Pitchfork

I always viewed the individual players of Fugazi as the four elements of the universe. Ian as the fire capable of scorching guitars and ears; Guy as the air, an all-encompassing presence with the power of benign summer days or hurricane madness; Joe as water, able to flow softly with basslines or to pound out driving forces; and Brendan as earth, providing a landscape not merely circular but at times mountainous.

All schoolboy metaphors aside, the story of Fugazi is nothing short of amazing. Since the sunset of the 80s, four gentlemen from Washington D.C. have become one of rock and roll's most amazing franchises. Fugazi formed a considerable fanbase early in their career through a mixture of punchy, gritty music, a do-it-yourself aesthetic for everything, and an eye for the common fan. Fugazi's extremely affordable shows and recordings are by now legendary, but at times, the band's politics have overshadowed their music. Of course, nothing inherently wrong exists in lauding the business side of the band-- more bands should take cues from Fugazi. But sometimes, lost in it all is the absolutely splendid guitar, bass, drum, and vocal interplay that the four pull off with inexplicable ease.

Fugazi are not easy to nail down. As a band, they've evolved from record to record at an astounding rate. Early poppier rock anthems have morphed into a highly artistic brand of rock music that few bands have the ability to rival. Their last LP, End Hits, explored musical collages while retaining a pleasing, although sometimes hidden pop sensibility. To fans of early Fugazi recordings, the result of a decade could be easy to accept. But if one listens closely enough, Fugazi have not become a new band; they've merely perfected their craft.

Growth like this only comes with time. But so do breakups. Fugazi have been at it for an eternity in band-years. Bands often become tired of the artistic outlet that is given them, sometimes branching to new outfits. This occurrence, paired with the fact that the last Fugazi record foreshadowed a possible disbanding, led many to wonder about the future of the band. Though the appearance of new songs at last summer's free D.C. shows gave a glimmer of hope, no fan was met with relief until the band recently announced they would release a new full-length in the fall of this year. Of course, a new record doesn't always signal a continuation of excellence. Bands reaching twilight stages rarely live up to former glory.

But this reporter sleeps well in Fugazi-land following their recent show at Fort Reno in Washington D.C. The unbelievable phenomenon of the Fugazi improv show continued to create marvel, and the new songs presented roared with potential. The sound of the new songs seemed more dynamic, if possible, than past material from Fugazi. A particular new Ian song ebbed and flowed with guitar energy numerous times. Rarely have I heard new material at concerts and been blown away, but some of these songs actually left me with that sentiment. Some of the songs also seemed more straightforward than Fugazi's more recent work. However, I didn't feel that the lack of complication signaled a regression.

This concert was more than just a reassurance of the Fugazi franchise. They are a-fucking-mazing live. The fact that no set list is ever prepared means that each member not only stores every song in his memory, but they're each able to determine from the start of another member which song is being played, and to immediately join in. A mixed bag of songs spanning their career erupted from their instruments and mouths, from "Waiting Room" to several End Hits favorites. And this enthralling performance as a whole says much more than the new songs do by themselves. It shows that Fugazi are still on top of their game. They enjoy making music, and they're still the best at what they do. While they verge on becoming a new band every day, the new incarnation always seems to top the previous one. Their future sound may be, at this stage, uncertain, but it is nonetheless exciting.