Review #1

Hi my name is Mike, I just got back from D.C. tonight from the Fort Reno show. I'm submitting my review. I will try to be as accurate as possible without. Well, I guess I will begin with the fact that before we even left connecticut I read the forecast and it was supposed to rain all 5 days we were down there, so I wasn't even sure if I would get to see fugazi play. After being stuck in traffic for 12 hours we finally arrived in D.C. It was a long wait until monday but it finally came. We checked out fort reno park around 12 noon to scope our the area. There were already people there doing the same as us. The sky was gray all morning. We came back at about 3 pm and were going to wait. We forgot to take our umbrella's in case of rain so we quickly drove back to our hotel and grabbed those. By the time we got back more people were there and also a white van and there I spotted Ian standing there talking to some people. We parked and found a place to sit under a tree to read while we waited. However I couldn't pass up a chance to say hello and meet some of the band. Guy was talking to some people and I paitently waited and then Ian walkes by. I said hello and shook his hand and told him we came all the way down from CT for the show and he said he hoped it didn't rain and walked off. A bit later I got the guts to approach him again. I mentioned how I do food not bombs and if the band is back on tour if it would be possible to organize a benefit show. He said it was hard to say since they wern't even sure how long they were taking a break for. We then talked about a few other things. It didn't feel as though I was talking to a punk rock legend or anything but he was really nice and cool and it felt as though I were talking to a friend. We got to talking about the musuems in D.C. and how beautiful many of them are and he said how one of his favorites; the national portrait gallery, was closed for renevation. I then mentioned how I was an art student this coming fall and D.C. was awsome since there are so many galleries and such, and he mentioned he would be coming out to the hartford area soon because he is doing a speech at Wesleyan university September 14th about activism through music. (Definetly check that out if you can). Then we talked a bit more and he told me to check out a cool record store in Adams Morgan which I unfortunatly forgot the name of. Well we waited for a while reading and the were setting the stage up and right at 6pm it happened. The sky got really gray and clouds moved overhead and it began to rain. In a matter of minutes it was pouring incredibly hard and things were looking very down. Everyone ran for cover and it seemed yet again the show would suffer from rain. But in about 20-25 minutes the rain passed and everything cleared up. The sun came out and it was a miracle. The whole area was beautiful! The crowd started gathering again and we headed out to get a good spot close to the stage. The band set up and took a bit doing sound checks. At about 7:40 the Pupils finally came on. They played 5 songs to my recollection. The sun was setting behind us and finally Fugazi came on. There were at least a few thousand people in the crown at this point and it seemed very surreal. I had been waiting for this moment for so long and it was finally happening. They played a lot of songs which I forgot the order of. They played a bunch of new songs, including the one where Joe sings. It was really nice. The crowd was very into it and tons of people were singing along. They played a bunch of favorites like Birthday Pony and Waiting room. They didn't seem to take any requests but each song lead right into the next. They played songs from all over the place. Moving from End Hits to new songs, to repeater, to red medicine and so forth. Some highlights of the show were the fact that Ian said good bye to the guy in charge of helping put on the Fort Reno concert series for over 30 years, Father George. He is moving to California. Ian dedicated the next song to Father George. One of the people in the crowd yelled out something to the extent of: "Yeah Burger King!". It was hard to make out but it was a lude comment none the less and Ian retorted by saying if the heckler wanted to see him ramble or if he thought he was rambling. After all these years he still has attitude which rocks! It was like watching Instrument when Ian mocks the people causing trouble. Fugazi is up there playing music and expressing a message they believe strongly in and hecklers arn't needed. Anyways the chance to see Joe sing was great too! Guy mentioned how the mayor of D.C. is asking for a insane abount of money to bulk up the police and arm them and get them better armor, and that we should give them something to need it for. Sorry I don't remember the exact words. They played a little under 2 hours and it was the best concert I have seen to date. It was my first Fugazi show and was incredible. We were very lucky it didn't rain and that it ended up being a perfect night. The new songs sound incredible and the Argument album should be great. After the show ended we waited around a bit. The crowd was very nice. I have been to many shows but never one with a crown like this. Hundreds of people were singing along and everyone was really nice. Fugazi played an incredible show and were very into it and danced and screamed as hard as they they do on Instrument and on every album. They were very improvisational and would tweek songs and play around with them. It was something I haven't seen other bands do often. They have fun with their music and seeing them live was something I was determined to do at least once in my life. The 12 hour drive there was worth it. People drove from all over the country for this show and it was a sight to behold. After seeing them live this year I will definetly be returning next year and the following as long as they keep playing. Well that is about it. We got some vegetarian maki after the show near the Tenleytown metro and headed home. It still all seems like a dream. Hopefully once I develop the pictures I took it was totally sink in. Well I'm gonna leave you with one final thing. If you ever get a chance to meet Ian be polite and you will recieve the same. He was very nice. I was a bit nervous but being able to meet him and see the band play live was the perfect vacation for me and made this otherwise mundane summer seem incredible. -Mike

