Why was the Cleveland show so limp? This concerned me for most of the day. We began well, but the energy leaked away. Nothing contained or amplified it. The group made few mistakes at the beginning, but that's standard for us and doesn't necessarily stop anything. But Saturday night in Cleveland it did.
Was it the group? Well, clearly that's part of it. Was it the venue? Partly: there were a lot of people at the back of the club who couldn't move forward, with house lighting on them. The space didn't work to include them in the show. Was it the spirit of the venue?
Was it the audience? Well, partly. But if I'd waited for an hour or two in the cold & some rain, then stood for another hour or so before the group came on, maybe I'd have had less energy to contribute to the event.
Was it the town? I'm not sure where the heart of Cleveland might be geographically located, but I doubt if it's the Renaissance Centre.
Was it the time of year? Was it the planetary conjunction? Was it the weather? Was it the presidential election? Was it the opening of "Charlie's Angels"?
We got into a van and set off for Detroit around 10.30 Sunday - to a Hotel Even More Dismal. Trey's room was under construction when he got there. Other guys in the Team had rooms which hadn't been cleaned & one (Alan Lights) had a hairdryer which burst into flames. For the first 40 minutes in my room I knew I could get brought down here, even a little depressed, and particularly after Cleveland's show. So I decided not to. I put out pictures of my Wife, Sister & myself, rearranged furniture to re-feng the space, and made a cup of Earl Grey tea.
Then off to the gig.
The Majestic Theatre is where Harry Houdini was mortally injured. Today, it's rather funky although hopefully less fatal to its performing artistes, and with a good restaurant adjoining. In another city without a centre.
We began well, and kept going although there were opportunities along the way for the show to die. A flash in the first piece ("Light") reminded me that contemporary performance is part of consumer culture, and an innocent audient has rights because they have bought a ticket with their hard earned pay. We kept going & a momentum developed. But not much.
The audience were mostly supportive & who had queued in the cold, then stood for another hour +, then stood for the show. I'm not sure this is an ideal preparation for listening to music, even for young enthusiasts testing their mettle. But that's how you get to the front of the house, and this tour is based on close access to the group.
On a personal note - my cell phone is working again, after going down in Milwaukee & Cleveland, so I'm more available to speak to my Wife & Sister. I called Toyah after getting back from dinner in the Majestic restaurant with Adrian, Trey, Josh & Laurie - she was in a record store in Bangkok looking at a pile of KC & RF records for sale.
13.03
At about this moment, Toyah should be taking off from Bangkok for a 20 hour journey back to Chez Horse, Chiswick.
Part of my morning has been at a nearby Starbucks in this blasted wasteland of a city centre. Where is the heart of Detroit? The local paper bills tonight's show from KC as "blues-rock". Is that a step forward from "prog legend"?
The heating in my room still isn't working. But then, neither is the downstairs elevator from the motor lobby to the lobby. And hasn't been for six months. Repairs on it began one month ago, and appear to be halted.
Now, for those posters who have been wondering what "uroboric" might mean, there follows an intimate & authoritative description of what is it to live in that world, from the inside. This was e-forwarded to me by a chum, and is reproduced here as validation sufficient of the adage that no performer should personally engage with their public (which activity is described on the DGM website as "Kicking The Wasps' Nest")
`When you have a chance try to take a look at Robert Fripp's Diary entry for Oct. 31st on the DGM web site, www.discipline.co.uk/news.htm . Click on to Diaries, and you'll find it. Then scroll down to the Oct. 24th comments. HE HATED OUR SHOW! So the smile, or smirk he had on his face all night was painted on! I'm now convinced that he IS absolutely insane. Even a picky music critic like me was in Heaven that night. He's a musical genius, but has definitely crossed the line into insanity. I'll always respect him for his music, but now wish he would keep his private thoughts to himself. ALL of us Crim fans noticed that he tried to improve his stage image by having bright lights on him, the smirk, and a greater acknowledgment ( although a silent one ) of the audience. I now know that this was a marketing ploy. How could anyone be married ( Toyah must be as weird as him! ) to such a difficult man, and how could any band members put up with him? This was a real turn off for me to read. My friend Larry agrees. You're the only other person that I have contact with that was there that night, so I thought you'd be interested to read his comments. I don't mean to bring you down but I remember you asking me " What do you think of Fripp?" Well, we agreed, but this is how I feel now. Longer live the King, but depose the dictator! This is the real face of Robert Fripp's "Exposure." It's sad that his soul is so troubled.'
This is a classic. It manages, effortlessly, to combine humour & tragedy without missing a beat.