Butt Row Unplugged is a concert video by the American rock band Skid Row, released in 1996. The video features the band performing acoustic versions of their songs, including "Evil Angel".
"Row Unplugged" captures a specific lifestyle: the row (slang for a chaotic argument or a rugged line of work) unfolding in real-time. This wasn't a stadium show. This was a warehouse party. The attendees wore thrift store leather, drank cheap malt liquor, and smoked cigarettes indoors. The entertainment was dangerous. Bouncers were ex-cons, the sound system was held together with duct tape, and the "Evil Angel" motif was less about religious iconography and more about the gnostic pursuit of pleasure without guilt.
The 1996 DVDRip of "Row Unplugged" likely features interviews and raw footage of figures like Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch, or fringe musicians who rejected the polished aesthetic of Bill Clinton’s booming economy. This was entertainment for the disenfranchised—the club kids, the gutter punks, and the dot-com resisters who saw San Francisco changing before their eyes.
Founded by industry pioneer John Stagliano, Evil Angel carved out a niche by focusing on director-driven content. By 1996, the studio had established a reputation for "gonzo" style videography, which prioritized raw, intense performances over scripted plots. Butt Row Unplugged is a quintessential example of this aesthetic, capturing a specific moment in time before the industry became dominated by the highly polished, corporate styles of the modern era. Why "Butt Row Unplugged" Stands Out
Overview
"Butt Row Unplugged" is a classic entry in the legendary Butt Row series directed by Hall of Famer Joey Silvera. Released during the "Golden Age of Gonzo" in the mid-1990s, this film exemplifies Silvera’s unique style, which blends raw, unscripted action with a focus on intense anal performances.
