Errors-To: admin at elephant-talk dot com Reply-To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Sender: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Precedence: bulk From: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Subject: Elephant Talk Digest #498 E L E P H A N T T A L K The Internet newsletter for Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiasts Number 498 Thursday, 14 May 1998 Today's Topics: NEWS: Fripp and flash photography now defunct GIG BIZ: Crimson in Pittsburgh William Blake and The Gates of Paradise CD Reviews & Random Chiming In Re V Drums KCtubbies For Project Two.... Beware of Bogart's in Cinci. Ohio Ade's drumming, playback, flash/noise he's a man with a four way heart Photo's and Fripp & a Mini/Mini review Red-Drum, Red-Drum Re: What kind of man reads Penthouse Forum In the wake of these letters to Fripp...90s Crimson.... Tour & Album Analyzing Robert Fripp Absent Lovers The best of all possible worlds ProjeKct 2, Go To Hell??? re:Bad idea of the day GIG REVIEW: Projekct2 @ IMAC ------------------ 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 ETWeb: http://www.elephant-talk.com/ You can read the most recent seven editions of ET at http://www.elephant-talk.com/cgi-bin/newslet.pl IRC: Regular get-togethers at #ElephantTalk on Undernet Sundays at Noon PST / 3pm EST / 8pm GMT Mondays at 6pm PST / 9pm EST / 2am GMT THE ET TEAM: Toby Howard (Moderator), Dan Kirkdorffer (Webmeister) 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 v3.5b (relph at sgi dot com). ------------------ A I V I R T S I N I M D A --------------------- Date: Thr, 14 May 1998 From: Toby Howard (ET Moderator) Subject: NEWS: Fripp and flash photography now defunct OK, as of now, the thread about Fripp and flash photography is defunct -- for a while anyway. So no further posts on this topic please. Cheers Toby ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 23:34:08 -0400 From: "Joseph A. Popp" Subject: GIG BIZ: Crimson in Pittsburgh Anyone got anything they can tell me about the June Pittsburgh gig coming up??? What kind of place is it, etc... Joe Popp P.S. Anyone see the Buffalo S.U.N.Y. show a couple years back? It kicked off the first USA tour since the 80's...REMARKABLE SHOW!!! If you're in Erie, PA, look for my band, Freak Of Nature!!! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 07:33:20 PDT From: "Douglas Robillard" Subject: William Blake and The Gates of Paradise Dear ET, Here's a continuation of yesterday's posting about the William Blake/ Robert Fripp connection. The Blake poem "Eternity" (part of the poet's "Gnomic Verses") seems to be a touchstone for Mr. Fripp. Here is the complete poem: "Eternity" William Blake He who bends to himself a Joy Doth the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the Joy as it flies Lives in Eternity's sunrise. Mr. Fripp quotes the first two lines from this poem at the end of his article on the problem of bootlegging. The Blake lines present a poetic insight into Mr. Fripp's objections to bootlegging. The person who is recording or photographing a concert is "bending" a Joy to himself--in effect, grabbing poor Joy in a rude embrace, appropriating and taking possession of her. Joy has wings, like a fairy or angel, and when we force ourselves upon her we drag her down to earth. The paradox is that the moment we force ourselves on Joy, we lose her. Because we insist on preserving the moment on tape or film, we miss out on the pleasures of the moment. The next two lines illustrate the virtues of living in the moment, and not trying to take possession of the Joy as she flies past. A quick kiss is permissible, though, as long as it doesn't interfere with her flight. What are the benefits of living in the moment and maintaining a proper attitude toward Joy? We dwell at the dawn of Eternity, and bask in the eternal Now. Leafing through my Blake book I came across a title that may interest readers of ET: "The Gates of Paradise." I won't try to explicate that series of poems, though! Instead of waxing the floor, I'm waxing pedantic. Forgive me. Class dismissed. (Bet you can't guess that it's final exams week here at the college. Blake is a nice distraction from the pile of exams on my desk.) Hang loose, Doug ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 12:29:24 EDT From: MarkJX Subject: CD Reviews & Random Chiming In Hi All! I managed to attended the P2 show at the Jazz Cafe, 5000 miles from home (don't tell my boss!). Generally less enjoyable than the SF shows, with one KILLER Warr solo by Trey. (BTW - Adrian, if you're reading this, what ARE the right numbers?) Hung out upstairs with the other ETers (Thanks Brian!) Also visited my pal Sid, who was working the DGM "acquirables" table downstairs near the loo. Almost missed out on picking up 2 VERY cool CDs; METAL AMBIENTE by Santos Luminosos, and TASTER by Markus Reuter. I highly recommend both and would like to summarize each in turn quickly. METAL AMBIENTE - Santos Luminosos Hernan Nunez and Andres Jankowski have been at this CD for a while (1992-1997 according to the Spanish liner notes), but have produced one of the most diverse