Apr 22 1996 @ Fox Theater Boulder, CO

Ahhhh. My need has been met. I am sated with Fishbone satisfaction. The almighty Mega*Nutt manufacturers have emblazoned upon my work-a-day soul the meaning of funk, rock, punk, ska, and Nuttmeg music.

The show was at the Fox Theater in Boulder, CO. It was THE most intense Fishbone show I've seen. Some of that is due to the show being somewhat short (a gy I talked to after the show complained that they went on around 9:45, and were done at 11:25. But time meant nothing to me during the show. Who's fool enough to wear a watch to a Fishbone gig, anyhow?)

The first half of the set was all new material (with the quasi exception of Alcoholic). Angelo's new toy, a theremin, was used to the fullest. Musically, he's very good, and has come up with some good rhythmic uses for it, too.

As far as my reaction to the new material... OUTSTANDING!!!! Hoo-ya! All over the place. Some seriously hard-hitting punk/funk opuses. Much chaotic, melodyless noise. And then some brilliant funk pieces, too. "Chim Chim's Bas Ass Revenge" has got one hell of a groove to it. The boys are at yet another peak in their career.

Angelo was as insane as ever. Went into the crowd at the small Fox Theater about 10 times. Cried foul at the signs dictating "NO STAGE DIVING ALLOWED", after which there was no holding back the crowd.

Before "Rock Star", he went into the crowd asking, "What's your definition of a rock star?" One guy said, "To get really fucked up and have a good time!" He brought the guy up on stage, laughed at him, told him to jump back in the crowd, and then they performed their definition.

Lessee.. what other tidbits can I throw at you?

Instead of wearing a cool ass suit as per usual, Angie was sporting an orange jumpsuit, unzipped so he could show off one of the new t-shirt designs (there's about 3 new ones. Pretty cool), and them huge black boots. No clear-plastic cane, though.

Norwood had, as usual, a cwazy hat, this time this... yak horn looking thing.

Walt is getting chubby, I must say. About the same amount of gut as when I last saw the band, back in summer '94. But still...

John's become a bit more animated, but still tame compared to the others.

All but Fish, who was as invisible as ever (if you're lucky, you too could catch one of the many "Fishsticks" drum sticks he tosses into the crowd).

So get ready to party yer ass off, all you lucky souls who hear the feets of the Fishbone Soldiers marching up your streets.

Ah, yes. Almost forgot. A 3 song tape is being sold at the shows for $5. In my opinion: worth it.

The tracks (which shall not be appearing on the new album) are as follows:

STRAIGHT UP MASKARAID BLACK BOX ARE YOU WID IT?

Black Box is about the evil television, a subject that I remember from a very good Angelo poem/song from the last leg of the Reality tour that never got released.

Are You Wid it? is a great funky anthem, featuring the return of Charlie on keyboards (there's no info on the tape other than song titles and catalog address. The reason I know this is that Angelo's voice comes on in the middle of the song to say, and I paraphrase, "On the keyboards there, that's Charlie Down.")

So... one final note on this whole no-Chris Dowd, no keyboards Fishbone experience: I'm happy with it. Personally, I never felt the keyboards were an essential part of Fishbone. I like them on record (Ugly, Those Days are Gone, Sunless Saturday), but live... eh.

The overall result of this lack of Chris is a very furious sound, still punctuated by horns (I very much miss the lack of trombone, though).

Ryan E. Vincent

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