Errors-To: admin at elephant-talk dot com Reply-To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Sender: moderator at elephant-talk dot com Precedence: bulk From: moderator at elephant-talk dot com To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Subject: Elephant Talk #1103 E L E P H A N T T A L K The Internet newsletter for Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiasts Number 1103 Wednesday, 12 March 2003 Today's Topics: P3 in DC, short review: Philly Show...addendum The Power to Believe Lyrics to Happy I'm certainly happy Happy Family Old Habits Die Hard The Power To Believe - right in my mailbox! The Tour keeping quiet Re: Peter Dama @ Town Hall 3/6/03 Re: Help Thrush on New Album & Merchandise Prices Robert Fripp in the Movies? Birchmere 03/03/03 Re: ProjeKct Q&A and Fracture? Re: shouting requests Re: Gig Review 3/6 Re: Fripp on stage GIG REVIEW: 03/07/03, Tower, Philadelphia GIG REVIEW: Atlanta, 1 March & the Power to Believe GIG REVIEW: Phily show GIG REVIEW: King Crimson, Tower Theater, March 7th, 2003 ------------------ A D M I N I S T R I V I A --------------------- POSTS: Please send all posts to newsletter at elephant-talk dot com To UNSUBSCRIBE, or to CHANGE ADDRESS: Send a message with a body of HELP to admin at elephant-talk dot com or use the DIY list machine at http://www.elephant-talk.com/list/ To ASK FOR HELP about your ET subscription: Send a message to: help at elephant-talk dot com ET Web: http://www.elephant-talk.com/ Read the ET FAQ before you post a question at http://www.elephant-talk.com/faq.htm Current TOUR DATES info can always be found at http://www.elephant-talk.com/gigs/tourdates.shtml You can read the most recent ten editions of ET at http://www.elephant-talk.com/newsletter.htm THE ET TEAM: Toby Howard (Moderator), Dan Kirkdorffer (Webmaster) Mike Dickson (List Admin), and a cast of thousands. The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. ET is produced using John Relph's Digest system v3.7b (relph at sgi dot com). ------------------ A I V I R T S I N I M D A --------------------- Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 15:24:04 -0500 From: dave Subject: P3 in DC, short review: Philly Show...addendum I mentioned in my previous post about the version of "Shogani" that was played in Philly and curioused as to what they started it with...my bad. From a little more listening, I believe that piece was "The Power to Believe Part II". Thanks, Dave ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 19:21:40 EST From: MichaelWBrownSr at aol dot com Subject: The Power to Believe I have not heard the new CD but a friend says it's "Red meets Discipline". Is that a fair Assessment? Michael ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 19:02:57 +0000 From: Craig Ward Subject: Lyrics to Happy I hear at as "To make the murder scene", but I admit "To make them menacing" would make more sense". Craig ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 14:55:17 -0500 From: jimab at rogers dot com Subject: I'm certainly happy Whoopeee!!! Just got home from the Massey Hall box office with a ticket for Wednesday night's gig. Four days before the event, and I get fifth row, centre aisle!!! To celebrate, I stopped off at a neighbourhood record store (near home) and got The Power to Believe. It just this moment finished playing, and was quite a joy to hear. Though I rather liked TCoL, this one seems considerably better as a whole. I'll need to give it more listens before opining in greater depth, but the verdict so far is positive. Best to all, James Bailey host: Electric Storm / A Missing Sense CKLN-FM 88.1 Toronto www.ckln.fm ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 14:33:44 -0500 From: Tom Law Subject: Happy Family Who else thinks that the current band could do a jam-up revival of "Happy Family"? -- Fripp could play his OysterSoup piano samples, in lieu of Keith Tippett's piano. (Or not.) -- They could insert a SexSleepEatDream-like improv section after each chorus. -- And I do believe this band could play that chorus with Authority. Oh my. (Well, for that matter, the double trio could have done a fine job, too, I bet.) