Fugazi
Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., (January 2, 2000)
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Fugazi
Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,
January 2, 2000 |
Recently the band took a week to tour Florida, making up dates postponed from December. In Orlando, the group played to a crowded club whose unruly "fans" visibly upset frontman Ian MacKaye. "Do you want to leave? I'll give you $6 out of my own pocket," MacKaye directed at a violent mosher. But after such interruptions the group fell back perfectly into the middle of whichever song they were performing.
This perfect synchronicity is the group's live trademark. Without setlists, one member leads the rest with a guitar riff, drum beat or bass line. And when all else fails, like in Orlando, crowds can hear Guy Picciotto shout out song titles like "Place Position" to insure the band is ready. Despite the few attendees that ruined a number of songs by their violent actions, the show featured numerous highlights, including the appearance of "Long Distance Runner" in the set. The haunting song was accented by vocal effects during MacKaye's line "If I stop to catch my breath, I might catch a piece of death."
After a day off, the band loaded in to the Chili Pepper in Fort Lauderdale. Two nights before, the club had hosted heavy metal band Slipknot and the sound system for that show was used for Fugazi as well. Obviously loud, the sound was also remarkably crisp. Nuances on guitar, drums and bass were all startling to hear live.
While the band actually played many of the same songs from Orlando's show, like the Joe Lally-led "Recap Modotti," they did unearth a number of surprises. Foremost among them was "Furniture." Unfortunately, this song was interrupted by violence as well. But the crowd was much more relaxed at the Lauderdale performance. In fact the tri-leveled club offered an intimate evening even though it fit 1200 fans.
Picciotto improvised much of "Two Beats Off" from Repeater by adding an introduction and rambling a bit during the mid-section. During "Waiting Room," both Picciotto and MacKaye changed vocal inflections on a number of lyrics that had long been memorized by every member of the crowd. The result was a version of the song that was familiar yet decidedly different from Orlando's rendition.
It would be an oversight to not mention the five instrumentals played. On the percussion-driven show opener and another new instrumental that took a harder turn with aggressive guitar riffs, the group was heavily focused on the music alone. "Combination Lock" from Red Medicine and "Arpeggiator" from End Hits also made appearances. Fugazi has come to a place in their career where they can run through a full set of material and not please every fan, something will always be left out.
Over the years, the songs have developed into complex mixtures of melody and intensity. While not as straightforward as their earliest material, many of the recent songs have even more impact, like the new track "Oh." Led by Picciotto's vocals, the accompanying choppy guitar work and steady drumming created layers on top of layers. This new style fit into a set of a dozen years of material flawlessly, even without the instant recognition from the crowd.
Faraquet, a fellow Dischord band, opened both shows and impressed early crowds with their unique style. The enthusiastic drummer and solo-loving guitarist worked the material to perfection. The songs had minimal vocals but it didn't matter, their tempo was so upbeat and delivery so sharp Faraquet won respect from some of the most demanding music fans anywhere.
Fugazi was back on the road a few hours after the show ended, headed to Tampa. It seemed like the night had gone by too fast, the setlist not long enough, even though it clocked in at 26 songs and just under two hours. That's what makes Fugazi so vital. They captivate the crowd completely, and only release them when walking off the stage.
DAVID THOMAS |