Fishbone by NoRulezChris
The speakers blasted the entire Fishbone catalog on Spotify. My favorite albums are Truth and Soul, Give a Monkey a Brain and He’ll Swear He’s the Center of the Universe. The first time I saw this high-energy, crazy, punk rock, ska, funk, and soul, band was at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom on 27th & Welton within Five Points, in Denver, Colorado in the front row. They freaking blew it away. This rendition of Fishbone, featured Angelo Moore, and Norwood Fisher. After the show, I hung out by the front door of Cervantes when I saw Angelo come out. I introduced myself and started talking. He invited me on the bus, so I followed him. We hung out on the bus and chatted for a bit. Norwood was chilling with a girl having some Vodka. When he said “Man, there are too many men on this bus.” That’s when we decided to exit the tour bus. I told Angelo, thank you and we parted ways.
The show at Quixote’s True Blue next door to Cervantes Ballroom. I’m outside and who shows up outta knowwhere, Angelo Moore. Dr. Mad Vibe was walking around with a backpack. I bought a CD, and a T-shirt from him. XXL is hard to find sometimes so I will take the largest you have. He signs the t-shirt. “The older we get the more power we have and the ability to make others think we are magic.” – Dr. Mad Vibe. We talked for a while about life until he asked what was going on here at Quixote’s True Blue, as there was a small crowd of youngsters, on this particular NoRulezChris production. I said “a kind of crappy little show” with a couple of young metal bands playing. He asked how I knew this. I told Angelo embarrassingly, that I rented the club and booked the bands. This was one of my less-than-stellar productions. Why did I have to book so many…
He then asks me if he can come into my show and do some spoken word at Quixote’s True Blue at a NoRulezChris show. Why yes, you may. So, he comes on in. After a local metal band had just finished screaming their lungs out. I introduce him and Dr.Mad Vibe does about five minutes of Spoken Word then says peace. Dr. Mad Vibe is in Five Points! An Atom Bomb exploded on stage and spread through the venue as I pondered the greatness of my life, alone with a room that didn’t know who was on stage. I followed Angelo out as the sound man put back on the Grateful Dead. Angelo was very thankful and nomadically ventured his way on foot outta sight, through Denver.
The cool thing was being able to meet so many connections through putting on these tiny shows and so many productions. It was a numbers game, I figured. The more times I was out of the house, in public, the more I could meet people whom I originally only knew on My Radio & My Television. I watched a cool documentary on Fishbone, Everyday Is Sunshine while on my couch, still working sometimes, learning, while lounging.
My family and I left Fort Lupton, Colorado. The three kiddos, Jlo and NoRulezChris decided to go to the 16th Street mall where Fishbone was playing a free concert on an outdoor stage, on the longest outdoor mall in America. We are hanging out on the Mall next to Starbucks, when I see Angelo Moore, the singer and saxophonist, walking close to us. Angelo, can we get a couple of pictures real quick? Do you remember me? This is NoRulezChris, here’s my kiddos. He was so nice. He decided to say hello to my children and take pictures. Fishbone killed it for free, outdoors, on the mall downtown, Denver Colorado.
I decided to see Fishbone with Stef live in Chicago, Illinois at Douglas Park for the Riot Festival in the front row. They played during the day fairly early with other Riot Festival bands like Nine Inch Nails, New Order, H.R. of Bad Brains, Mike D of Beastie Boys, Queens of the Stone Age, Danzig, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Pennywise, GWAR, Prophets of Rage, Andrew W.K., and many more. Fishbone along with Angelo Moore and Norwood Fisher played the entire Truth and Soul album. “Can you sing out in the pouring rain?”
Reggae on the Rocks featured Fishbone, Long Beach Dub Allstars, Sublime with Rome, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, at the legendary Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado. Angelo Moore sang a song with all four of these bands today! At the end of the concert, a drunk Eric of Sublime called me a liar after I shouted from the crowd, We…Love You. I guess he heard it all before that day.
The singer/saxophonist was slanging Fishbone, Fuck Racism shirts by himself as he approached a table and set up shop. Angelo bypassed the official merch tent and the hefty merch fees Red Rocks assessed. A large percentage of merchandise sold by bands is taxed by the venue. I am proud to say that I never took a cut of band merch. I took this stance at over 50 venues rented. He asked me if I had some herb, which I didn’t and neither did my sober daughter who bought a shirt that Angelo signed.
Fishbone challenges mainstream thoughts and lifestyles. They put you face-to-face with topics like racism and alcoholism. This band gets you to jump around and challenge the norm. Fuck Racism!
NoRulezChris
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