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 18:37:50 EST From: DrBaht at aol dot com Subject: Old Habits Die Hard ...I picked up the latest KC release today. Even though I had previously been disappointed with Thrak and The Construction of Light, I still felt compelled to check out The Power To Believe. I thought that maybe the title would somehow seem prophetic. I was wrong. Make it three disappointments in a row. I admit that I am committing the error of expectating something more from this group. I know that I am wrong to expect an emphasis on actual songwriting over mathematical exercises, when these are players who have made their reputations by exhibiting their musical chops. I am wrong to expect the all-american rhythm section to finally provide much needed groove for the band. I must be wrong to feel that, instead of reforming a regressive dinosaur, Fripp should have taken the idea of Approaching Silence to heart. I know that I am wrong to allow a ten year old masterpiece featuring Fripp and Gunn (Mastelotto on the live shows) cloud my opinions of what King Crimson is capable of achieving in their recent formation. -bahtology 1977-1994 fripp was hip ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 17:28:58 -0800 (PST) From: Wilson Mark Subject: The Power To Believe - right in my mailbox! Good evening, Elephant Persons, Long time reader, first time writer and it took this album to get me off my lazy, lurking behind. Sorry (in a way) that this isn't a very brief post, maybe I'm somehow making up for lost time. My copy of The Power To Believe arrived from DGM Friday morning (speedy delivery!) and I've had it in for four listens since then. And it keeps unfolding itself and getting more and more intensely enjoyable each time. I've enjoyed the Nashville KCCC release and the "Happy..." EP, but they did not prepare me for this album. First but not most, the production is stellar. I don't know how much is Machine and how much is ToneProbe's final tweaking, but this album is alive! The songs and their continuity are absolutely wonderful, as is the playing on this record. Pat is So Much Fun to listen to, more so now than ever. Trey is simply mindbending for a non-musician like me, as is, and to my experience always has been, Mr. Fripp. And fellow Cornbelter Adrian Belew is exemplary. Nothing but. As a lyricist, singer, player, composer and contributor. What he does now in this KC entity, and has done for over 20 years, is just shoulder a Herculean load of creativity, fun and smarts, with an apparent ease that just cannot be that easy. As a first listen to this realm, I heard Remain In Light and Exposure around the same time, and both experiences led me to this band and my exploration of the KC history. I'm happy to have made the trip, and doubt that I would have without Both of Fripp and Belew's efforts in King Crimson. Enough of history, this record is a fantastic musical moment in the present. It inspires the historic Crimson with being derivative. I hear precision that I've not heard since Discipline, coordination I've not heard since THRAK and a rawness I've not heard since the LTIA-USA lineup. But what I hear most is a beauty (the only word I can find that fits, a beauty in the music) that I haven't heard from King Crimson since their 1969 release. One big smile this weekend, and my thanks to all involved! I don't know how they do it, but I'm sure glad they do. I just love this record, and felt I should go on record with feelings this strong. I only hope I'm not being spoon-fed my allegedly subjective feelings from all the positive reviews it has gotten. (Who knew Rolling Stone still reviewed albums???) All of you fortunate enough to see this band live, enjoy! I saw KC at the Park West on Halloween night, 2000 (along with my 22 year old son, right around the 4th row between AB & RF) and I was just blown away. I'm sad I won't be able to make the trip to Chicago this time, but I'm grateful I was able to see the band at least once so far. (My condolences to our brothers and sisters in the UK, Australia and elsewhere). all the best, vdm np: KC - ITCOTCK ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 19:45:22 -0600 From: "Jeffrey Breis" Subject: The Tour Remember folks, on this tour, as on others, Robert Fripp will probably not be jumping around or screaming out "WHO WANTS TO ROCK?". He will, however, be peeling all sorts of amazing music from his guitar. So close your eyes, close your mouth and open your ears. It is music. It is to be listened to. By George, you may even dance to it. Anything is possible. