Well, folks the first review of P6 in action is in. It comes from Jared Walske who had this to say about the concert.
“I just got back from seeing ProjeKct Six at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston Massachusetts and can officially say it was a kitten-huffing good time. Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew, who were dressed in appropriately contrasting wardrobe (Adrian in a t-shirt and jean, Fripp in a black shirt and pants), wowed us with a half hour of sleek and neat improvs to delight us all. Fripp’s guitar sounded like it was being played from Graham Hill on a good day and Belew clattered away like a train at the Finsbury Park Tube Station.
While Adrian laid down the grooves and beats, Fripp impressed us with his immaculate and tasteful guitar playing, recalling the best of both King Crimson and previous four ProjeKcts. I’d have to say that of all the ProjeKct material I’ve heard, this is by far my favorite. I’d even have to say that I enjoyed Belew and Fripp more than I enjoyed the headliners, Porcupine Tree.
Meanwhile, Belew showed us that you don’t have to be professional drummer to play the drums really well. He played with a keen ear for interesting and new ways to present his patented V-drumming to the audience. All in all, one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.”
Congratulations to Jared on getting his review in first and also for converting a deceased racing driver (that’d be Graham Hill) into a geographical feature. For his troubles Jared will get a copy of the Condensed King Crimson.
Another review of the same gig comes from Hugh Shiebler. What it lacks in competition buzz words it more than makes up for in the eloquence department.
“I was at the P6 show last night at the Berklee Performing Arts Center in Boston. The acoustics were incredible. The crowd, which seemed mixed in age, including many in Crimson t-shirts, was quite respectful for the short P6 set. I saw no flashes, although conversations did seem to proceed throughout the venue even as P6 played.
A violet light from stage left cast a giant shadow of Robert’s guitar onto one wall. Adrian’s drumming was precise, and seemed more straightforward and driving than it had been in P2. Adrian triggered some simple bass lines from his v-kit. Also, his drumming was noticeably supportive of Robert’s soloing; the two had a strong back and forth dynamic throughout.
Robert’s playing was as achingly plaintive and elegiac as I have ever heard it. Laser-beam solos uncoiled from quickly shifting soundscapes - familiar and unfamiliar sounds emanating from the solar voyager included bells and bass lines and vinatge wails.
The evening’s set had the distinctive taste of something new emerging. I could not help thinking of the "R&D" that had characterised previous ProjeKcts, and that "K" in "ProjeKct" loomed large. Did I hear echoes of Crimson future, slouching towards Boston to be born?”
We are pretty sure that we saw Andy Summers in the audience.
The first half of the P-Tree set was all new yet-to-be recorded stuff, including one extended suite, which Steven Wilson said would have been introduced in the ’70’s as "side one of our new album". Or "side six of our new album". I thought the stuff was powerful; Allyson thought it was re-hash of The Cure + Nirvana + Pink Floyd. At times there was an almost leaden repetition, between songs as well as within them. And depending on one’s point of view (and probably one’s age), the more mettallic flourishes probably either sounded like cliches or just another spice in the stew."
Over on the Porcupine Tree Forum, PT fan Zak made this observation.
"ProjeKCt 6 was...different. For the most part, it was far more melodic than Fripp’s show on the last tour. Still, it’s pretty spacey stuff. I don’t know how to describe it to be perfectly honest. It’s one of those where I appreciate the creativity and artistry, and I respect these two men for being undeniable legends at their craft, but the music itself just doesn’t do a great deal for me. YMMV."
