Recorded on the eighth night of a 35 date world tour, Fripp was always going to be a controversial addition to the G3 line-up.[endtease] With Yngwie Malmsteen unable to make the dates, Fripp’s bleeping and droning weren’t an obvious fit for a nightly bill that included Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.
“I actually thought he was paraplegic until the end of the show; even then he didn’t take a bow!” thus spake one disgruntled punter who had the bad luck to see Fripp’s solo spot when the G3 roadshow rolled into Manchester’s Apollo.
This wasn’t the first time that Manchester had heard soundscapes. Robert played at Virgin Records in 1996. Back then, it had been in front of a handful of admirers and innocent shoppers going about their business. On this occasion it was in front of a couple of thousand punters eagerly waiting to rock out at a shredfest.
Another outraged punter put it this way: “Forty minutes of an old man, playing pretty much the same thing over and over and over again, strumming once every 10 minutes and then fiddling with knobs for the rest of the time.”
Not everyone in the crowd that night was as disappointed or as flummoxed as these two observers. Indeed several report being impressed with this blend of orchestral timbre and soul-searching melodies. Though it certainly wasn’t to the taste of many vocal elements in the crowd, as Fripp probes and feels his way into these areas, it’s evident that something special is going on especially during the beautiful coda to Paradise Regained.
Recorded on the eighth night of a 35 date world tour, Fripp was always going to be a controversial addition to the G3 line-up.[endtease] With Yngwie Malmsteen unable to make the dates, Fripp’s bleeping and droning weren’t an obvious fit for a nightly bill that included Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.
“I actually thought he was paraplegic until the...
I was fortunate to enough to attend the concert in Birmingham with my sons of 26 & 23 - both rock fans who wouldn’t listen to my KC/RF collection. RF was a revelation to each of them such was the quality and soulfulness of the performance and both are now fans! The music ran through the whole gamut of sensations and it was a joy to have travelled the 150 miles each way to hear it! It was a privilege to attend the concert and hear a Master at work! For RF fans the whole...
I was fortunate to enough to attend the concert in Birmingham with my sons of 26 & 23 - both rock fans who wouldn’t listen to my KC/RF collection. RF was a revelation to each of them such was the quality and soulfulness of the performance and both are now fans! The music ran through the whole gamut of sensations and it was a joy to have travelled the 150 miles each way to hear it! It was a privilege to attend the concert and hear a Master at work! For RF fans the whole concert was a triumph - this concert is a magnificent and cherished representation. If only RF would come to Paphos and perform under the warm evening sky on the harbour!! Tony Brearton - Paphos
Written by Mario Suarez
Threshold and Paradise
I’m a fan - I’ve only heard the previews. I find what I’ve heard to be futuristic and fresh. it certainly reminds me of classical tones that have evolved into what Mr. Fripp is playing. Yes, I like it. "It is better for people to be like the beasts . . . They should be more intuitive they should not be too conscious of what they are doing while they are doing it." Albert Einstein
Written by David F Snyder
Lucky man
Luckily for us, Mr. Fripp listens to his muse and not to his listeners. This performance, just shy of 39 minutes long, is both heartfelt and visceral. The stereo production is tender, provide good depth and width throughout; a quad or 5.1 version would be worthy of this particular Soundscape, performed on a late version of The Lunar Module (perhaps the last tour with The Lunar Module?). The bells are a brilliant introduction, awakening, perhaps even alarming, the listener to what follows. ...
Luckily for us, Mr. Fripp listens to his muse and not to his listeners. This performance, just shy of 39 minutes long, is both heartfelt and visceral. The stereo production is tender, provide good depth and width throughout; a quad or 5.1 version would be worthy of this particular Soundscape, performed on a late version of The Lunar Module (perhaps the last tour with The Lunar Module?). The bells are a brilliant introduction, awakening, perhaps even alarming, the listener to what follows. In Time Stands Still, we have time slowing, ebbing forward and backward in beautiful eddies. Cycles repeat; voices are reflected and reversed in time. The individual cries out at its reaching this point. But can time stand still forever? Queer Jazz Symmetrical: bass, horns, piano voices welcome us into a place that is uncertain, or at least that never resolves, a morphing figure. This section cycles through darkness and light, through the tragic and comic. At The End Of Time is beautiful and peaceful, yet affirming. Thank you for this offering, DGM.
Written by Piotr Grzelec
It’s interesting how in such uncomfortable conditions it’s possible for an artist to create so powerul set. It seems to me that music is something of a separated entity which exists in the world of its own. And yet still remains the part of the whole event. Musically these Soundscapes - regarding their sustained and minimal structure - belong in my opinion to the same spectrum as the WTC performances and later music from NY. Very intense and emotional. But this is different kind ...
It’s interesting how in such uncomfortable conditions it’s possible for an artist to create so powerul set. It seems to me that music is something of a separated entity which exists in the world of its own. And yet still remains the part of the whole event. Musically these Soundscapes - regarding their sustained and minimal structure - belong in my opinion to the same spectrum as the WTC performances and later music from NY. Very intense and emotional. But this is different kind of emotions which then appeared during December Suite performances. Where do they come from in a strictly technical process of creating music? Is there anything out of music which can be of inspiration for an artist while improvising? Perhaps music is already emotional and both artist and listener taking part in their recognision. piotr