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 18:32:28 -0800 (PST) From: Wasser Dan Subject: keeping quiet Adam Aronson wrote: >Why can't people keep their #@*&%'ing mouths shut during Deception Of The Thrush? I'll add: Why can't people keep their #@*&%'ing mouths shut during the break in Dinosaur? (previous tours, obviously) Dan ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 11:24:26 EST From: Wilcox660 at aol dot com Subject: Re: Peter Dama @ Town Hall 3/6/03 Mr. Dama has my total sympathy. Security at Town Hall wasn't just active - it was OVER active. Those attending a musical performance have every right to expect to be treated with dignity and enjoy they event, not as potential miscreants. If they are not, the ultimate responsibility falls upon both the band & the promoter of the event. Mr Dama is owed an apology & possibly reparations by both. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 10:42:09 -0500 From: Gary Davis Subject: Re: Help At 02:56 PM 3/9/03 GMT, DENNIS wrote: > >Can anyone direct me to any 21st Century Schizoid Band >recordings. Like where can I download or even buy their discs. I'd really >love it if there were somewhere on the planet a vinyl copy of any of their >stuff.Let me know, ok? Thanks > > We do carry their Official Bootleg Vol. 1 in The Artist Shop on our Burning Shed page at . I have to say that this has been a very strong seller for us. In fact, on the Artist Shop's Top 100 it ranks #5! The Top 100 is a new page I started in The Artist Shop which you'll find at . Some of you may get a kick out of it. Since progressive music isn't well represented on the Billboard and other charts, I thought I'd start one of my own. Other Crimson related rankings include: 1. Wetton, John Rock of Faith 5. 21st Century Schizoid Band Official Bootleg 6. Wetton, John Rock of Faith + 1 Japanese 8. Emerson, Lake and Palmer Manticore Special; Works Orchestral Tour DVD 12. Wetton, John Live in Argentina 14. Belew, Adrian Twang Bar King (Japanese w/mini LP sleeve) 15. Belew, Adrian Lone Rhino (Japanese w/mini LP sleeve) 21. Bears, The Live 22. King Crimson Power to Believe 25. Levin, Tony Band Double Espresso 31. Belew, Adrian Desire Caught by the Tail (Japanese w/mini LP sleeve) 32. Yes Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe (Japanese RM w/mini-LP sleeve) 37. Bears, The Car Caught Fire 39. Levin, Tony Pieces of the Sun 50. Yes Union (Japanese RM w/mini-LP sleeve) 87. Giles, Michael Progress 92. California Guitar Trio with Levin & Mastelotto Live at the Key Club 93. Emerson, Lake and Palmer Re-Works 96. Emerson, Lake and Palmer Fanfare - The 1997 World Tour 98. Giles, Giles and Fripp Brondesbury Tapes, The Gary ************************************************************** Gary Davis The Artist Shop The Other Road http://www.artist-shop.com artshop at artist-shop dot com phone: 877-856-1158, 330-929-2056 fax:330-945-4923 INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE MUSIC!!! ************************************************************** Artist Shop Radio Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 16:36:41 +0000 From: "Cameron Devlin" Subject: Thrush on New Album & Merchandise Prices Couple of things.. Firstly, I haven't bothered to review the new album, but I'll just say that I really enjoyed it. Not pushing any boundaries I felt, but it's still a fantastic album. HOWEVER, my only real complaint with it is that they put Deception of the Thrush on (as Power To Beleve Part 3) and DIDN'T include the soaring Gunn solo?! What were you thinking?! As a ending to an album (even with the little final coda) that would have been BEAUTIFUL. Of all the parts of that song to have, the cacophanous bit at the beginning isn't the one. :( Secondly, on merchandise prices - for a start, $20 is cheap for a CD where I'm from (UK) but if you don't want to spend that much then don't. It's a bit of a non-argument. All those CDs/T-shirts are/will be available at DGM - the only one you REALLY needed to get was the Tour Box, but even that will appear on EBay eventually. That's all Cameron ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 11:41:56 -0500 From: "Neil Wicker" Subject: Robert Fripp in the Movies? Hey all, I got a used copy of the "A Bridge Too Far" on LaserDisc (Don't Laugh, I know some of you still covet your 8-tracks, besides I got three movies for $5). Has anyone ever noticed that the teenage dutch underground spy looks exactly like a very young Robert Fripp? Just a (hopefully) amusing observation. Neil ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2003 13:27:26 -0500 From: dave Subject: Birchmere 03/03/03 I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: > From: "sportsterrpm1" > Subject: The Birchmire [sic] show > This show on > March 3rd without Adrian must have been awesome!!! > This show is the one all of the projeKct fans would die to see... Robert, if > you read this post. I vote for this show to be a collecters [sic] club release. Though I'm a huge Belew fan, this show was fantastic. Dave (dc-et9) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:26:27 -0500 From: "Jordan Clifford" Subject: Re: ProjeKct Q&A and Fracture? >>The Birchmere gig of 3rd March inc Q & A session and Fracture, sounds like a natural for a KCCC release Did you say Fracture? As in, they played the song Fracture at the march 3rd 2003 show? I was ALMOST hoping that Adrien was still sick so I could see a ProjeKct play, just cause I don't know if I'd get the oppertunity to again. And that Q&A must have been cool. Anyone go to this show and could review it? