It takes the Thrang Thrang Gang a little while to find their feet at Dooleys. A certain degree of unsteadiness affects each player in turn and it’s not really until the third number in to they begin to set things alight. The fact that they were 21 of 30 dates into a gruelling American tour might have some bearing on the matter of course.
Upon listening to the gig Mister Stormy was moved to offer these observations about the League in full tow-tapping form. “For me, this tape sheds a great deal of new light on this band. I for one never under estimated the power and ability of this outfit, and this board recording really gives a true picture of the solid professional playing of these performers.
In this show, to these ears, we hear Robert play a straight ahead guitar tone with the shredding power of 73/74 Crimson, and the complexity of where the next Crimson would go. With the solid and basic playing of Sara Lee and Johnny Toobad and great interplay from Barry Andrews, this helped to crystallise and secure the next stage of King Crimson.”
It takes the Thrang Thrang Gang a little while to find their feet at Dooleys. A certain degree of unsteadiness affects each player in turn and it’s not really until the third number in to they begin to set things alight. The fact that they were 21 of 30 dates into a gruelling American tour might have some bearing on the matter of course.
Upon l...
I hadn't really listened to The League of Gentlemen properly and thought a gig like this would be a minor curiosity at best. How wrong was I? After listening, I can't help wondering if this was the best band Robert Fripp ever played in. Unlike King Crimson, where everybody has to take their turn and Robert is always one of four or more musicians of exponentially-increasing ability who ultimately have to take turns to give each other space, this is much more of a traditional instrumental band, in...
I hadn't really listened to The League of Gentlemen properly and thought a gig like this would be a minor curiosity at best. How wrong was I? After listening, I can't help wondering if this was the best band Robert Fripp ever played in. Unlike King Crimson, where everybody has to take their turn and Robert is always one of four or more musicians of exponentially-increasing ability who ultimately have to take turns to give each other space, this is much more of a traditional instrumental band, in the sense that there is a solid, reliable backing section to a really quite impressive lead soloist. This isn't to knock the other musicians at all - the spiky urgency of punk and New Wave is punchily evident, the bass is incredibly strong, and the band aren't afraid of unorthodox rhythms - the difference is that those rhythms tend to remain the same throughout each track, building a rock-solid foundation around which the guitarist can do marvellous things. This could have allowed Fripp just to jack off moronically if he'd wanted to. But what he does instead is extraordinary - he takes the now-passe lead guitarist role and totally rearranges what it means. Because in many respects this isn't lead guitar he's playing - this is rhythm guitar, but approached so idiosyncratically and so freshly that it transcends the stupid pigeonholes of lead and rhythm, creating a whole new way of doing things. And yet beautifully, hilariously, ironically,the recording begins with Robert Fripp telling you this is definitely NOT the Robert Fripp band, occasionally interrupting the set to remind us that we're supposed to be dancing, not staring at him being brilliant. I've no idea what I would have done if I was there - but I can imagine myself both standing there slack-jawed in awe at the mind-bending excellence on show, AND thrashing about wildly to this fantastically hypnotic dance-punk. Inductive Resonance, Heptaparaparshinokh and Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx are now as firmly burned in my brain as some of King Crimson's greatest, and my only sadness is that I didn't discover this sooner. If this is one of the more "unsteady" performances by this band, I can't wait to hear one where they feel like they know what they're doing. Because this is incredible, unique, wonderful stuff, the like of which it's extremely difficult to come across.
Written by Robin D Crawford
contact me if you wish
I met Robert before the gig & asked him to sign a composite drawing I did of KC pics. He politely refused saying (basically): you sign your work-not me. I argued (in vain) to get him to autograph it. When I realized he WAS NOT going to sign it, I pulled out my copy of "Under Heavy Manners" to which he Responded enthusiastically: "Ahhh, That’s My Work!" and signed it on the FRONT & BACK (I still have this LP). My friends "the LIPS ARE BACK"were opening for TLOG this eve - ver...