releases I've heard. Soundscapes, acoustic guitar, evil, burning electric guitar, "euro-trash" (my term) drum tracks, synth, loops, and occasional vocals come and go in an ever-changing and intriguing symphony. This CD has been in constant rotation in my stereo ever since. They had a lot of help too: the guest list reads like a who's who including RF himself (4 tracks), Fernando Kabusacki (5), Steve Ball (1), Martin Schwutke (1), Christian De Santis (2), and lots of others whom I'm sure I should know, but don't. My only regret is that I didn't buy 2 copies! (Paul W, did you get yours?) TASTER - Markus Reuter I got this one directly from the author, who was in attendance for the show. In sharp contrast, this CD is very loop heavy with only Markus caught on tape (live one evening last fall) on Warr Guitar. Anyone who appreciates soundscapes will like this CD. There IS some variation, from flowing atmospheres to more loop-oriented and rhythmic material. It is a very enjoyable solo looping CD. Markus also explains some of the methodology and techniques used in each of the pieces in the liner notes (a nice touch in my book). P2 vs KC - The liner notes for the P2 CD explicitly state that this approach was taken specifically to escape audience expectations (Freebird anyone?). Now that I've gotten my 2c in, can we please kill the thread Toby? Flashing Fripp - If you're going to flash Fripp, make sure you achieve full frontal nudity.... you might even get a sly smile in return 8-) (Then again, he might still run away!) Dumpy Venues - I'd rather see great musicians in a cramped, tiny venue rather than mediocre musicians in an arena. Kudos to whomever books KC-related tours. AB's rumoured Solo Tour - Please Ade, go acoustic! And do Q&A again! Thrak On! Mark J. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 18:33:02 +0100 From: Robert J Lethbridge Subject: Re V Drums Enjoyed reading the ET newsletters so far, just one point, what are V drums. I assume they are some form of electronic drum? ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 14:40:30 +0000 From: Martin Bradburn Subject: KCtubbies da..dadaladada..dada. Frippy-Ade, Tony-Trey, Billy-Pat KCtubbies,KCtubbies say VROOOM,THRAAK Time for KCtubbies,time for KCtubbies... One day in KCtubby Land Ade was playing with his new drumdrums. Frippy liked Ade's new drumdrums. So did Trey. Let's start a band said Frippy. And so they did. Were are Tony, Billy and Pat, can you find them? I wonder if they would like Ade's new drumdrums? I bet they would........ Martin (spending way too much time with my 2yr old!) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 17:39:06 -0700 From: Russ Friend Subject: For Project Two.... Beware of Bogart's in Cinci. Ohio Hi, I just wanted to let you know that the security staff at Bogarts is lousy. I went to a show there last night, and was disgusted at how the security staff were throwing out audience members for no real reason: somebody flicked a cigarette to the ground (got tossed forcefully), somebody bounced on their friends shoulders (their friend was taller, they weren't surfing or even attempting to surf, but he got very forcefully thrown out). I would guess that 10% of the audience left the show within 20 minutes. Either from being thrown out for bogus reasons, or because the lousy atmosphere. I will never go to a show at Bogart's again. I drove 3 1/2 hours, and was thrown in less than 6 minutes for a completely bogus reason. I thought I would let you know the scoop. I hope you can have a good show, just be careful of the security, a lot of fans could be thrown out (like I was) for no reason. Especially considering that your fans like to enjoy themselves, I feel sorry for them... they could get screwed badly. Nobody wins when this happens, except the club making their money...in essence ripping people off. Sincerely, Russ Friend 453 Allyn Street Akron, Ohio 44304 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 18:19:20 -0400 From: David Steimling Subject: Ade's drumming, playback, flash/noise Hey all! (Dave bows to Toby) Not too much to say this round. (Hi tj!) Just want to make those, that arent, aware that Adrian started out playing drums in Jr high in the marching band. (See bio at http://web.dbtech.net/~rhino/thebio.htm) My understanding of the playback is: They play the album in the record store with the band in attendance with a Q & A afterwards. Rarely is there a [performance & even more rare is it by the band themselves. I understand Tony Geballe played at one of the London playbacks. I wonder how comfortable Fripp is with David Todds: Perhaps I can put it more viscerally: You are in a dimly lit bedroom with your lover, who is staring passionately into your eyes while your do your best to help achieve the heights of ecstasy, just before which you pull out an instamatic and take a flash picture of your lovers face. Now these venues are, indeed, intimate, but, uhhhhhh.......... Id like to relate to everyone the CGT show (at Orion Sound Studios in Baltimore) where they opened for The TG Band (and probably other shows of theirs). They took the stage & waited for silence to fall over