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:22:54 -0500 From: "Jordan Clifford" Subject: Re: shouting requests >>Especially when that asshole yells "Freebird!" >or some unwanted, loud whispers are heard during the quiet parts of Thrush It never fails.. ever. Except maybe in the case of that one DC show some one was talking about. They always have to do it.. they should know KC doesn't play requests. Strangely enough, after the shouting for "Freebird" and "Epitaph" and "Schizoid Man" and what not, someone yelled out "PROZAC BLUES!!" and then they played it. I'm guessing either it was on the set list that way already and it was a lucky coincidence, or, since KC doesn't change their set list that much (unfortunately, imho) the guy was there last night and knew it would be next. Though I'd hope KC would play a different set list if they were doing 2 gigs at the same place in a row. But it definately was unexpected. What gets me about people who yell out that crap, especially Freebird, is that there are always a few people who laugh at it. Like as if they've never heard anyone doing that, or that "Freebird" is still so funny that its worth laughing at. It has to be the most cliched thing to yell out at a concert ever. Maybe at a Phish show where they might even play it, where its more open and loose. But there were people laughing at that guy like "hahahah oh my god, freebird? thats hilarious! kc would never play freebird, but how witty of him to suggest it! hahaha good one!". Have you guys ever been to a concert before or what? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 00:43:41 -0500 From: "Jordan Clifford" Subject: Re: Gig Review 3/6 >A very short show guy's 1 hour and 15 min., it was as if they rushed through the show . No music from before TCOL, plus 30.00-60.00 >dollar T-shirts. Are these guys trying to save for their retirement on us . They played flawlessly though ,but every song tends to sound the >same after a while if you only play the same style . I can agree with you on that. While I have not gotten the new album yet, after hearing everything from TCoL, the last tour and Level 5, the KCCC release, and Happy and now all the stuff on this tour.. I don't know, it is all getting very repetitive to me. I love the music, I think the band is in top form and creating great new music. It's just, I know that KC has followed a basic formula for its whole life.. it started with the 21CSM patterns period, which evolved, and you really start to know what Fripps style is, and you can tell it throughout all KC songs, then the Larks Tongue formula, the evolution into the Discipline style, and then after that I feel like from Thrak to now they are using a similar, but growing style. Yes, that is KC's method, you will find it in all their work, in each period which each band. I start to notice repetitiveness when playing it for other people.. and now in the last show I saw when they played from TCoL and TPTB that while TPTB is a lot better than most of TCoL its all in the same style. I couldnt tell which one was Level 5 or LTIA 4, and then Dangerous Curves is awesome but sounds like Talking Drum without the pay off, and most of the newer heavy sounds sound like versions of the LTiA thing. Maybe it's just me and I haven't become familiar enough with all the new music to t ell the difference, because they ar e all great songs and all different, and what they are doing now is new and its awesome and a step foward... but still. I don't think I explained myself very well, and I wish I had more backup for what I'm saying but if anyone understands what I mean feel free to respond. