All photos by Zach Putnam
It’s always strange to see musical pioneers warming up the stage for bands they accidentally made possible. But there’s something deeply satisfying about watching those pioneers remind the room whose footsteps everyone’s been moshing in. That’s exactly what happened Monday night at Revolution Hall, when Fishbone, the architects of genre fusion, opened for ska-punk descendants Suicide Machines and Less Than Jake.
If you liked any band in the ’90s who wore board shorts and played funk-metal-reggae-rap (pick two), you owe that pleasure to Fishbone. No Korn without Fishbone. No Sublime. No 311. No RHCP, at least not in the same dimension. Fishbone blazed the trail through the jungle. The other bands brought tents and coolers.
But whatever. They went on first. And they were better.
And they were great. Wild, tight, chaotic, and sharp, Fishbone’s set was a full-spectrum blast. They played with more energy, musicality, and joy than the two headliners combined. Classics like “Party at Ground Zero” ignited the crowd, and new tracks from Stockholm Syndrome — a late-career gem that deserves way more attention — landed hard. The crowd responded first with curiosity, then with full-body enthusiasm.
Fishbone has always been fun, but it’s never been escapist. Their politically charged, socially conscious lyrics hit even harder in 2025. Angelo Moore is still a madman preacher in a cyclone of groove, backed by an ensemble of musicians so tight, wild, and fearless they make chaos sound like choreography. Somehow, it all feels more vital now than ever.
-Zach Putnam
IG: @zachputnam
