Date sent: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 11:44:22 -0400

From: Jimmy <draperja@pilot.msu.edu>

Subject: Detroit Fibbers show review (long)

 Fibbers @ The Shelter in Detroit, Sept. 12

I just got back from the show last night. Despite the shittiest circumstances for a show, the Fibbers were amazing.

I got to the Shelter at 7:00, and Security was really harsh. Apparently, I was the first one there (Doors

opened at 6:30) and they started making comments to me like "You should've brought your friends because they aren't gonna play ONLY FOR YOU" and then they'd start laughing. They were really shitty about checking I.D. and just pretty mean overall. They told me the "singer dude" was really sick, so they probably wouldn't play. I just ignored this, considering how rude they were anyway, and they seemed to be speaking out of their ass.

So I go into the place and NO ONE is there. Maybe a few workers and 2 girls in the attached game room, but that's it. It was really weird, too, because the opening band, Uphill Gardeners, was playing to a completely empty room. So I go over to the counter and wait around. Nels came over and stood beside me and ate his dinner. He kept looking at me and sorta smiled, but I really didn't know what to say or anything so I just smiled back. About 7:30 more people came in slowly, and I just went up to sit on the stage. A security guy then showed me a review in DETAILS mag that he was reading and it said something like "on first listen the fibbers are horrible, after the 10th listen they're worse" and the guy got a big kick out of that.

When the Fibbers came on at 8:00 exactly, about 40-50people were in the room. I stood right in front of Carla and Bill. No one was at all close to me. It wasn't crowded in the least, and many people stayed at the back bar. The stage had a big pole thru the center of it, so Carla and Bill were like right on top of each other.

I took a setlist.  [see above]

That's accurate, except Carla and Nels did an encore of "Outside of Town," and "French song" came a song or 2 before "Lilybelle" because Carla read the list wrong, and then she wanted to do it in the right order, but Bill just said to continue on. "You Doo Right" had an awesome 10+ minute jam on the end. During it, Carla started kicking the cymbals/drum set and then did this little pose and shrugged her shoulders. Funny. During the show Carla kept looking at me, and Bill kept nodding at me and smiling. The show ended at 9:15 or so. So early. Hilights were "Trashman In Furs," "Lilybelle," "You Doo Right," "7 Or In 10." She never whispered the "you might think..." part before "I HATE YOU." she said it in this little girlie voice and then RIPPED thru "I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!" "Richard" was so amazing too. I have been reading what you all have to say about Nels playing, and he is CRAZY. He is so amazing. I just stared at him as he went mad on his guitar. He was just out of control :)

The crowd was so shitty. Really, they were quite embarrassing. For a small group of 50 or less, they sure were obnoxious. A group of 6 or 7 girls were like attempting to mosh/pogo during the intro to "Butch," Carla just kept looking at them and making this laugh of disgust. (These same girls were at Sleater-Kinney last May, and annoyed the hell out of me then too). Before "California Tuffy" started, this drunk guy ran up and about plowed into me, and started yelling at Bill that they were playing too early. He then started cursing and whining about missing some songs. Then he left. People were getting really pissed Then they wouldn't do requests. They started bitching and moaning, and actually getting mean. Carla was like "Hey, we can't do requests. Sorry, no offense, but we don't know many songs anymore." And then some people behind me even booed. Carla didn't seem too thrilled to be there. Whenever someone made a remark she would roll her eyes and mutter "fucking a!"

Probably the most obnoxious aspect of the night was that the Shelter is in the basement of a bigger venue, St. Andrews Hall, and we can hear the band upstairs really loudly. The noise got really bad at times, often overpowering the Fibbers softer tunes. Before one of the slower songs, Carla was like "this song is gonna sound REAL GOOD with that sub-bass above us, but oh well." and then she said "from the van, i was watching the crowds going upstairs. we all look the same, so why are you down here instead of up there?" and somebody said "because, like, you rock harder and stuff" and Carla started laughing in this really mocking way and said "yeah, ok... thanks, i guess." During a few songs, the music upstairs was louder than the Fibbers, which was annoying :(

So after the show, Security started kicking out people who weren't 18. I'm 19, and when they checked my I.D. they started accusing me of having a fake I.D. and it wasn't even a fake. Whatever.

I ended up staying, and went to buy a T-shirt, and Bill said "HEY!" and just seemed really nice. So I bought that white t-shirt and then saw Carla over by herself at the counter, so I went to say hi and say thanks for the good show. She was SOOOOO nice. She smiled and saw I had a set list, so she took it from me to sign, and I didn't even have to ask. Then she was like "I was watching you through the show and you were really blissed out!!!" and she seemed excited, so I really blushed and said "Um.. yeah, thanks it was a really great show. your music is so amazing." and then she had this really sincere smile and took my hand to shake it and said "thanks so much." and I just started giggling because I was nervous. So I said thanks again and had to leave to find my ride, who went to the upstairs show.

Overall it was such an amazing show despite the shitty fans, the music from upstairs and mean security. I am totally blown away. It was my first time seeing them, and I really hope they tour again for BUTCH.

Jimmy