Richard Chadwick has just called as I am warming up for tonight's show:he's in and vibrating from England, via visiting David and Ingrid Sylvian inSonoma.
Sister has cut my hair, after a tasty lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen- a reliable franchise for Happy Gigsters on the road.
Today began at 06.25 when Toyah called me: a semi-mature evergreen oakordered from France for a particular place in the garden had just arrivedand needed immediate planting. It's not quite in the place I had in mind,but close: Toyah and Ian (horticulturist from Pershore) inspected and madean on-site decision.
Yesterday: P4 flew in from Portland and my Sister collected me at the hotelto take me to the movies. The realisation that today was Halloween hit when,at the new fabbo AMC movie palace on Van Ness, a guy in fish-net tights a laRocky Horror Show appeared from the men's room as I was going in.
Portland on Friday: more bibliophiliacial tumesence at Powell's. The show:very good dressing rooms (2). The Crystal Ballroom has acoustics that, wereI to suffer them for three consecutive nights, would be enough to persuademe to seek alternative employment. But I enjoyed the actual playing, eventhough hearing the other guys was exceptionally difficult.
A watershed night for Pat, I believe. Not only have we been playing thefastest tempi I've ever known, this night we played the slowest (c.51 bpm).Sid Smith says this was the best show so far, and Sid's opinion is worthy ofrespect.
23.59
Sister brought along nine of her friends to P4 this evening. Who knows whatit was like? My sense is the performance came together for the second set. Agenerous audience, and some good Crimson music emerging.
Masa Matsuzaki and his wife flew in from Japan to see / hear P4. Masaworked at Virgin, with responsibility for the EG catalogue, before moving tosatellite television. He is partnered in Infini by Atsushi Naito, a leadingJapanese music-biz lawyer, and represent DGM and Crimson interests in Japan.