Louisville Courier-Journal (2 August 1987):
For all the concern that accompanied the Run-D.M.C Beastie Boys "Together Forever" tour when it began last month, Friday night's show was a model of how to run a rap concert, with a wonderfully clear and powerful sound system cranked just loud enough, and fine performances from both headliners and the opening act, turntable wizard Davy D. It made the Def Jam show earlier this month look amateurish. The only shame is that there weren't more people there for the performance at Freedom Hall not more than 5,000. Run-D.M.C. continues to be a great rock band. These three guys from Hollis, Queens, know how to hold the stage. D.M.C. entered as their act began, strolled to the front of the stage and crossed his massive arms, completely calm, tough and self-possessed, the center of all attention. That's stage presence. The only criticism to be made of the show, which ran through all their greatest hits, from "It's Like That" to "Walk This Way," is that a viewer felt it could have been even better. Some night the guitars on "Rock Box" are going to punch just a little harder, the DJs are going to get further into what they're saying and Run-D.M.C. is going to put on a show that would make the Rolling Stones maybe even James Brown envious. As for all of those people who were concerned that the Beastie Boys would give a concert not fit for the Playboy Channel: Sorry, folks. Yeah, they cussed a lot. And yeah, there were four young, mini-skirted women picked out of the crowd to dance in cages on stage. And, yeah, two of the women took off their shirts during the finale of "Fight for Your Right (to Party)." But to me, there is something appealing about the Beastie Boys' lives. These aren't dangerous men; they're a bunch of kids with a winning enthusiasm who enjoy what they do. Their act reminds me of a bunch of guys sitting around in a rec room trying to work up a skit for the senior talent show. In fact, for guys with such a track record of obnoxiousness, they worked awfully hard to please the crowd at times it almost seemed as if they were schmoozing everybody. And when all was said and done, the Beastie Boys are pretty funny. What did they replace the notorious inflatable phallus with? A banner of a $100 bill with their mugs in the middle of it exchanging one "dangerous" icon for another. I was surprised how much I enjoyed their act. They may have more than one record in them after all
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