One of the first times I saw Fugazi perform was in 1987 or 1989. I was working at the Carytown Ukrop's and wasn't able to get off work for their show at what used to be New Horizon's Cafe (and maybe still was at that point, or perhaps had already changed hands and been renamed Winkie's). So I did what any self-respecting straight-edge kid would do -- I arranged a product transfer between stores, borrowed the store manager's station wagon, made the product transfer, went to the show and went back to the store.
It was three-hour transfer, I wore my khaki's and bow-tie to the show and was blown away by the band who wasn't the Minor Threat I thought they would be. It was hard, fast, staccato noise with Guy Picciotto screaming in a dress. It was brilliant, raw and messy, and there were maybe 100 people in the room.
One of the last times I saw Fugazi, they played the former Floodzone in Shockoe Bottom to a ridiculously packed house. They were twice as good, and Ian MacKaye was all sorts of preachy -- especially as the idiot punks started flailing like angry lunatics in the mosh pit. He stopped playing, lectured the crowd about violence and ruining fun for everyone else. It was great stuff.
So, I was delighted to find a recent post on NPR's Monitor Mix Blog referencing the Chunklet website. I repost the Chunklet excerpt in its entirety:
Y'know, it's funny. Around 1990, I was convinced that there were no better live bands on the planet than Fugazi and The Jesus Lizard. And here it is almost 20 years later and I spent many a night following the latter across the planet (just like the ol' days) and I got to have my post-teenager sentiments reinforced as I watched four men all hovering around fifty years old fucking sweep the floor with their younger counterparts asses on a nightly basis. No question about it.
One thing I didn't particularly enjoy at these shows were the jag bags that were crowd surfing. I know, I know. I'm a fucking drag for saying that, but when Yow does it, he's a professional. When some yahoo with lumberjack boots does it, people get clobbered in the noggin. Sorry, it's the truth and it's lame. But man, I remember Fugazi. I remember Fugazi telling people not to do it. And looking back on it, I think what a loving request it was. Even when I was 19 or 20, I'd deal with the jocks being violent, but Fugazi stood their ground and defended the majority of a crowd that wanted to enjoy themselves and not get injured in the process.
So it was with great pleasure when James Burns contacted me to tell me he had assembled a 40+ minute montage of Fugazi stage banter...Please enjoy and (if you're old enough) remember how blissfully intense their shows were.
The memories packed in that audio montage, which is almost entirely free of music. It consists primarily of Ian engaged in some amazing monologues with the crowd. Go enjoy the montage. Even if you have no idea who Fugazi was. The above video gives you a sense of both the banter and the band.
(Added: I think the very last segment about ice cream cones was from the Floodzone show I saw. Hilarious.)
Jesus Lizard, it is true, remains one of the most amazing live bands ever.