the room before they played. After the song, applause, and the same wait. The people were VERY accommodating. This lasted thru Trey's sets. Only during a CGT encore did some guy close to me talk to his girl friend. Their last encore, they didnt even plug in. They walked into the middle of the crowd & played COMPLETELY acoustic. People knew that this wasnt just any music. It was something special to hear Beethoven's Fifth Symphony on three guitars. F**kn' amazing. That these cats could study, understand and arrange, then PLAY the stuff (not t o mention their originals). According to some people, these guys are just showing off (contributor eb at gondola at delta dot net). But some of us appreciate the talent, time and energy it takes to learn, understand and play this stuff. Anyway, some people view KCs music as just as deep. Consider this, please before you get too carried away. Thanx all Dave ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 20:58:56 -0400 From: tj Subject: he's a man with a four way heart >From: Don Becker >Fripp may be petulant, arrogant, and downright snobbish... I have to type this. Many of us do not believe that any of the negative terms used above to describe Robert are correct. (Perhaps Don doesn't either.) Although I suspected he had a friendly heart for many years it was only finally confirmed when I met him last November (as I descibed in detail to ET back then). Tonight a family friend who I have not seen for well over a dozen years called. I mentioned having Fripp in my blood and he said, "hey I met him in 1972." He recalled strong memories of meeting a kind and friendly man back then also. The coicidence of hearing this was heartening. tj dumela at nicom dot com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 00:36:55 -0400 From: gbastug at essexusa dot com Subject: Photo's and Fripp & a Mini/Mini review I know that photos are verboten, but do you think pencil or charcoal sketches would be frowned upon? I hope vivid mental images are permissible... Mini-mini review: I purchased both the BLUE and ProjeKCt 2 CDs, and attended both the first BLUE show at The Knitting Factory and the P2 show at IMAC. I liked the P2 CD much better than the BLUE recording, but thought the BLUE concert was more enjoyable than P2. The musicianship in BLUE was much more consistent - not only technical adept, but thoughful, tasteful, and energetic. With P2 live, Belew's RoboDrumming, while amazing for a guitarist, was too often athletic and mechanical instead of musical. Mastelotto might have been the better fit here. RF was quite enthralling, exhibiting greater emotion and dymanics in his playing that he's been able to do with the full Crim in the past two tours. Gunn was a curious mix - he's highly skilled technically, but his (relative) youth shows through in his smaller musical vocabulary and playing decisions. So while enjoyable, P2 live didn't provide the same consistent experience that BLUE live did. Does anyone know if ProjeKCt One material will be released? And isn't there a P3 coming up with a different grouping? Thanks Greg ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 98 20:19:21 -0400 From: leslabb at ptd dot net Subject: Red-Drum, Red-Drum In ET 495 The Following Was Discussed: John>> Here's a thought, Mr. F. Why not step outside your "best of John>> bands/worst of bands" and unveil a Fripp-less Crimson? Gary> The one ProjeKct band that I've really been dying for is a Gary> percussion trio of Bill, Pat and Adrian! Surely the Gary> percussive element is an important enough role in Crimson Gary> that it deserves it's own research and development unit! I attended the Further Festival last summer and the highlight of the show, for me, was Mikey Hart's Planet Drum. The rythmic percussions, and sounds at points got down right scarey. Couldn't help but think of KC :) Les B. Labbauf http://home.ptd.net/~leslabb ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 23:33:37 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: What kind of man reads Penthouse Forum >From: David Todd > >>From: Eb >>Guess what? This is ROCK 'N' ROLL, not a professor giving a lecture. > >So why are you taking pictures? Rock and Roll is typically >played on sonic medium. > >Perhaps I can put it more viscerally: >You are in a dimly lit bedroom with your lover, who is >staring passionately into your eyes while your do your best >to help achieve the heights of ecstasy, just before which >you pull out an instamatic and take a flash picture of your >lovers face. Well... A) I don't take pictures at shows and if I did, I would realize how pointless it is to use flash unless you're right up front. Also, I mostly go to smaller clubs, and many clubs won't even allow anyone to have a camera inside unless he has an official press pass. B) Um...I'm not willing to equate seeing Fripp play guitar and having sex with him. Eb ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 08:50:08 -0400 From: Jon Swinghammer Subject: In the wake of these letters to Fripp...90s Crimson.... Well first off you guys who want pictures of anyone playing so badly have some sort of neurological problem. I