So, dude, you’re catching one of the three shows in the Replacements reunion tour. Maybe you hit Riot Fest last month in Toronto, or you’re road-tripping to Chicago on Sept. 15 or Denver on Sept. 21.

Yeah, that’s cool.

But did I ever tell you about the time I saw the ‘Mats last show? I mean, you know, the real final concert?

Man, it was awesome. You should’ve been there. Grant Park, Taste of Chicago. On the Fourth of July in ’91.

Yeah, I was in the front row taking pictures. Well, for the first three songs anyway. Scammed my way in by getting press credentials. ‘Cuz I was an intern at the Peoria Journal Star.

So I took some pictures with my Pentax 35mm SLR, the one my mom gave me. Film camera, man. That was way before digital. Way before.

And here are some of the good photos.

These are mint. Previously unseen photos of the ‘Mats.

Pretty cool, right? I mean, definitely.

The (previous) last Replacements show in Grant Park, Chicago, 1991.

Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg

Tommy Stinson

The photographer at the Taste of Chicago in 1991. That’s a Sgt. Preston’s t-shirt … and a smoke!

Here is the set list:

I Will Dare
Bent Out of Shape
Achin’ to Be
Merry Go Round
Happy Town
Swingin Party
One Wink at a Time
Waitress in the Sky
When It Began
Someone Take the Wheel
Talent Show
(‘Send in the Clowns’ guitar solo)
Nobody
Another Girl, Another Planet
(The Only Ones cover)
Hey Good Lookin’
(Hank Williams cover)
I’ll Be You
I Don’t Know
Within Your Reach
Can’t Hardly Wait
Hootenanny