DAG NASTY/EMBRACE/ROS/BEEFEATER@HallofNations, Wash,DC -12/4/85

[Jim Hofmann <hofmann@AMSAA.ARPA>]

Ho, Ho, WHAT A SHOW!  WHAT A PRICE!  WHAT A GOOD REASON TO HAVE A BENEFIT!
WHAT GOOD VIBES!  WHAT (shall I dare say) FUN!!!!!!  FUN?!?!?!?!!? in the
80's?????  Ya gotta be kidding ... we're supposed to be serious and think
about THE ISSUES!  little voice speaking:  but-but-but-but can't we have fun,
too?  big voice of God:  'course, asswipe, that's why I put you here!  snide
voice of the Devil:  heh, heh, and that means slamdancing, boys.... BUT!!!!
THERE!!! WAS!!!! NO!!!! SLAMDANCING!!!! AT!!!! A!!!! PUNK!!!! HARDCORE!!!!
SHOW!!!! AND!!!! I!!!! STILL!!!! HAD!!!!FUN!!!!WWWWHHHHHAAAATTTT'SSSSS 
WWWRRRROOOONNNNGGG?!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!
Could it be that 3 of the hotthotthottest bands in DC - possibly the
mid-atlantic states were in one spot at one time for 3 BUCKOS?????
Could it be that . . ??????
And THE BANDS STILL PROJECTED A SOCio/Personal concern in their songs????

2nd band was EMBRACE and they were definitely the best show there.  There
wasn't much stand-out playing but with Ian MacKaye at the helm you can't
go wrong.  He's gotta be the most together guy in the whole fucking world.
He's got one of the most emotive faces this side of off-broadway ... it is
accenuated by the shaved head.  The faces and motions he makes remind one of
those two masks used as a symbol for the theatre .. you know the one is
crying and the other laughing.  At other times, he looks like a Buddist
Monk in deep meditation.  At other times, he looks like a confused, little
kid who has watched too much TV.  I wanted to change places  with him just
for a minute to feel how cool it would be to be him.  I know he'd probably
think I'm bonkers but if I only could ... They have a great lineup of songs,
with titles like "No More Pain", "You are not really free while others are
captive", and "What can I do?".  When Ian sings this last song he strives
to make eye contact with the audience and when his eyes touch mine, I mouthed
back "What can I do?" - a momentary twinkle appeared in his eye as he
kept on singing.  If you want to know really, what you can do ya gotta start
asking yourself that question. For that moment caught in revalation, my 
wish came true and we traded places.  Thank you Ian.

The show was at the hall of nations in DC caddycorner to the house that
was used in the Exorcist ... so between sets what you do is find someone
dressed like the Excorcist (like every 5th girl) and get her to stand out
in front of the house then charge passerbys for pictures. No one took me up
on it, though.  And with all the gullible fuck-nazi-yuppies that infest the
bars across the street I was suprised (... something to do for fun:  Try
and get a beer in this section of town while wearing a Tragic Mullato T--shirt
and Army boots) What is REALLY neat about this house is the steps right next
to the house, y'know where the priest fell down and had his head turned 
around by the devil.  As we (me and a friend) approached these steps a
bright red head appeared coming up ... we momentarily jumped and hugged
each other but it was only a jogger.  Look down these steps and it
reminds you first of the movie, second of a frame from an Alfred Hitchcock
flick (Vertigo, perhaps).  Needless to say, the Hall of Nations is
a Kool place to see a band.

The other bands, quick, cuz I talked too much alread where:
	Dag Nasty - this was the band I DIDN't include on the hothothotest
	band list I talked about previously.  Maybe I gotta get familar 
	with their tunes more or something but this was one of the bands
	where everything started sounding the same ... we left in the
	middle of the set to go find some coffee so I can't really 
	vouch for all their songs.

	Rites of Spring - just don't sound as clear and good as their
	vinyl but I think this was due more to a lousy sound man (he
	kept on letting the most obnoxious between song feedback to 
	come through).  They did a lot of songs that aren't on the 
	album so I give them high marks for taking chances.  I 
	think I'll like the songs if I can hear them more clearly.

	Beefeater - headlined.  Fun band, this time I really felt the
	Minutemen spirit in their songs. Tomas pretty much kept his
	mouth shut since there really wasn't anyone there that was
	worth insulting and he just didn't feel like ranting.  Maybe
	he had to go to work the next day like me, I dunno.  Fred, the
	guitarist, was having fun with the feedback, using it pretty 
	much to his advantage.  The bassist is tops, can really cook
	and the drummer was playing, like, real fast ... the double
	bass set (which I rarely see among bands these days) let him
	do a lotta 16th rhythms giving this band a true heartbeat, one
	of the real pluses of this "family" of bands - true heartfelt,
	emotion ...

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, MR Eggman, I Lawwve you" - Edith Massey in Pink Flamingos
------------------------------------------------------------------------
hofmann

P.S. Kate Bush ...