with Smith singing, the guests started coming to stage with Dan Hoffstron from MURF taking lead on Careless, then a brilliant Annie Kuchenmeister of Loki’s Folly perfectly screaming her way through Customer. And that was the drill as we worked through the album; great musical chops from the Melismatics with a new vocalist nearly every song. When the legendary Cindy Lawson hit stage, the crowd went bonkers and the night was fully on fire. It was simply hit after hit with some of the best Twin Cities rock singers. Mary Cutrufello could likely kill with those vocals and was a standout on Rattlesnake. I’ve never seen a shown with this many killer vocalists and it really made for a one of a kind evening. Something to Dü had Scott MacDonald of Arcwelder at the helm and he continued that great streak. This was a sizzling pace and those Replacements songs are often under two minutes, so this really worked. Letting Pony take a number for vocals was outstanding, and I’m in Trouble was top notch. Finishing up the album, the band took a small break before coming back to crush through some of the bigger hits.

Starting the second half with Swinging Party, and it was a great match for vocalist Dan Israel and gave Pony a great guitar interlude. And with Christy Costello up with a two-person brass section next for Can’t Hardly Wait, it didn’t seem fair to be given so many outstanding performances. Bastards of Young was another great match as Al Church let loose on that rock anthem with an absolutely wild ending from Pony and Smith was crushing. Jeremy Messersmith was compelling on I Will Dare and that was followed by bassist Mark Wade getting his shot at vocals on Here Comes a Regular, doing an admirable job. But really, the center of the evening had been Smith. Holding down complex guitar work, always happy to share the spotlight, and driving logistics to make the evening work, he had made an unforgettable one. It was also a good reminder of how many amazing songs The Replacements had, as we continued to work through song after song. Jo Kellen of Products Band was touching in their rendition of Androgynous, and Ashley Ackerson of The Mood Swings was dynamite on vocals and guitar for Left of the Dial. Curtiss A, known for his annual John Lennon tribute, was up for I’ll Be You and had harmonica and vocals, and still has the pipes for this kind of thing. Nearly finished, the band continued to run full steam ahead, and when Cindy Lawson came up to sing with Smith for the finale of Favorite Thing, the Melismatics had surpassed anybody’s expectations or hopes for what the night could be.