Feb 05 2005 @ Pipeline Cafe Honolulu, HI

This show was cancelled with no notice.

This show was cancelled....but they did perform later that same night at Feng Shui/ Ciao Mein Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Unfortunately I learned of this info about 12 hours after the fact. I was told that Fishbone went on very late due to technical/ equipment problems and only played for about 40 minutes. The night before at Pipeline, they only played for about 30 minutes. Check ...

>>>

Feb. 05, 2005. Pipeline café, Oahu. No, Hyatt Regency, Waikiki. Worse than the Brady Bunch Hawaii vacation was bearing witness to the second show and the sinking feeling I had after. For a sadder spectacle I could not have imagined.

I arrived at the club a bit early to try and talk with the band and inquire about last night's performance. But no one was around. No one. Ghost town. The club doors were locked and there was a sign hanging on the door that the show was cancelled due to a conflict in scheduling. What? Oh, that must have been the email I got from fishbonelive.org concerning the conflicting dates being advertised. I posted about this issue weeks before the show. I was informed that Fishbone had another gig that same night as the house band at the Hyatt in Waikiki to welcome in the Chinese New Year. Huh?

So after a two-hour ordeal, I made it to the show, still hoping that last night was just a bad dream. I was then informed at the door that I could not get in to see Fishbone because there was a dress code. A dress code? To see Fishbone? I could go on about this but need I? As it was, I only had on my cargo shorts and that wasn?t gonna cut it. So I wound up having to yank my shorts halfway down my ass to make em look full length and apparently that would do. But I had to plead my case at the door like a motherfucker, for an hour, to get into this uppity shitclat of a club. Another brother I met went out and bought a pair of pants to get thru the door. Shit, I was ready to go buy a dress and look like a ho' if I had to. That?s about what I felt like anyway dealing with all this bullshit.

And so I was in. And Fishbone was supposed to play from 11 pm to 12:30 am. And 11:00 came and went. And 12:00 came and went. And 1:00 came and went. Then, finally at about 1:45 they opened the curtains and let in the few remaining fans, groupies and hanger-on-ers.

And once again the sound and mix sucked monkey balls. And once again the band, particularly the new jacks, were hammered beyond an ability to play coherently, let alone a Fishbone Quality show. And a couple of them were not even on the stage for half of the seven song set (that's right, 7). And I saw, for the second night in a row, the scowl on John Steward's face. And I wondered what he was thinking. Was it a look of disgust at what this had become, yet still trying to keep shit together and playing his ass off? And I felt for him. And I was saddened by what I saw. But I will not be silent.

For the new jacks in the band (I won't mention names, but you know who you are), it is not your right to be in Fishbone. It should be your honor and privilege to play alongside Angelo, Norwood and John. You have some big shoes to fill. It is not enough to be musically skilled and technically capable to make this shit work. It is not enough to be able to play the proper notes. It is not enough to just know the words.

This is music you have to feel with your heart and soul. This is music you have to bleed. This is music that's gotta cum from the bottom of your nuttsac. This is music royalty you're dealing with here. This is familyhood loyalty you're fucking with here. This is FISHBONE MUSIC!!!

So maybe next time, if there is a next time, get fucked up after the show and not before. Come to the stage prepared to bust your nutt or don't come to the stage at all. Or this will become a second rate mediocre tribute act to the once mighty and baddest band on this planet.

And I apologize if I've come across harsh here, but it is only because of my deepest love and appreciation to all the incarnations of this band, and the truth they have brought to my soul and to all those who've been cast aside, that I write these words. May you too one day join the familyhood.

Because I care,

jahbuyaka

Or maybe this was just another off night?

<<<

Those previous reviews are not accurate that was one of the baddest shows I've seen in along time from fishbone I have been following them from since the eighties and the energy and ethusiasm is back everyone look like they were having a blast and sounding great. The guitarist are great playing and embelllinshing jazz chords with punk rock aggressions it's definietly a new fresh sound that will be...

>>>