Outdoor kick-off gig of the 2002 Fugazi tour itinerary (their final year of touring to date), which played out at the University of Richmond (or Jenkins) Greek Amphitheater.

2002 would see the band performing 32 times, a relatively modest year at that, offering 18 dates in the US and another 14 dates throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Considering temperature hovered about freezing point on this particular night in time, it is astonishing Fugazi still managed to bust out a 1 hour and 18 minutes spectacle, presenting 19 songs live in total, although I am not sure the recording actually is complete since it cuts off rather shortly after Epic Problem without so much as a thanks or a goodbye.

From the get-go, the mood is easygoing, the banter humorous and inter alia related to the particular meteorological circumstances of “the coldest gig you have ever been to.” It’s fun to catch Ian chuckling while suggesting someone to go home because the latter utters his hands are cold, or hear him calling people “surly little fucking bastards” for showering complaints on the band, or to hear Guy muse he’s “trying to figure out how [he] can play this song and put [his] hands in [his] pockets.”

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I did not discern anything out of the ordinary as to the selection and order of the songs, but find it quite a feat that the band still delivers despite the freezing conditions, performing each song to a T. It appears to hint at meticulous and rigorous rehearsals and tour preparations.

Note that the audio quality of the band recording is nigh on perfect in my opinion, but on the downside, the audience is not all that audible in the mix, except for in-between songs.

The set list showcases work off of most albums - The Argument (8), Furniture EP (2), End Hits (2), In on the Kill Taker (3), Steady Diet of Nothing (2), Repeater (2) - but not a single song off of Red Medicine or the Margin Walker / 7 Songs EPs and 3 Songs 7 inch was played that night.

If you listen closely, you can overhear Ian mentioning they did not play anything from Red Medicine during an interlude near the end of the recording, and even though Brendan seems to suggest playing Back to Base, it turns out they skipped the album entirely this time around.

I remember being at this show too. I was amazed at how well they played despite the temperatures!

I was there -- it was cold!! They kept stopping to warm up their fingers!

pssst. i took the photo shown above and the name is wrong.... it should be kelly maron. though mawn is an interesting alternative. ;)

Sadly, this was the only Fugazi show I got to go to. I hope someone out there has a recording. I'd love to go back and listen to it...preferably in a warmer place. It was freezing that night!