Jun 27 2012 @ Underground Arts Philadelphia, PA

  First of all let me say that, you guys are one of the most important bands of my generation. To me your music is the NEW, modern fushion & I just LOVE the variety! As a musician (no where near the prowess of your band) I'm bored to hell playing any one style of music for an entire gig - so I don't play out anymore. I saw you guys in the early 1990's at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby with Primus as the opening act. It was the Reality of My Surroundings Tour & I'd never seen anything quite like that before in my life!!! I'll never forget in between songs, I cheered like "YEEEAAAHHH!!!" and Angelo scolded me from the stage screaming, "That's not what I'm talkin' about!!!" Everyone looked back at me & I felt very small indeed. I did not mean to insult anyone, I was younger then & only intended to show my appreciation - in any event, I never forgot the impression Fishbone made on me musically which was the most important thing to me. A few years later, I saw Fishbone again at the Trocadero as a four or five piece band & while you were still great, I wondered what was going on with you guys as the band was almost cut in half. Something didn't seem right to me. Many years passed & one night a few months ago "Everyday Sunshine" was being shown on a cable TV station & I was just mesmerized - I experienced moments of hysterical humor & deep despair watching this documentary. To bring us up to date, right now, all over again I have rekindled my appreciation for Fishbone, bought much of your back catalogue & right now you're my favorite band & I'm trying to turn on as many people as possible (black & white) to your music. My wife hipped me to the "Truth & Soul" LP & it is incredible! I was more familiar with "Reality" & "Give a Monkey a Brain..." so this was enlightening. I've recent memories of coming home with her from parties listening to that record at 4AM & being in AWE! Anyway, the show set list from your performance at Underground Arts in Philly was pretty much the same as the reviewer from 6/15/12 listed - give or take a few songs. H.R. was there from Bad Brains & you guys were incredible to say the least!!! One thing that upset me to no end though was the fact that the Soundman mixed you TO DAMN LOUD!!!! It was a 1,000 person max venue, not a 20,000 person arena (he obviously either didn't know the difference or didn't care) & that really pissed me off because you guys are great & he didn't do you justice - you deserve better!!! I couldn't hear any nuance, barely any vocals, & only treble (brittle) of the horns. Hell, I could barely make out the songs that I knew. I was so enraged that I went & told him about it & he was like "your the only one complaining." I guess if it's too loud, you're too old! Your performance however, was flawless!!! I had several other friends there with my wife & I & we had fun. I loved the reggae jam near the end of the show with H.R. doing his thing & Angelo playing drums!!! A few days later, my wife told me that a promoter & dear friend of hers introduced her to Angelo that night (where the hell was I!?!?), & she told me he looked deep into her eyes - I just laughed thinking about the "Everyday Sunshine" documentary where Norwood is talking about how Angelo was always smiling in high school & passing him Funkadelic type notes. While the show wasn't a packed house I think it's safe to say the fans that WERE there were of the "die hard" variety, which is reassuring. Please (Fishbone) don't give up - we need you, music (desperately!) needs you, & your fans need you!!! I truly admire your energy, your spirit, & your ability to endure!!! As I recall Carlos Santana recently saying, "it's not enough to play just the cookie cutter crap, you have to play the real deal music too." You guys are THE REAL DEAL, & still RED HOT!!!

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