don't see why you want pictures so desperatly to begin with. And when the performer does not want you to photograph him/her it makes it even seem more bizzare to me. However I would like to offer my opinion on another subject altogether... Now then...I own Thrax, ThraxAttacK and B'Boom. ThraxAttak being the best one among them. Can't listen to it all the way through because I can only listen to noise for so long however it has the best music. Thrax is rather boring I'm afraid. Marine is probably the best song on there and Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream is ok at parts (the screaming parts only). Now I know KC have a lot of energy left or maybe I just hope they do...but this music (along with the equally boring 80s crimson) is just not worthy of being along side my other KC recordings. I mean they sound like contemporary jazz. For a band that was on the cutting or even bleeding edge of music this is quite a step backwards. Nothing new is being done by the band now. I mean punk bands are making more orginal music I hate to say (ie Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, Wayne Kramer). Guys you need other instruments the guitar bass drum thing just isn't working. From what I've noticied is that about 80% of what gave King Crimson it's old variety is that 4th musician so to speak. Something new has to be done guys or I'm gonna tune it all out. For like other Americans I get bored easily I suppose. I've tried to get into Thrax but alas it just sucks. That's why I like the projekcts but again in my opinion new sounds should be added to their rather generic sound and new innovations are needed to make this group what it was way back when or at least as respectable. You can have all the talent in the world and still make bad music. And 90s Crimson has so far proved this point. Thoughts anyone? Jon ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 00:43:14 +1000 From: Elki Sanchez Subject: Tour & Album Hi, First time user of this thing, just discovering it today i must say it is very well put together. Anyway I have recently gotten into King Crimson and dont really know much about them, my father put me onto them as he is an old hippie and ive grown up listening to his music, and cant believe the difference in quality between bands like King Crimson and the commercial shit released today. I wanted to ask, does King crimson, or whatever the current equivalent is called now ever tour Australia, i cans ee numerous Japan and Europe tours but have never seen anything about Australia. Me and a few people i know have started to really get into them and im sure theyd sell enough tickets to come here, are there any future plans or? Also i have heard there is a live recording of King Crimson, probably around 1972 or early seventies called, Live in Central park, or Live in Hyde park or something like that? Australian record store, being australia of course don't have much information on anything non-australian or non-top 40 let alone 70's stuff, so if anyone knows of the album im talking about could you please e-mail me with it's real title or whatever you know about it, i'd really appreciate it, thanks. Elki ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 09:42:34 EDT From: fallen dot angel1 at juno dot com Subject: Analyzing Robert Fripp Put yourselves in Mr. Fripp's place, he is trying to perform and express his feelings through his music. If you were trying to accomplish something, anything, and you had people telling you how to do it, when to do it, and then bitching about it because you didn't do it exactly how they wanted it done, wouldn't you be slightly perturbed? And then have everyone analyzing every move you made,and everything you said. I would imagine it to be very frustrating to say the least. There are hundreds of us out here that love Mr. Fripp and all he and Crimson has done. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, there is no way that he can satisfy all of our requests/demands. This is his art work, you either like it or you don't. You either buy it or you don't. You cannot get into his head, and you shouldn't try. He's not there to impress us, he is sharing his art with us. Mister Fripp, I love and respect you as an Artist and have enjoyed your work emmencely, Thank you so very much. Elephant Talk is a very good place to learn about, and discuss the Art of Robert Fripp and King Crimson. Alot of us are too busy analyzing Robert. He has the right to his own opinions and to his own laws/wishes at the showing of his art. One of the posters here talked about how the flash breaks the mood or feeling the artist is trying to capture. He is right. Music is an expression of feelings. A flash going off or a hammer falling on your big toe can definitely distract a feeling and change the course you were heading. As for the person who demands an apology from Mister Fripp, I truly believe that he owes you nothing. We need to let Robert express himself for us, so that we can capture the feelings he is expressing. I, for one, love his art and would like to have it around for my pleasure, for many more years. If we make it difficult for him, he may just feel that this whole thing is not worth it anymore. Could you blame him? I wouldn't. Tom Myers ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 09:29:20 -0700 From: Frank Pfau Subject: Absent Lovers ETers, Hello, my name is Frank...and I like Nauges (Those which pass, pass like clouds). Does anyone have any news on when Absent Lovers will be released? 