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 01:00:55 -0500 From: "Jordan Clifford" Subject: Re: Fripp on stage Just one more thing I've been thinking about since the show in New York, that I started thinking about at the show in New Haven last year.. Before Belew came into the band I could hear any guitar in KC and say "my god, what a fantastic guitar player Fripp is, he truly amazes me" ... because he was the only guitar player. I feel like since Belew came in the band, especially in the last few years that he has taken responsibility of lead guitar and its difficult for me to figure out who to attribute the amazing guitar parts to. I can tell the difference between Belew and Fripps playing, and in the end it doesn't matter who is playing, just that there is amazing guitar being played. But being able to watch Fripp play in concert with Belew I often find myself wondering, "what DOES Fripp play? how much does he play on what song? which solos are his?" I love Belew, but for some reason I want everything I hear that is really great to be by Fripp, and I've found that often it's not. SO many of the new guitar solos are from Belew, you hardly ever seen Fripp rocking out on some nasty solo. He seems to play the repeating riffs in each song along with Belew and sometimes takes the lead, or goes into a different pattern. I know he does all the soundscapre stuff now, and having another lead guitar has opened Fripp up to do a lot of other stuff, like Soundscapes, that he couldnt do by himself. There was one mind blowing solo by Fripp at the show which made me go "AHH! thats what he did ALL THE TIME pre-80's, why not now??" and then that awesome piano keys-sounding guitar solo that he ripped through that was what I missed from the THRAK tour (based on the improv disc anyway). The whole concert you see Belew running through awesome solos, having fun with it and going nuts when he can. Then you see Fripp in the back in the shadows, sitting on his stool, chimming in now and then. I want to see Fripp get up and rock out. I'm very sick of him sitting in the shadows. Sometimes I take it has him wanting the other players to get recognition, for the spotlight to literally be placed on the rest of the band.. but I honestly think it's more arrogant than that. At least last year he stood up and went in the center of the stage and bowed to the audience with the rest of the band.. this year he didnt even do that, he was still in the back. Maybe I just don't get it, but I want him to be more apart of the audience. But at the 3/6 show they played Potato Pie for the third encore which Adrien made clear was a special thing because they never really play it. So maybe he is apart of the audience in his own way. Interestingly, I did notice a pattern in their stage outfits. Pat and Robert were decked out in all black, while Adrien and Trey were in all white. It also looked like Adrien and Trey were in the front for the Goodbye bow and wave, and Robert and Pat stayed towards the back where they were playing from. But Robert was still off in the distance. This has all been discussed before, from the outraged to the people who think they know exactly why Fripp does everything he does.. I still see Fripp as the wise old grandfather who lets the rest of the boys that all the applause while he keeps everything going. But like I said, as long as the music is amazing thats all that matters. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 18:08:11 -0500 From: "Craig J. Clark" Subject: GIG REVIEW: 03/07/03, Tower, Philadelphia I'll keep my comments brief, but I do want to say that I saw Crimson for the first time in 6 1/2 years last night and was -- for the most part -- not disappointed. I spent as much time driving to the venue and finding parking as the band performed on its stage, but I was glad that I didn't have to sit through an opening act. The visuals: Trey was dressed all in white. Adrian was in gray slacks and a white shirt that accentuated his nipples. Pat wore glasses. Robert was bathed in a blue light for the entire show. Speaking of the lights, they were okay for the most part, but I wasn't thrilled with the way they blinded me from time to time. It happened in three songs in the main set and each time brought tears to my eyes. Next time, worry about lighting the band, not the audience. And now, the set list, which I got right in spite of my unfamiliarity with some of the material (I just got the album on Tuesday and was only able to listen to it once before the concert): The Power to Believe I Level Five Happy With What You Have to be Happy With The ConsctruKction of Light Elektrik Eyes Wide Open ("Crimson light -- for the ladies") ProzaKc Blues The Power to Believe II Facts of Life Dangerous Curves Larks' Tongues in Aspic IV/Coda The Deception of the Thrush (sans Adrian) Potato Pie VROOOM They played for a total of 90 minutes, which was all right by me since everything they