This is a good one, and it even features a surf tune!

Fugazi arguably never sounded as tight as in they did in 1993, having toured vigorously and having honed their craft and repertoire (at the time) to perfection.

Surely, they would go on to record and tour, to further refine and develop their sound and music, and to become better musicians in the process, but the sheer force and precision of their shows from this particular era just might be unparalleled.

Case in point is this gig at The Strand in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, wrapping up an incredible September run in 1993. What a most suitable capstone it turned out to be, another straight-up banger!

The band start the last show of the fall 1993 US tour in good spirits and the audience welcomes them enthusiastically. I really, really love the types of super-casual introductions by Ian such as the one you hear on this tape. They are so anti-your-normal-rock-show that it's genius.

The mix of the recording is quite typical of this era. Very powerful and emphasizing the strong wall of sound the band has developed over relentless touring. There are more detailed and fuller recordings from this era, but you can really feel the band's strength here. There's no mix settling to mention, instead it's straight to punk rock land with Facet Squared. Guy keeps the pace with a fantastic Walken's Syndrome.

The relaxed mood pays off as the band fly on with a great flow of tracks. It only stops after Rend It when Ian decides to have a friendly chat with the audience. Afterwards we get a fiery Exit Only, with the only downside here being Guy's slightly quiet vocals. Brendan's drumming on the other hand shines especially bright.
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Some trouble with a bad apple ensues, but Ian takes care of the situation and leads us to a beautiful Give Me The Cure. Guy's vocals have a lot more presence now and the performance is definitely a highlight. Afterwards there's some hilarious banter that includes Guy ranting about his bad day.

The band push on with fast punk numbers and a driving Promises before taking a small break, then finish the evening with a nice streak of softer tunes. This turn of events feels like a statement against the apparently escalating acts of stage diving, and is a respectable move in my opinion.

Two Beats Off offers the last burst of heaviness, and the goodnight caress from the band comes as the brilliant duo of Long Division and Sweet and Low. The latter has a cool, extended ending jam. Everyone will notice the one anomaly in the setlist, but I won't spoil anything here.

This is another very good and complete recording from the era during which the band toured everywhere they could. That worksmanship is witnessed in the tightness of the performances, with this particular show being no exception.