I met Robert before the gig & asked him to sign a composite drawing I did of KC pics. He politely refused saying (basically): you sign your work-not me. I argued (in vain) to get him to autograph it. When I realized he WAS NOT going to sign it, I pulled out my copy of "Under Heavy Manners" to which he Responded enthusiastically: "Ahhh, That’s My Work!" and signed it on the FRONT & BACK (I still have this LP). My friends "the LIPS ARE BACK"were opening for TLOG this eve - very punk. It was a GENISIS/ KC crowd - anti punk. when the booing ensued Robert came out of the dressing room and took a lady (Actually the lead singers wife) to the dance floor (for dancing) which the crowd went : if it’s OK with Fripp, it’s OK w/me. People started dancing... TLOG came out, RF took to the mic: THIS IS NOT KC, THIS IS NOT RF & TLOG, THIS IS TLOG. there were people standing in front of him as TLOG did the first few songs. RF said "I had the chairs removed-this space is for dancing". Well, some of us just luv this guy for his playing (even tho he was looking for more pelvic response). The album wasn’t out yet so NO ONE knew the material. I HAD A GREAT TIME. It was not KC. IT WAS THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMAN. It was a stunning event (should be in CAPS).I have my ticket stub, CONCERT FLYER and signed album if you need verification.garden apt dweller (slightly above the basement!!!)Robin
Written by Chris Peterson
July 19th My Fathers Place Roslyn, NY
Mr Fripp was a little dissapointed that not everyone was dancing.,and he announced that fact. Although my bro Anthony and myself were hitting the ceiling jumping and and dancing in a frenzy. We were devout traditional Crimson fans but had no trouble enjoying "The Gentlemen" and dancing up a drenching sweat.
Written by Dave Rollo
nolstalgic resonance
While living in E. Lansing (first year college) I found a flyer for the LOGposted just as the semester ended on a lamp post. Standing mouth agape - I could hardly believe it - Mr. Fripp coming to .... Michigan State.....? Wha? Was this a cruel hoax? Could it be true?MSU was a cultural backwater, and for sanity I would return to Detroit, orroadtrip to Ann Arbor for shows. No one I met my freshman year knew of Fripp, and only marginally of King Crimson (!). ...
While living in E. Lansing (first year college) I found a flyer for the LOGposted just as the semester ended on a lamp post. Standing mouth agape - I could hardly believe it - Mr. Fripp coming to .... Michigan State.....? Wha? Was this a cruel hoax? Could it be true?MSU was a cultural backwater, and for sanity I would return to Detroit, orroadtrip to Ann Arbor for shows. No one I met my freshman year knew of Fripp, and only marginally of King Crimson (!). I actually visited Dooley’s several weeks prior to the date of the show to speak with the manager to make certain that it wasn’t some grosteque mistake (I suspected that the band would realize that a error had been made by the arranger or manager of the tour, and would elect to change the venue to play in AA instead)."Yeah, it’s some kind of dance band," explained Dooley’s manager. "OK, three tickets," me. Bringing several friends from Detroit, we arrived veeeery early, took a front row table, suffered through an opening act (but then, how on earth do you open for the LOG?). And, then my pal Jeff nudges me. Fripp is dancing to the opener (a very intense hop/shake frenzy)!. I am (a bit) astonished to witness this, and I also at once feel that this is very kind gesture, since the band playing is ill equipped to engage an audience that is clearly anticipating the next act. But as Mr. Fripp explains, we are meant to dance tonight. As LOG begins their set, I am amazed at how tight the group is. Fripp’s timing is impeccable, and the other members are clearly locked in. Barry Andrews is taking all measures to coax, massage and assualt his keyboard. Sarah Lee is providing the spine of the bassline. I am in a state of total bliss as this music seems to be working both my right and left brains at once. I stop drinking, as I am rapt with attention. Regretfully, I didn’t dance. The dancefloor is pathetically small. But afterward, with the hooks still playing in my brain, I am already certain I will follow the LOG to their next performance. After the show, as we three were sharing our experiences a very agitated patron comes by our table. "This show was terrible - what crap- this wasn’t Crimson at all! Fripp’s was playing out of tune!! What was this shit, anyway?!"*I could only say that, whatever it was, it was one of the rarest and most unexpected performances that I had witnessed. The bliss hadn’t stopped, and I tried to share it, but for him, it was a total waste. I could hardly believe that we had been in the same audience. Several days later, I was finally able to dance to the LOG - this time at Harpo’s in Detroit. It was a much bigger crowd, but they were totally into it, and the band was as tight as ever. Barry Andrews was out there, dancing with us in the bar/dancefloor at the second level during intermission. My girlfriend(who I pleaded to come, since she had ... other ....things to do that evening....) was ELECTRIFIED. The audience gave it up for the LOG that night....So, now 29 years later, I cannot believe my luck in hearing it all again. I’ve thought often about that show, and here it is.My heartfelt, brainfelt, thanks. Cheers,Dave*this, I believe, was the malcontent that kept demanding the band play21st Century Schizoid Man throughout the show as referred to by Mr. Frippat the end of the "Ooh! Mr. Fripp" track.
