Midweek pick, October 25th: Minutemen blistering live performance at City Gardens, 1985

"Every gig you play is an opportunity"

Minutemen, live at City Gardens, Trenton NJ, January 4th, 1985.

D. Boon: guitar, vocals
Mike Watt: bass, vocals
George Hurley: drums

A recently discovered soundboard recording of the legendary Minutemen’s last performance at City Gardens in Trenton, New Jersey, from January 4th 1985 was broadcast by WFMU’s Back to the Gardens, presented by DJ RK O’Brien, on October 21st. It is still available in its entirety via their website here.

While recorded off the soundboard, it was captured on cassette tape, which means that even though it has been cleaned up for the broadcast, it is not exactly hi-fi quality. Even so, it’s such kick to hear the Minutemen in their prime, tight, fervent and assured, rip through classics like “This Ain’t No Picnic”, “Little Man With a Gun In His Hand”, “Retreat”, “History Lesson pt. 2” and others like there was no tomorrow. Live sweat, dream light years.