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Fishbone & The English Beat @ Irving Plaza

photo courtesy hotklix/Santiago Felipe

Saturday night was the Fishbone/English Beat show, part of the Spring Ska-ward tour and also the 30th anniversary of the English Beat. THIRTY! Of course, Dave Wakeling is the only original member in the English Beat at this point, and there are only two original members currently in Fishbone (including Angelo Moore, pictured above).

But who cares? The music is the thing and both bands delivered. Fishbone performed a raucous, manic hour-long set, punctuated by episodes of Angelo hurling himself into the crowd. At one point, Angelo and keyboardist Dre Gipson had a crowd surfing race from the stage to the back of the venue back to the stage again. Unbelievable. (Gipson won.) I mean, Angelo is 45 years old, yet is still bouncing around and screaming onstage the same way he was when I saw him play twenty-odd years ago.

Fishbone whipped the crowd into a frenzy, blazing through songs like “Bonin’ in the Boneyard,” “Lyin’ Ass Bitch,” “Ma & Pa,” “Skankin’ to the Beat” and “Party at Ground Zero.” I haven’t been in the midst of that much frenetic energy in years. What fun. The crowd (for the most part) was great — the mosh pit didn’t get out of hand and I noticed several girls crowd-surfing without worry of getting molested. Good times.

Here’s some video (not mine) from the show (we were actually much closer than this):

Also? Angelo keeps his saxophone in a small case shaped like a coffin. I watched a roadie put it away next to me. That thing is beat UP.

After Fishbone, the English Beat took the stage. Dave Wakeling definitely looks like an old man compared to the band he’s put together, but I have to say that they were tight and hot, and the MC taking over Ranking Roger’s duties was terrific. Wakeling’s still got it and hasn’t lost any of his voice (unlike many other lead singers of his generation). However — and I hate to say this about the guy that wrote “Tenderness” — but he acted slightly douchey onstage. Lots of weird, leering, growly-voiced jokes about drinking and sex. ANYHOO.

The English Beat also put on a great set, including the songs “Mirror in the Bathroom,” “Tears of a Clown,” “Tenderness,” “Never You Done That,” “Save it for Later,” “Rough Rider,” and “Stand Down Margaret.” I didn’t expect to hear any General Public stuff, so “Tenderness” was especially wonderful to listen to live again after last seeing them at Villanova sometime in the late 80s.

More video from the show:

All in all, a fabulous night was had. Thanks to Lisa, Janet and Susie for the wonderful company. A big EFF YOU to the NJ Turnpike Authority for closing not one but THREE Turnpike entrances in Secaucus, forcing Lisa and I over to the western spur and finally hopping on there. My head hit the pillow a bit after 2:30am, but it took me about an hour to wind down. So tired.