Jul 16 1991 @ The Palladium New York, NY

I was there! I saw Fishbone at the Palladium, the first week or so of July, 1991, and I saw with my own eyes the things you describe, which I wouldn't believe UNLESS I saw them with my own eyes!

That show is still the single best, most powerful musical performance I have ever witnessed in my life, and I cannot imagine it ever being topped. The band was completely on FIRE, opening with Freddie's Dead and Angelo in the crowd before he sang the first word, and throughout the show -- he really, truly did somehow climb up to a balcony, at least 20-25 feet over the floor, and jump down into the loving crowd which caught him and brought him back up to the stage (I've always wondered if that show was the one Vernon Reid refers to in his liner notes for the FB 101 thing). I also remember Norwood introducing one song (Subliminal Fascism? Behavior Control? unfortunately can't remember ....) with an off-the-cuff but completely inspired lecture about the importance of being true to yourself, and not believing everything you're told (specific reference was to the "war" with Iraq, and the American people not being told the truth about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed by our "smart" bombs).

This was during that short period of time when Fishbone not only WANTED to change the world (that's always been true), but when it seemed like maybe actually they WOULD.

OK, I'm going to stop before I get too emotional ... oh, but Petey, I don't at all remember either of the openers you mentioned, 2 Live Crew or the Dirty Dozen, and I THINK I would -- although perhaps the headliners were so good the erased whatever musical memories I had beforehand!

Steve

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