A great high-energy show. I took a friend to this one, and the band played a lot of songs we hadn't heard before because we'd not yet picked up the End Hits album which had been released hardly more than a week prior. What an amazing introduction to the new material! If I recall correctly, Jerry Busher had a second drum kit set up beside Brendan to create an extra-heavy percussive onslaught; although I don't see that in the photos posted thus far, I believe I hear it in this recording. This was the largest venue in which I had seen the band perform, and they rocked it. Even up in the balcony where my friend and I had seats -- yes, actual seats at a Fugazi show! -- the energy was palpable. The epic 16-minute closer of an extended "Promises" into a chaotic and ferocious "Glue Man" is by itself worth the price of admission.

At one point during the recording, Ian mentions that this short string of shows in May 1998 makes up the first shows the band played in about nine months, and that it has been a very pleasant experience.
This recording definitely reflects that joy and enthusiasm, and is off to a blistering start. I particularly enjoyed the swaying, throbbing guitarplay during Dear Justice Letter, as well as the uptempo and subsequent restrained rhythm laid down during Walken's Syndrome and Long Division.
Brendan seems to put in a couple of requests himself on this particular evening, calling out Foreman's dog and No Surprise, while hitting the living daylights out of his drum kit throughout the show.
It seems the band deliberately takes it down a couple of notches after Interlude 1 in an attempt to counter the bearded, yellow shirted person referred to in one of the previous posts, since he seems to have made a nuisance of himself repeatedly during the concert.
Things pick up again later though, with a boiling, capricious version of Suggestion, followed by another one of my favourites, Burning. The pace drops again during the next couple of songs, making for a more intimate experience of sorts, until Arpeggiator kicks things back into gear, and a tremendous combination of Promises into Glueman brings the show to a roaring close.
One thing I notice about these May 1998 recordings, is that Nick Pellicciotto, the sound engineer that recorded these shows seemed to enjoy playing around with some sound effects on a number of occasions. However, personally I feel these effects don't really add anything to the performance, on the contrary.
Either way, I definitely consider this another choice and great sounding addition to the series.

This was the only time I got to see Fugazi.
I remember a man in a yellow shirt and a beard crowd surfing and being yelled at twice.
I remember people chanting "Ian" in two long syllables from the balcony while he was singing Suggestion, and him yelling in return "I'm trying to fucking concentrate!"
I remember realizing that this is why Detroit can't have nice things.
I remember Shellac's drums being front and center and Steve Albini on one leg with his arms out yelling "I'm a plane!"

The vault is finally open!!! I can't wait till this one is released. Great show!
This was my first experience with Shellac and Blonde Redhead.

Ian Cartwright...How the hell are ya man?
Funny seein' your name. Hope all is well.

One of the best shows of my life, with the best lineup of bands!

Every single person I loved at the time was at this show and most people I met and grew to love later were here as well.