So, i find out that FB is going to be headlining the 7th annual Calle
Diez World Music Fest, Part I, and it is going to be the very last
live concert to be held at this particular venue (an old Carnation
Milk factory that's been converted into a kind of art/performance art
gallery).

When i get there (at around 8:30 PM) it is an open air venue. A stage
set up against the wall of the building with a large concrete area in
front of it and a bunch of chairs off to the side. One of the many
warm up bands is playing. i check around, there is some cool art
displayed on all the walls, and i see Norwood bopping around. The
crowd is pretty small, i'm guessing maybe 40 people in front of the
stage, maybe 15 more over in the chairs and 10 more over in the bar
area.

Finally Fishbone gets on stage, i don't know what time it was, but i'm
guessing around a little before 10:00. Now, this is the first time
i've seen the new line up, so i don't quite know what to expect. The
lineup for this show was
Rocky George on guitar
Norwood
Angelo
Steward
i couldn't catch the trumpet players name
McKnight on Trombone
Tre (or maybe Dre?) on keyboards

i couldn't even begin to recall the setlist, but here is what i can
remember (in no particular order)
Another Generation
Are You Wid It
Ma & Pa
Party at Ground Zero
Freddie's Dead

My memory is going, i can't remember much more.

Anyway, as for the show, for a while, this show was awesome. Rocky has
a style that is much more organic to the FB sound than Spacey did--to
my ears anyway, if you liked Spacey's sound, Well, that's just like
your opinion, man. But the real peaks were: Dre or Tre is absolutely
amazing on keys. i was blown away. Angelo never sounded better on the
theremin (usually i'm not too impressed with the theremin, it just has
this thin sound that runs through the mix, but this night Angelo was
making that thing wail!). And lastly, the vocal harmonies--four part!
Norwood, Angelo, the trumpet player and McKnight all came together to
make some outstanding vocals.

Norwood, had to have his drink on...called for some tequila from the
bar "for all his hard work!" and then passed it around. Angelo went
for a second sip, but Norwood grabbed it first and downed the rest.

The show was really awesome for a while, but i think the lack of a
crowd began to hit the guys, and when the cops came by and said the
show had to shut down (promptly at 11:00 PM, you gotta love them
SDPD), the band didn't put up a fight. Just announced they had to
stop, and they stopped. Now, mind you, this place is right next to the
new SD ballpark in downtown. The only neighbors are condemned
buildings which are soon to become more parking lots for the ballpark,
but, i guess rules is rules and when the man say stop, you stop.

Anyway, in my opinion, this was musically the best fishbone i've seen
in a while. But then again, i'm a list heretic, i don't really like
the Chim Chim Fishbone, so make of that what you may. All i can say is
check 'em out, they blew me away. Same old setlist or no.

--
chris