Review #2

I wish I could give a detailed review of what they played the other night, but I'm horrible at remembering what songs they played. They played for two hours (maybe a little more). Jerry Busher was there on drums and tamborine for most of the set. I think they played a good amount of new songs as well as a lot of the standards. "Bed For The Scraping" was dedicated to Father George? who has been a part of the Reno concerts since the sixties. Guy thanked the fans that drove from far away. There were cars from New York (with Fugazi or Bust signs) and North Carolina on the streets around the park. He remarked how the Fort Reno concert always got rained out as soon as they would start, and that they were really happy to finish a full set. I really liked "Birthday Pony" (another dedication from Ian), "Do You Like Me" and "Waiting Room". I'm also bad at making crowd estimates, but I'm guessing 2,000. I could be way off. Seemed like a lot of people to me. Definitely not easy to walk down to the stage. The crowd was very diverse. A lot of older folks dancing in the back (Old as in 50 - 60 years old). Bottom line: Fugazi rocked! They were very tight and kept the energy high all night. Great show and great people. The Fort Reno volunteer staff deserve a round of applause. I can't wait for the next tour. Any info on where they are going to play? -Steve

Review #3

Hey, a few quick notes on the show at Fort Reno here.  I went up from NY and
don't know the area too much, but from what i gather, the Fort Reno concerts
are a weekly occurance during the summer. Fort Reno t-shirts were on sale
(which promptly sold out) to help support the free program. Apparently clubs
are becoming fewer and fewer in the D.C. area. On to the show. Some group
called the Pupils played for a short bit at first. it was a guy playing
guitar, a guy singing, and a drum machine, i believe their from the lungfish.
Fugazi then started. it was kinda funny because when i first got there their
were less than 100 people standing around, but after not paying attention to
the crowd for about an hour, i turned around and suddenly it looked like the
crowd from Wayne's World two congregated behind me. They opened up with a new
song (i think it may be the one you have listed as night shop) i haven't
heard before which was just probly actually the best song of the show, great
great song. Sounds silly saying this, but it almost reminded me of a bohemian
rhapsody kinda song with all the here-and-there changes. very good. they went
on to play a lot of new stuff including Oh, The Argument, Full Disclosure,
The kill, Cash Out, Song #5 and a couple others, and from the sounds of it,
this new album could turn out to be their best. Ian and Guy went back and
forth with songs, Joe even took to the mic for one new song. Some time near
the end of the set, Guy put down his guitar for a bit to sing Burning. As
those who have seen them play or have seen Instrument know, he's really just
extremely exciting to watch when he puts the guitar down. They closed with a
version of Sweet and low that got slightly noisy at times, but was a great
way to end the show. Here's a more or less comlpete list of their set, not
exactly in order:
A new song (possibly night shop), Break, Smallpox Champion, And the Same,
Waiting Room, Burning, Blueprint, Public Witness Program, Rend it, Sweet and
Low, Do you like me, Bed for the Scraping, Birthday Pony, Five Corporations,
Caustic Acrostic, Oh, The Argument, Full Disclosure, The Kill, Cash out and
song #5. I believe i got them all, perhaps another new song or two. All in
all, a great show
On an interesting note, they had another guy playing second drums on some of
the newer stuff. Just a snare, bass, a few cymbals and some percussion shit,
which added a lot in some spots.


there ya go - justin