My thanks to Kinigitz for submitting his overview of Friday's Narrows concert.
"Having seen, with my 17 year old daughter and 13 year old son, RF+LCG at The Narrows in Fall River, MA Friday night (Nov. 2) I am moved to respond that this music was its usual powerful, eye opening kick in tha pants, as familiar as it was refreshing. Much of what I heard from LGC was decidedly Crimsonesque: the rapid, simultaneously serene and menacing ostinato workouts I’ve heard since I was 17 in Red, Fracture, EleKtriK and scores of other compositions and improvisations. RF’s personal contributions consisted of the familiar sustained fuzzy, sinewy high notes we’ve heard since, well, about as early as "Battle of Glass Tears" and the fluid tintinabulary synthesized discoveries he’s been performing for at least a dozen years. But this is hardly a chide. Fripp’s compositional product, either directly or spiritually manifested via his 10 accomplices, is a pleasing assault of ironies. To this ’audient’ who admittedly lacks any musical ability, save for the skill of knowing what he likes and liking what he knows, Fripp, LCG, Crimson etc. have always engaged with a two punch offering of moods of confusion, neurosis, anxiety, impatience with clarity, serenity, ponderousness and dreaminess. Not just in the same composition, but within the same arpeggio or trill or riff. Think of an old pair of sneakers that comfort as well as revitalize your footsies everytime you put them on.
The entrance was grand. A linguistic team of a half dozen or so CGs and roadies entered the front center of the stage, and each member proceeded with the same polite request that the audience partake in no visual or aural recording of the performance, but in their turns in a different language. They then all converged on the single mike and repeated the requests simultaneously in their respective languages. The symbolism of this introduction was inescapable, that of the diverse (in race, nationality, gender, age, height, personalities) character of the CG’s coming together to express and play the singular yet complex musical character of their mentor.
To be sure, things were not all musically Fripp, Fripp and more Fripp. There was this chunky thing played for a minute or two by the two or three ’bass’ players (though each CG actually played six string acoustic) that gave way most joyously to ’Flying’, much to the ecstasy of my Beatlemaniac daughter. One particularly heavily strummed piece caused my son to whisper to me that they sounded like Tool. (Though not a big stretch from the realm of things Crimson) There was the Bach Contrapunctus from the "Quintet" CD which, on this outing, degenerated with much humor and warmth into what seemed to be a combination of surf music and commercial jingle. And, during the second encore, as surprising as it was perfectly suited, they kicked around the theme to "Mission Impossible". Fripp’s biographers and critics cite Hendrix and Bartok as being major influences. May we now add Lalo Schiffrin? Throughout the entire performance, the quantity of Fripp’s actual electric guitar playing was at about 25%, either accompaying the CGs or as a soloist. In the spirit of irony so basic to Fripp the autere, the moment most jarring yet most enrapturing and smile inducing was at the tail end, when each member of the ensemble unplugged, stood (including Bob!!!) and played without amplification. This composition itself, had it been played earlier while plugged in, would have been less remarkable. But the quiet quality of this final piece of the performance proper, after so much previous volume (this had to be one of The Narrows loudest shows) was strange and wonderful on the ears.
As the audience shuffled out the door, the CGs sans Fripp marched back out and played a few more pieces in The Narrows gallery area. That was too cool of them. What a bunch of troupers. I asked if they knew anymore Beatles. The tall elderly CG politely replied that yes, they did, then they continued with their own compositions. I was snubbed yet not snubbed. How cleverly honorable of them!
I have two complaints, one grevious, the other inconsequential. The first is with the venue itself, that the stage is too damn low, a mere step off the level floor. Since I was inevitably seated behind not only the tallest but widest member of the audience, my neck craning was pernicious. It must have been worse for my 5’1" 13 year old son, though he magnanimously did not compain. My lesser complaint was that RF sometimes engages with some audience Q&A in these more intimate venues. He did not this evening, so I couldn’t ask him, if he were to encounter a student whose skill and/or intelligence exceeded his own, how and what would he teach him or her."
