Photos © by Jim Saah
Fugazi, Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany 6/28/1992 (FLS #0478)
“Welcome to the big top! We’re on all three rings tonight...”
Initially released as volume six of a first set of twenty live recordings on CD in April 2004, several band members fondly remember this particular concert and mark it as excellent to this very day. What makes this gig even more interesting is that it is a one-off experience which took place at the rather peculiar Tempodrom venue in the city of Berlin and played out in front of nearly 3000 people.
Or, as Brendan recalls: “One of our best shows ever I think, if memory serves me well. In a circus tent. I think Christo [A/N: Hristo Vladimirov Yavachev, a Bulgarian-American artist, whose work includes the wrapping of public buildings] had the Reichstag wrapped right next door.”
Listening to this recording again and again, I can only agree. It is a pleasure to hear Guy rejoice in the first rays of sunshine well into the tour, as well as to hear Ian count in German during Repeater, or to hear him shout “Glueman” into his guitar pickup over and over again while the last of the feedback dies down and closes out the set.
Such little happenings, combined with a very balanced set list that draws generously from all available albums at that time as well as from the yet to be released In on the Kill Taker album (date of release June 30, 1993 - note the Cassavetes instrumental that kicks off this show) and a killer overall performance make this show a definite keeper and another highlight addition to the series. Jetzt Geht’s Los!
The set list:
1. Intro 2. Cassavetes 3. And The Same 4. Exit Only 5. Merchandise 6. Turnover 7. Reclamation 8. Rend It 9. Facet Squared 10. Latin Roots 11. Suggestion 12. Burning 13. Waiting Room 14. Margin Walker 15. Long Division 16. Blueprint 17. Promises 18. Sweet and Low 19. Last Chance for a Slow Dance 20. Repeater 21. Song #1 22. Glueman
