Having spent the last 25 years re-examining the role and workings of the record label, it seems that I am now unwittingly doing the same for management. After all, are not music managers meant to send out their artists on gruelling tours, while staying at home, counting the money and just jetting in for a few high profile dates? Why then, am I writing this diary thirty thousand feet in the air on a flight from Seattle to San Francisco at the start of a six-week escapade? The answer – for those who have not been paying attention– is, of course, the King Crimson Royal Package: our attempt to take the sometimes money-grubbing VIP ticketing world (a thousand dollars to have your photo taken with a disinterested artist) and to honour our business aim of operating within the marketplace while being free of the values of the marketplace. If we accept that VIP packages are an important part of the budget for keeping a band like this on the road, how can we do it with the love and care that it deserves? How can we give those generous fans an experience that really justifies the additional money they are spending? ((although I’m the manager - hey, let’s hear it for exploitation!)
In part, our solution is that David, “the ninth man” – will share his King Crimson insights. In Robert’s words – “I love this. you are doing the work and I am earning the money!” Yes, we really do seem to be upending the traditional manager/artist relationship.
Last night was the first Royal Package, and unless fifty people were lying to us, it was another DGM success (in which case someone needs to tell my wife about the six week tour in the autumn that we will shortly be announcing). If all the attendees are as open and engaging as those last night, then it’s going to be a fun ride.
And – I’m sure you don’t need to hear this from me – the concerts are simply astonishing. The band continues to move forward year on year, and my personal highlights are songs that weren’t even in the setlist last year.
Speaking of set-lists (they are now so widely available that it seems stupid to hide them) this is first half night one:
And second half :
And the eight headed beast on stage :
Time to put my laptop away. Landing shortly.
"Breathing is optional."