1cd or 2? Thanks. Frank p.s. I find it ineresting that (right or wrong) there is more discussion on this digest regarding RF's behavior and thoughts - than his music. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 10:32:27 -0400 From: bruce higgins Subject: The best of all possible worlds Greetins and salutations... I'd just like to wade in here and say that, IMO, this is the greatest time to be a Fripp/Crimson fan. Having heard tapes of a few of the ProjeKct gigs (business travel precluded my seeing the recent NE swing :-(, having been listening non-stop to Space Grooves/Vector Patrol in my car, having been blown away by the Upper Extremities album, then infinitely blown away by the live act, personally, I don't care if the double trio ever re-congeals. If they do, that would be OK, too ;-) EVERY NIGHT, Fripp, Ade and Trey go out and create NEW MUSIC. Robert is RIPPING IT UP. EVERY NIGHT. I don't understand how any afrippianado can be disappointed with this material. I, for one, had gotten *real* bored of hearing Red, however vibrant, in EVERY Crimso show over the span of fifteen years. (LTIA pt II continued to have its moments, tho ;-) The extended tours through Thrak and the ThrakaTTacK album were the highlights of the 95-96 tours and offered real hope for the future, which is now being realized. B.L.U.E.? Goddamn, what a band. I spewed at greath length on the Toad's Place gig in a previous post, so I'll leave it at that. People are complaining about the release of archival material? "Oh no, please, don't put out any live performances from the 80's band, they sucked so bad." "Oh, not *another* pristine recording of the double trio - who cares if is's live at their absolute peak. I only like sterile studio releases" Whaddaya, NUTS? Lighten up and listen to what is going on around you!!!!! I say, OPEN THE VAULTS!!!! I will buy every live recording of the 80's and 90's groups that DGM cares to put out. I will even buy most of the 70's stuff. I will buy all of the ProjeKcts. I will go see Robert and/or Adrian and/or Tony and/or Bill and/or Trey and/or Pat (and/or Torn) EVERY TIME they come within driving distance. Fripp & Co are playing, recording and distributing Great Musicks. Absorb as much as you can see, hear, buy - this is a Golden Age, one that will not last forever. . As my greatest complaint about Elephant Talk is the long-windedness of many contributors, I will stop here. Oops, one last note. About this flashbulb thing. While I respect Robert's desire to be emancipated from the tyranny of bright lights being flashed in his face, I think it is unduly harsh to penalize an audience of hundreds of devoted fans for the actions of a single moron. B___ <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> L. Bruce Higgins "Some mornings, it's just not worth LBH2 at cornell dot edu chewing through the leather straps" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 11:03:27 -0500 From: GRANTCO at webtv dot net (Grant Colburn) Subject: ProjeKct 2, Go To Hell??? Wow, what's up with the negativity to this album and tour? I'm sensing from some that not only don't they like the album, but they personally almost "hate" Fripp and company for releasing it. In # 497 Steven declared his dislike like it was some epic poem to a long lost Greek God. Beyond the fact that it lost all humor elements within the first 3 sentences, it was obviously a work of time consuming prose, and for what? An album of improv. by 3 guys from King Crimson? The most extreme was John from the same issue. Sounds to me like John's whole point was "That bad bad record store put the ProjeKct disk in the King Crimson section, and even though it said ProjeKct 2, it shoulda been Crimson cuz that's where I found it!" Gee, John, I guess the fact that the disk never SAYS its Crimson just didn't cross your mind? If you are a real fan of Crimson, why would you assume ANYTHING? Somehow I get the feeling these guys (and others) feel they were ripped off by this disk, and I for one don't get it! I mean, I appreciate THrakkattack, but its never gotten more than about 3 listens out of me so far. But I'm not COMPLAINING. There's also the League of Gentlemen disks (live and studio). The beats are even straighter and more repetitive than ProjeKct 2. Soundscapes have no beat at all for that matter. My point is this: considering the variety from Thrakkattack, to L of G, to Soundscapes, (to Guitar Craft for that matter), why doesn't ProjeKct 2 fit in with the rest? I never assumed any of these other groups would sound just like King Crimson, so why should this? I like ProjeKct 2 a lot. It doesn't blow my mind but I'm not going to think that my 15 bucks was a waste of money or anything. I'm starting to think some people are just angry that King Crimson hasn't released a new album yet and are looking for a scapegoat to bitch about in its absence. When a new KING CRIMSON album comes out with its name all over the front then complain if you don't like it, but don't complain if a disk NOT by King Crimson doesn't SOUND like King Crimson. