This article is part of Odd Place, a section where we dig out the most underrated corners of the internet dedicated to independent music. Find other Odd Place articles here.

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Do you remember where you were when Fugazi came to KL in 1996? You know, that gig where they played at Fire Discotheque in front of 800 people. That very gig, broadcasted on TV3, which was unlikely because… well it’s Fugazi. (Don’t ask me where I was; I wasn’t even born yet.)

If you were one of the 800 attendees, crowded in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, just to see Fugazi play “Smallpox Champion” live, then you might be interested in its flyer, sold on Carousell for the price of RM3,100.

Of course, it’s an insane price for a punk gig flyer, but to be fair, it’s also impossible to look away from the fact that it was a flyer from the only Fugazi concert in Malaysia. You also have to consider that Fugazi will probably never play another show in this lifetime let alone in Malaysia — and I’m being extremely reasonable on the probability here.

And it wasn’t just another flyer for just another Fugazi show before the influential punk band went on an indefinite hiatus. In a 2004 interview, seven years after their KL concert, Guy Picciotto remembered it as one of the best shows Fugazi had played. “It was in the basement club of this insanely deluxe luxury hotel and we weren’t sure if anyone would know us or come out to the show,” he said.

“The place ended up being packed and the crowd shocked us by singing along like crazy.”

The live recording of the show is also available on Dischord website, an attempt made by the Ian MacKaye’s record label to record over 1000 shows they’ve played between 1987 to 2003. Of course, MacKaye being himself, making music accessible at the lowest price possible, made the live recording available for download for the standard suggested price of… you already know it.

I had a brief conversation with the seller who only wants to be known as Zian. Zian is selling the flyer simply because he’s clearing things in his house. Try to spend a little bit time to doom scroll over his Carousell page and you’ll instantly know he’s a collector of all sorts of things: A vintage piano. Rare bootlegs of  Nirvana CDs. He met Lars Frederiksen of Rancid on their 1998 Australian tour who smiled at Zian, so an official merch from the show is available for RM800. You can also buy newspaper clippings of Kurt Cobain’s death announcement for RM210. Or maybe, if you’re interested in a photo of The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan performing in Singapore, allegedly while suffering from food poisoning, you can simply buy Zian’s listing titled — try to read this in one breath — The Smashing Pumpkins ‘Infinite Sadness Tour’, Singapore (March 2, 1996); An Original Print of Billy Corgan with Fender Stratocaster (Agfa 10 × 8″) * | took the photo at the World Trade Centre (HarbourFront Centre), Hall 6 (All standing ticket: $45). 

I took the opportunity to ask Zian about the concert. He remembers how packed the place was because it was a small venue. He was also a frequent visitor to Fire Discotheque. “Ramli Sarip will play live every weekend or so. You can also meet Search back then,” he recalled.

“Fire Discotheque was the place to be.”

The ticket was mere RM16, and if the inflation calculator doesn’t fail me, that’s around RM30 for a Fugazi show today. Zian said it was fairly easy for him to get his hands on the ticket. Read the sentence out loud: A Fugazi show that costs RM16 and you didn’t have to battle for the tickets nor depend on ticketing service to secure one. In 2024, all we could do is make peace with a little envy.

Zian also remembers how MacKaye prioritised safety and warned the crowd against moshing or stage dives. 

“Surprisingly, he doesn’t like violence,” Zian said. “So that’s what we did.”

After the gig, they crowded the stage to get autographs. Everyone gave the band something to sign on. Zian, who was in his teenage years when the show happened — recalled how he couldn’t get MacKaye to sign the flyer, so he took out an examination pad paper. Yes, the paper that the whole class would “borrow one” from a friend in class. We all know which paper.

“We were students back then,” he tried to recall. “So I think the paper is from my friend’s school bag or mine.”

The flyer and the paper with MacKaye’s signature, seemingly in great condition, have been well kept in a file for 28 years. Listed last year on Carousell, the historic piece of the world’s most influential underground band performing at a local club that no longer exists — is still up for sale.

And what if no one ended up buying it?

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I’m happy to keep it.”

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