Friday, March 19, 2010
Creamtastic / Moving Pictures Fugazi at 328 Performance Hall, 1993
Posted by Steve Haruch on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 3:44 PM
Many thanks to YouTube user tinycorkscrew, who just made my fucking day by uploading a bunch of footage of Fugazi playing at 328 Performance Hall way back in 1993, the year In on the Kill Taker came out (and also the year of The Velvet Divorce -- not a band, surprisingly).
I wasn't at this particular show, which according to the YouTube post happened in April, but I saw Fugazi in Chicago later that year, probably in May or June. I'm pretty sure The Grifters opened. (I also happened to get in a car wreck after that show and will say this much: If you're feeling really sleepy, don't drive -- you could end up fishtailing into oncoming traffic at 70 miles per hour on the interstate, where fiery, crushy death becomes an immediate possibility!)
If you've never been to a Fugazi show, I'm sorry. On the Adam Gold scale of Peformative Importance, Fugazi is my Springsteen -- except I would never say that because I don't give two shits about Springsteen. Springsteen is Gold's Fugazi! That's more like it. I will spare you the "Remember When Indie Rock Fucking Meant Something?" lecture and leave it at this: There are few things in this world as electrifying and beautiful as being in the same room when Fugazi is playing. For proof of this, watch the video of "Waiting Room" above. You'll notice that some people are even moving around -- and this was shot in Nashville!
And of course, at the end of the song, Ian instructs people to be considerate of the kids who are getting crushed against the front of the stage. They don't make bands like this anymore, folks.
For further awesoming of your Friday afternoon, check out "Burning" and "Rend It," taken from the same show.
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Comments (15)
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I was at this show and can be glimpsed a few times in the crowd on Guy's side suffocating to the beat (it was hot). I have a ton of memories from this night, which was one of the best performances of any band I've ever seen, and reminds me how important a live performance used to be (maybe still is, but crowds don't seem to pay much attention these days...more interested in being seen there than enjoying the music). Kill Taker wasn't out yet but I remembered songs like Instrument, Great Cop and the fantastic Rend It when I finally got my copy. That album pretty much defined the summer of 1993. Also, at this show, I can remember when the opening guitar of Margin Walker kicked, my head nearly exploded. Death by rock indeed.
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I was at this show, too. It was great. I remember them really improvising and stretching out on a song or two, which I had never seen them do too much in prior shows.
Ah, Fugazi and the early 90's. How did I get so damn old?
fugazi also played at elliston place now called the end. they had to stop playing because too many people showed up and it got too crazy. I always liked how they threatened to stop playing when things got too rough or when a lot of people started lighting cigarettes at the show.
Damn! That video. Saw Fugazi 3 times, but never caught them doing Waiting Room. Incredible song.
It's really sad, by the way, that I can love this band and these performances so much, and yet still be grossed out by Ian's black socks and shorts routine. I think he would hate me if he knew me personally.
"Promises" and "Suggestion" were fantastic that night. Those videos are up on Youtube now.
I've still got this on VHS. What a great show. I skipped school, shaved my head for the first time, and went to 328 to hang out and see if we could meet the band. Didn't happen, but I snagged a poster. Thanks, YouTube.
I got paid not to run lights(I ran lights sometimes for 328 in the 90's) that night cause they brought their own bright white construcion lights and just left them on full all night- I stood behind the monitor board and got paid to watch them destroy peoples faces with rock- good fun
I worked at 328 for 10 years and was at this show. I think that we had more people in the hall that night than any show we'd ever had (probably had something to do with the fact that it was an all ages show, as are ALL Fugazi shows, therefore allowing us to fit more people in because, on the whole, audience members were a bit smaller) :-). The notion that Nashville crowds are more lame than in other cities is just not true! And I saw Springsteen in '75 and he WAS great! I've also probably seen (no exaggeration) 3000 bands in my lifetime and, over the years, in every generation, there are ALWAYS great live bands, no matter the era. I could go on but I think you catch my drift.
One more thing, Ian MacKaye is the most friendly guy I've ever met in the rock & roll industry!
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