played was great, but as I was walking up the aisle a guy asked me why I thought the show was so short. I didn't say so at the time, but I think it may have been all the yahoos shouting out requests and "Yo, Adrian!" during the quiet parts of "Thrush." (Did anybody really think this band was going to play "Peoria"?) -- Craig J. Clark "I believe -- so strongly -- in mayonnaise." cjclark at earthlink dot net --Elmo Oxygen, http://home.earthlink.net/~cjclark denizen of for the uneasily amused --> http://dada.warped.com Schizopolis ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 08:53:31 -0500 From: "Neil Wicker" Subject: GIG REVIEW: Atlanta, 1 March & the Power to Believe Well I know I'm a week late on posting this, but I'm a pretty busy guy. I attended the show at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on Saturday night, 1 March. It was nice to get inside after over an hour of waiting in a cold, wet mist. I immediately bought a copy of the new CD at the merchandise table (sure I overpaid, but what the hey). We quickly found our seats in the balcony directly over the sound board in the first row. We had some of the surprise spoiled by being able to look down and see the entire set list, but that was a small inconvenience. The showed kicked off at around 9:45 with TCOL. I was interested to see Pat seems to have dropped the VDrums and moved to a more acoustic heavy set, and the difference in sound over the last time I saw them in July 2001 (same venue) was noticable. His sound seemed a lot more powerful. Trey tapping on two Warr guitars was also a sight to behold (at first I thought the second Warr guitar was a keyboard unit similar to Tony Levin's during the '80's Crim, see the TOAPP video). At times Trey seemed to be drowned out of the mix, but not often. Fripp was more energetic than I have ever seen him (in fact the last Atlanta show he spent in a darkened corner) and seemed to be having a bit of fun. I was surprised by the fact that they played no songs older than TCOL until the final encore of Dinosaur and VROOOM. I think that they are now comforatable with the material they have written together and they also have enough material to work a set from. I downloaded the Power to Believe last month and initially was somewhat disappointed by it. I think this is due to the fact that I had heard everything on the CD with the exception of Facts of Life. After a few listens I warmed up to it more when I realized that I had the opportunity to see the record come off the ground from the idea phase to completion. Some of the songs have their beginnings on the Nashville rehearsals CD ( Too Many eeeee's being the most notable) and hearing everything grow was an experience you just won't get out of any other band. After hearing the CD over the MP3 version, I grew even more fond of the album as the MP3 sound quality can't match the real thing (as always). The contrasts between heavy and aggressive and more introspective and "mellow" ( for lack of a better term) pieces really has grabbed my attention. The sound also comes accross as more powerful than on TCOL. Cheers Neil ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 16:15:57 EST From: PeterSchaut at aol dot com Subject: GIG REVIEW: Phily show Greetings fellow Crimsonites! Went to the Phily Gig at the Tower Theater last night. It was my first Crimson show, and long anticipated I must say (I've been wanting to catch a show since 81 just could never fit it in). I really enjoyed the music, very good performance. The musicians were tight (no surprise there), the sound was very good, though the vocals were a little muffled but overall a good mixing job. The band played about one and a half hours, not too short, but I was ready for more (but then I guess it's not quantity that counts but quality, though both would be really nice). I don't want to bother you with a set list since it will probably be posted many times over any way. I will say that there were a few disappointments! It's been said before, and I don't mind saying it again, Ticket Price, WOW! I paid $45.00 ($52.45 with TicketMaster fees). I really thought about it a long time before I parted with that much cash for one ticket, but like I said, I've been wanting to catch a show since 81. The second disappointment was the show was only about two-thirds sold out, the entire back half of the theater was empty (I'm not sure about the balcony, I couldn't see up there). This may also have something to do with the ticket prices (especially in times such as these when many of us have no disposable income, or any