The city of Munich welcomed Fugazi 5 times between 1989-1999, this 1992 concert being the third stopover. It played out at the Theaterfabrik, as did the two previous concerts in 1989 and 1990 respectively. It turned out to be the last time as well, since the venue got torn down after getting shut down in 1992.
Although the audience are rather low in the mix which makes it difficult to discern part of the “dialogue”, it appears this is a bit of a confrontational gig, as several altercations between band and a handful of patrons (hurling insults or urging the band what to play) arise and the patience of both Ian and Guy wears thin because of it.
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In this regard, it is interesting to note that in the December 1, 2011 NPR article Steady Diet Of Everything: The Fugazi Live Vault, Ian fervently recalls this specific show, as it portrays one of his favorite Fugazi live moments:
“There’s a really great show from Munich, in I think the early ‘90s, ‘93,“ MacKaye says. “At that time, it was pretty typical for the audience to say things like, 'Get on with it!’ and 'Play the music! Just play!’ I remember we had come back on stage for an encore, and somebody was lost or confused, or I don’t know; something had happened and somebody needed help. So we were trying to say, 'Hey, there’s a woman back here, she’s lost and she’s looking for her friends.’ And some guy was just yelling, 'Get on with it! Just play!’ And at that moment, I understood the dynamic, what was going on in this relationship, where he was a consumer and wanted to consume. He wanted sound. So at that moment, we just all turned on our guitars and started feedback, and it was a wall of feedback. And it was like, 'Okay, here’s sound. You just want sound.’ There was no actual engagement with the music; it was just sound they wanted."So it’s maybe five minutes of just feedback. It was a totally surreal moment, and when I hear that, I can smell that moment. It’s so visceral to me, but it’s one of my favorites, because we go right into a song from that.”
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The overall audio quality of the recording is not the best, the vocals and drums slightly distant or “hollow” if that makes sense. But it is still quite good or enjoyable and the somewhat bellicose mood (Ian refers to it as “a curious relationship” every time they come to Munich) definitely adds to the merit of the recorded document.
The selection of 22 songs draws on the yet to be released (at the time) In on the Kill Taker album (4; note the different “Morse” on Facet Squared as well as a handful of different lines in the lyrics of Rend It), Steady Diet of Nothing (7), Repeater (5), 3 Songs seven-inch (1), Margin Walker EP (1) and debut 7 Songs EP (3).
The set presents a rarish 1992 live rendering of Burning (performed only 9 times, out of which 2 times in the US and 7 times in Europe) (the intro is cut slightly short here, probably because of the cassette getting turned). Bangers include Sieve-Fisted Find, which lights the show up for me, as well as Turnover, Two Beats Off (Guy is up to some more song referencing in his lyrics, but I can’t figure this one out), or Promises.
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The band also performs a bit of rockabilly while they “trace the entire history of rock and roll, from, I don’t know, say the birth of Christ” to taunt some people demanding the band play Minor Threat songs, with Guy and Ian alternately singing “Jesus was born, son of […] Mary” and “Jesus was a guy hanging on a cross.”
While the live archive contains numerous incredible Reprovisional improvs, this recording arguably presents the most outlandish, free-form, outright stellar live version of the staple (w/ extensive Roadrunner tag) I have heard so far, clocking in at no less than 8 mins 18 secs (for your reference, the album version is merely 2 mins 18 secs). If you listen closely, you can hear the guitars pick up the rockabilly theme again as well at one point, pure genius!
Right after Ian thanks the audience, someone announces “the police are outside, so this has to be it, so please exit quietly, thanks a lot.” This wraps it up.
The summer of 1992 was a majestic time for Reprovisional, and this contentious show closes with what might be with the best one of the whole long European tour. (Imo, if it isn’t this one, it’s 6/24.) Very jammy, with some fairly out there guitar interplay and Brendan straying far from the usual rhythm. And you get an extended Roadrunner rap in which Guy repeatedly screams FIFTY THOUSAND WATTS OF POWAH! What more could you want? - Dan Purcell
The summer of 1992 was a majestic time for Reprovisional, and this contentious show closes with what might be with the best one of the whole long European tour. (Imo, if it isn’t this one, it’s 6/24.) Very jammy, with some fairly out there guitar interplay and Brendan straying far from the usual rhythm. And you get an extended Roadrunner rap in which Guy repeatedly screams FIFTY THOUSAND WATTS OF POWAH! What more could you want
yes. this is the 'wall of feedback' show. i think it's track #24.
-FLS
is this the show refereed to in this interview? with the wall of feedback?
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/01/142998596/steady-diet-of-everything-the-fugazi-live-vault
1. | Merchandise | |
2. | Nice New Outfit | |
3. | Greed | |
4. | Latin Roots | |
5. | Intro | |
6. | Reclamation | |
7. | Sieve-Fisted Find | |
8. | Facet Squared | |
9. | Rend It | |
10. | Interlude 1 | |
11. | Stacks | |
12. | Turnover | |
13. | Interlude 2 | |
14. | Song #1 | |
15. | Give Me The Cure | |
16. | Waiting Room | |
17. | Burning | |
18. | Interlude 3 | |
19. | Long Division | |
20. | Runaway Return | |
21. | Great Cop | |
22. | Two Beats Off | |
23. | Promises | |
24. | Encore 1 | |
25. | Sweet and Low | |
26. | Repeater | |
27. | Interlude 4 | |
28. | Reprovisional | |
29. | Outro |
Please Note: Available recordings have been mastered to correct for volume shifts, drop outs, etc. but some sonic anomalies will still exist, especially early in the set when the mix is being settled. The band has rated each show for sound quality and set the general price of a download at $5 per show. If you have a different price in mind feel free to utilize the alternative pricing option.
This show includes some memorable banter, for instance Interlude 4:
"Why don't we trace the entire history of rock 'n' roll from ... well, I dunno, from... Christ"
(improvised piece about Christ and the crucifiction)
"... This next song's about the Romans"