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Grant Colburn Graphic Nature http://www.angelfire.com/ga/graphnat ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 12:04:26 EDT From: Camzone Subject: re:Bad idea of the day Hmm... all 26 musicians of King Crimson, all playing on the same stage. Well, I'd go see it. Although it's pretty much a logistic impossibilty. About 4 drummers, 3 bass players, 2 lead guitars, and a couple of sticks, violas, mellotrons and other odd instruments just thrown in. Fantastic. Camzone ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 11:39:37 -0400 From: Paul Kosens Subject: GIG REVIEW: Projekct2 @ IMAC With much anticipation, I attended the Projekct2 gig at Inter Media Arts Center in Huntington, Long Island. IMAC is a small concert venue, actually a converted movie theater, that seats maybe 400. The show, naturally, was sold out. They started letting people in at 8:00pm for the show, which was to start at 9. As I entered the hall, soudscapes were playing. I sat in the second row, just to the left of the stage, right in front of Trey Gunn. At 9:00pm promptly the show began. I had bought the Projekct2 cd about a month ago and have been listening to it quite a bit. I really like it. However, it sounds unpolished and raw, which is not a bad thing. The impression I get from the liner notes is that this is a recording of the first "rehearsal" which just ended up turning out much better than anyone expected. The show, however, is light-years beyond this CD. On the CD, they layed the foundation for what was to come, on this tour, however, they have constructed a skyscraper on top of this foundation. I only recognized one song from the CD. The concert began with Fripp walking out and sitting down on his stool and starting a soundscapes loop. This went on for about 5 minutes, before Belew and Gunn walked out and started playing. This first song KICKED ASS. So did the second, and third. To summarize. This entire show was incredible. Every song cooked. How anyone could not have been blown away by this is beyond me. I can't identify any part of the show that was NOT incredible. Adrian's drumming was superb. His choice of patches was very Bruford-like in some ways, but the rhythms he generated were unique and really propelled the music into areas that Crimson has never gone. I listen to a lot of techno and electronica and this music could easily fit into those categories. I am so impressed with Belew, he really has excelled in this new direction. Don't anyone ever again question his involvement with King Crimson, he definately belongs. I have to say that I think Fripp has finally perfected the integration of his soundscapes and his guittar licks. In the past, soundscapes were used as filler between songs, or as a bridge, here and there within a song. Here, Fripp moved effortlessly between soundscapes and searing guitar solos. Fripp would layer soundscapes on top of one another, and then with that going on, start soloing. The effect was mind-blowing. I saw fripp open for the G3 tour, with Satriani, Vai, and Kenny Wayne Sheppard. At that show, he just played soundscapes, and at the end, jammed with the 3 "guitar gods". At that show, he was really restrained. If he had played there like he played at this show, he would have wiped the floor with them. He was THAT GOOD. Fripp must be drinking Tony's "high octane" espresso. As for Trey Gunn, I was already very familiar with his work, having listened to him on his 2 solo albums, as well as both Fripp/Sylvian albums and "Sunday all over the World". I am a BIG Trey Gunn fan. Needless to say, Trey didn't dissappoint. Him and Fripp complemented each other perfectly, alternately filling in the holes in the other's solos. I was reminded of the California Guitar Trio, in that they seemed to have a psychic knowledge of the direction that the other was going, and not once did they step on each other. A high point was definately when a manic Hal 9000 like voice emenated from Trey's Warrr guitar. An awe-filled hush arose from the crowd during this part. Very intense. After the show, Fripp, ever the eccentric introverted genius, dissappeared, but Adrian and Trey showed up in the lobby and eagerly signed autographs and spoke with fans. What nice guys. I walked into this concert with the pre-conception that this was not going to be King Crimson. Unlike other reviews of the shows I have read here, I thought the gig sounded a lot like King Crimson. Many of the pieces that I heard could easily be expanded upon with the other three members. In fact, one or two songs featured a pre-recorded bass line that could easily have been provided by Tony Levin. I walked out of this show convinced that I had just heard the future of King Crimson. ------------------------------ End of Elephant-Talk Digest #498 ********************************