Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Fugazi



February 11, 1992
Thursday

This was not the first time I had seen Fugazi, but it was one of the most memorable. Back home it had become a given that if they were coming to town you went. Now in my first semester in college it came as a surprise to suddenly be confronted with jaded, cynical hipsters who had "been there, done that". I didn't understand it then and don't today. More room for the rest of us I guess.

The night of the show we walked a few blocks and arrived to find a good sized crowd lined up outside waiting to get in. Once inside it was a big open room with the band equipment set up on the floor to the right. The band made it through the crowd and took their instruments and with apology let us know the power was going to be cut, but they would play as long as they could. Within two or three songs the power was cut. Lights out, still they played on lit by the streetlight shining through the window. The power would come back on only to go off again, finally they were told to end the show. The Knights of Columbus hall was in a residential area like most of downtown Savannah with row houses on both sides and apparently it was too loud.

At this point the lights are back on and the crowd is still mulling around. Now Fugazi could have left and that would be the end. Instead they chose to stay, shaking hands and thanking each of us for coming. That night I was able to shake hands with one of my favorite bands and then I babbled on like anyone would telling them how important I thought they were and the positive impact the music has had for me.

I was a starstruck kid what can I say.

1 comment:

  1. Davrocks11:22 PM

    When I lived in Darwin in the far north of Australia Fugazi were supposed to headline a festival one year but the cancelled, promising to come back. We all thought "yeah, right" I mean, no one toured to Darwin not even the big Australian bands. To my surprise 18 months laters Fugazi posters popped up everywhere. The tickets sold out as they were to play a venue that only held about 200 people. They flew in from their Japanese tour that day, played one of the most awesome rock shows I have ever seen and flew back the next morning. This is a band with integrity who never forgot a promise or took their fans for granted. I thank Fugazi for flying 6 hours to play a show in a city of 100,000 people. I will forever be a fan.

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