A HILARIOUS recording from the Bestgate Go Go that I think was made by one of the Richardson brothers or Jeff Plant — where you REALLY get the flavor of the Annapolis punk/misfit scene – John

 

This show was recorded to cassette by one or more members of the Young Vikings, circa 1991 or early 1992, before the LP was recorded.   It may be the same show that you have photos of on the website showing us wearing knit hats, because it was COLD in there!  It might actually be one of our earliest live shows (somebody should fact check me on that one.)

 

Bestgate-A-Go-Go was an uninsulated wooden 2 or 3 car garage in a field off of Bestgate road, about 30 feet away from the main house.  The guys who lived there would throw parties and collect money for rent.  Local bands played for free, though touring bands would get paid something (so they could fill their gas tanks to get to the next show). It was perfect for shows because it was far enough away from the neighbors, plenty of parking in the field and close to downtown.  I’m not sure why there were no other houses nearby.  It might have been close to some high voltage  power lines.

 

I remember playing some shows with Azazello’s Cream outside at Bestgate in front of the garage when it was warmer, but as the weather got cold the shows moved inside.  People would yell at you to keep the door closed!  You would pay to get in, maybe 5 bucks, there were usually kegs but people would also bring their own alcohol, etc…

 

The performance on the tape is sloppy as hell, but the crowd is hilarious.  There’s a world of difference playing a show at a party like this vs. at a club or other paid venue, because people can really relax and cut loose.  Annapolis had a real close-knit underground music community in the early 90’s, and it seemed like most everybody at the show knew each other.  The guys set up 2 mikes out in the middle of the crowd and just rolled tape, so what you hear is what it sounded like if you were there in the room.  Mike was singing through either a guitar amp or a small PA, and his vocals are mostly buried which is a shame.  But that’s how it sounded that night.

 

In the late 80’s Public Enemy would perform flanked by guys on either side of the stage in camouflage, black berets and sunglasses, who they called the “S1Ws” (Security of the First World).  Someone (Mike Butts?) came up with the idea that The Shit should have its own security force, called the “Shit1W’s.” So between songs you can hear Mike B and others yelling “Hey Mike, you need the Shit1W’s up there?”

 

Eat Shit and Die was something we threw together pretty quick just before the show, and I don’t know if we ever played it again.  That’s Mike Butts on vocals.  The gimmick was supposed to be that Psycho Mike would start a spacey acoustic guitar instrumental, then Mike B would push him out of the way, grab the mike and scream “Eat Shit and Die!” and we would launch into the song.  Instead Psycho played the intro all the way through without interruption.  Then after a pause Mike B finally gets on the mike and yells it, but none of us starts playing.  In the silence, someone in the back of the room says “Eat shit and live!”  Finally we snap out of it and start the song.

 

Before the “grand finale” of Motherfucker, there is a big crescendo of Fuck you’s that goes around the room, then we play probably the worst version of the song to date LOL.  It doesn’t seem to matter.  There is moshing going on during the choruses and one of the mikes gets knocked out for a bit, then towards the end someone crashes into the band (there is no stage, we’re on the floor with everybody else) and the song falls apart. – John