Along with death and taxes, one thing that remains invariably true about the universe is that someone, somewhere, is using a phone where they shouldn’t. Despite taking precautions such as locking attendees’ phones in Yondr bags, plenty of video has emerged from the Fugees’ first show on their reunion tour for the 25th anniversary of The Score. The group has reunited for the first time in 15 years for this tour, with their most recent performance together being in 2006 in Hollywood after their touted 2005 reunion tour.
However, the group announced their return for the 25th anniversary of their classic album earlier this week, following through with the kickoff performance at New York’s Pier 17. According to Stereogum, around 3,000 people were in attendance, while Rolling Stone reports the show was 45 minutes long. All of the songs played were from The Score, naturally, and perhaps inevitably, the show reportedly started around three hours late.
Stereogum’s recap details Pras and Wyclef freestyling and Wyclef using the platform to address the US’s current treatment of Haitian refugees. And despite banning phones from the proceedings (recordings of some of the performances will reportedly be used in Global Citizen’s broadcast this Saturday), plenty of fan-made recordings have leaked out. The fact that the group reunited after some of the prior comments they’ve made on the subject is a minor miracle and worth celebrating.
Watch video from the Fugees’ first performance together in 15 years below.
You can see the full tour schedule, which begins in proper on November 2, here.