income at all for that matter). Although, in King Crimson's defense, their tickets are still much cheaper than some other bands like The Eagles whose tickets will be going on sale here in Phily soon for $45.00 to $175.00 each (who the f~*# would pay $175.00 for a ticket?!!). One final comment, there were a handful of people who felt the obnoxious need to yell out at times during which the band was playing. To them I say, Put a cork in it! That's it for now. Hope all of you who will be seeing them soon will enjoy the show. Long live the King! Peter ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 23:58:09 -0500 From: "r kantner" Subject: GIG REVIEW: King Crimson, Tower Theater, March 7th, 2003 After fighting some fierce Philadelphian traffic for roughly two hours, my father and I arrived at the Tower Theater. I am a huge King Crimson fan i n all their incarnations, and my dad has been a loyal fan ever since '69. I had seen Dream Theater at the Tower the previous year, and it was a remarkab le show and a remarkable venue, and I felt a shiver of excitement at seeing King Crimson on the marquee heading. We got in without the prerequisite stri p-search, which was nice. After finding our seats, I went out, bought my onl y slightly over-priced shirt (well worth it) and sat down again. We had seat s relatively close to the front, and I noticed those behind us weren't filli ng up. They would remain empty, oddly. At 18, I may have been the youngest p erson there, so we talked to some nice fans around us about music in general . The band was about a half hour late coming on, which I hear is very odd, what with Mr. Fripp's noted penchant for punctuality. In this period severa l individuals began screaming very loudly, which turned out to be quite a ba d omen. The lights dimmed, and the band came out. The set compromised entirely o f material from TPTB and TCOL, with an encore of VROOM VROOM. The music was stunning and amazing, filled with humor, sadness, mystery, joy, savagery and beauty like only masters can pull off. Merely describing odd-time ostinatos cannot convey the sheer genius of these four men. The songs are great on CD , and mind-blowing live. There was equally stunning band interaction and sol oing from all, as well as great singing and occassional commentary from Mr. Belew. Being a bass player, the stick work by Mr. Gunn had me especially ent hralled. He was perfectly loud, and everyone had a great mix. I won't even g et started on the other 3 members sound, as it's well over my head. Though I could probably write a book on how great the playing was, I fee l I should add another faction of this concert in review. If getting to the show early and drinking is that important to some people, they should truly stay home. I mentioned the pre-show shouting earlier, but that wasn't the pr oblem. It continued during the show. To my amazement, about 10 people in the crowd took every quiet moment that came up in order to shout out things lik e "Dinosaur!" and "Hey, Fripp!" That music so intelligent can attract people that stupid amazes me. From the very first voice synth haiku that opened th e show, there was a constant barrage of crass comments aimed at the stage. T he worst was some greasy fellow in a leather jacket a few rows in front of m e. Every quiet moment in the show he would scream "Let's go!" as loud as he could, completely ruining all the soft moments. Finally, about halfway throu gh, someone near me shouted for him to shut up. He then got up and stormed b ack to our section and started cursing at four rows of people and challengin g us all to a fight, saying he would take all of us. I wish I could convey t o him that there if there is indeed a hell, it is reserved for him and all t he other mindlessly stupid people that exist only to cause others misery. If I had one message to give to KC fans and fans at every other concert, it wo uld be this: If you can't sit at a concert, watch, shut up and show real app reciation for a band at the designated times, do not come. Keep your money a nd get drunk at home. As for the band, if any of you read this, you have many loyal fans in Ph illy that love your music and want to listen to it. Thank you for a great sh ow despite the ignorance of some of those in attendance. By the way, meeting the band after the show was out of the question. I d on't know if they like people hanging around waiting for them, but Tower sec urity sure doesn't. All in all a good night. Peace, Ryan K ------------------------------ End of Elephant Talk Digest #1103 *********************************