Mar 22 1994 @ Vic Theater Chicago, IL

This personally started out as a great day for me. Thanks to working with a local AM radio station on the topic of racism in the music industry. I was able to set up an interview with Angelo the afternoon of the show at their hotel. They were staying downtown at the Omni Ambassador East. Angelo and Chris were rooming together. Spoke with Angelo for about 20 minutes (all recorded). Even have some pictures of him and Chris. GREAT experience!!!! Angelo talked about the racism the band had faced from the music business, how they couldn't be 'labeled' as playing one type of music, etc. He even recited a "new poem" for me, which later was recorded as "Rockstar". He offered me some weed (I don't smoke, but felt pretty cool to be offered some by one of my heroes), snapped a few pictures and then took his bike and left.

I ended up talking to Chris for almost two hours. We talked about the direction of the band (he didn't like the way they were going much - preferred more ska, jazz and reggae instead of the metal heavier sound), Kendall (one of the worst things he ever witnessed) music and being in Fishbone. I really found him to be a very knowledgeable musician who knew his history. I asked him what they were going to play that night. So he poses a question to me and then hands me a piece of paper. Tells me to write down my 80 minute Fishbone setlist.

I write down, Ugly, When Probelms Arise, I Wish I Had A Date, Swim, Warmth of Your Breath, Change, Ma and Pa, Deep Inside, Ghetto Soundwave, Love and Bullshit, Bonin', Unyielding Cond., Servitude, etc. He tells me okay, let's see what happens tonight.

What I can tell you about this show was that Fishbone was playing with a metal band, I think called Kyuss. This would be the biggest mistake. Since the wonderful record label decided to market The Bone as more of a 'metal act' thanks to the "Give A Monkey.." CD they decided to put a metal act with them. Kyuss, which really sucked, opened the show, and then the Bone hit the stage. I remember telling my cousin who was with me that it seemed like there were an awful lot of Kyuss fans. The Bone hit the stage opening with a great slow funky intro to The Warmth of Your Breath. Awesome stuff. I don't remember the order but they ended up playing all of the above tunes I wanted to hear through 60 minutes or so except, Ghetto, Problems, and I think Love & Bullshit. After one song, Fish stopped playing because someone threw a beer on the stage. He addressed the crowd with a few 'F' bombs and told them to stop throwing shit or they would stop playing. Minutes later as they started to play "Swim".....BAM another beer thrown at JB's feet and they walked off stage. Chris popped out by himself a few minutes later with a guitar, but just turned around and left - I assume "Change" would have been played. Now, I assuming some dumbass metal head jerkoff Kyuss-fuck fan threw this. If you know who you are I still to this day think YOU wrecked what was GREAT show to that point. I swear on my grave that if I ever found the fuck who did this I would break their nose. I still would.

Other than the House of Blues shows in Chicago in 1997, this show was my favorite. The Chim Chim tour show at Cubby Bear in 1996 reconfirmed that Fishbone was back after it looked bleak in 1995 when they played the Vic and played a lot of new material no one really knew. Just my two cents.

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