So here we are at the final date of Crimson’s 2000’s long, hard Euro-slog. Filmed by the Bootleg TV crew and included on the Eyes Wide Open dvd, the band work hard at a show that doesn’t always catch alight. Struggling with sound problems on the night, it takes a little while for the team to warm up. The first improvisation of the evening has a tentative feel where the band individually dip their toes in the water from time to time but don’t quite push the boat out.
A sprightly trot through Dinosaur and a barn-storming Oyster Soup feels like the coming together point, possibly accounting for a more success improv, C Blasticum. Containing some rare moments such as Adrian’s staccato guitar jabs that he would later recycle for Dangerous Curves, the Seizure bass beat (complete with samples from Easy Money), a feisty Fripp blast and Ade’s strangulated string-pulling. When combined together, they offer a compelling glimpse of the beast in action.
LTIA Pt V also has its fair share of thrills and spills with Fripp and Gunn’s unison work being especially noteworthy. Belew’s solo spot really gets the Empire crowd going, shining a well-deserved spotlight on this vintage number.
So here we are at the final date of Crimson’s 2000’s long, hard Euro-slog. Filmed by the Bootleg TV crew and included on the Eyes Wide Open dvd, the band work hard at a show that doesn’t always catch alight. Struggling with sound problems on the night, it takes a little while for the team to warm up. The first improvisation of the evening has a ten...
I generally prefer post-Power to Believe shows because Mastelotto's switch to a more acoustic kit gives the songs more power, but this is as powerful as the electronic kit gets. To my ears this is a tighter, more refined show than New Haven 2001, with the requisite last-show-of-tour energy boost. I disagree with the description about improv I: both improvs sound on fire to me! But I agree that Oyster Soup and Larks IV are among the highlights. Even Cage, one of my least favorite Crimson songs, s...
I generally prefer post-Power to Believe shows because Mastelotto's switch to a more acoustic kit gives the songs more power, but this is as powerful as the electronic kit gets. To my ears this is a tighter, more refined show than New Haven 2001, with the requisite last-show-of-tour energy boost. I disagree with the description about improv I: both improvs sound on fire to me! But I agree that Oyster Soup and Larks IV are among the highlights. Even Cage, one of my least favorite Crimson songs, sounds less scraggly than the version on Heavy ConstruKction.
If I were looking for a first download of a pre-TPtB show by the double duo, this would be my pick.
Written by Dejan Ancic
Amazing music with amazing quality.
I love the performances they made and the songs they played are awesome. Also, the quality of the recording is really great!
Written by Mark Taylor
Heaven & Hell Unleashed
I’m not ashamed to say that when Thrak hit the retailers in 1995 and I purchased my copy I didn’t buy in to what I was hearing. Sometimes what we are seeking internally, perhaps even spiritually is not aligned with what we are hearing... or think we are hearing. At that point I pretty much hopped off the Crimso interstellar bus and, to coin a certain musical fellow’s term, "moved on". I still had tremendous respect for the driver but didn’t want to see the places he was driving through...
I’m not ashamed to say that when Thrak hit the retailers in 1995 and I purchased my copy I didn’t buy in to what I was hearing. Sometimes what we are seeking internally, perhaps even spiritually is not aligned with what we are hearing... or think we are hearing. At that point I pretty much hopped off the Crimso interstellar bus and, to coin a certain musical fellow’s term, "moved on". I still had tremendous respect for the driver but didn’t want to see the places he was driving through. Fast foward about 16 years - has it really been that long? I saw a copy of The Collectable King Crimson Vol 3 "Live at Shepherd’s Bush" in Fry’s Electronics here in Indianapolis and couldn’t resist having another go. Time does things to people and all I can say is wow. Wow Wow WOW! If I had to describe this in a single sentence I would say it sounds like Steve Reich meets Igor Stravinsky with 10,000 watts behind them - and that comments does this little justice. This show is taken directly from the band’s console and though you can hear the occasional ’moron in the audience’ the sound is wonderful. Without a doubt the most intense live recording I have ever heard. It’s like Zappa on steriods. This music definitely has eyebrows! The rhythms are hypnotic and the playing seems humanly impossible in places. What an amazing band this was. Shepherd’s Bush Empire sounds like Heaven and Hell unleashed. In places the music is incredibly barbaric and then suddenly it is achingly beautiful - but not for long, we are quickly plunged back into the sound of fire and brimstone. Sorry I couldn’t support the KCCC at the time but very pleased I was able to obtain a copy of this CD. Five Stars, absolutely.
Written by Gaspar Murvartian
Great mix for the download verison
Great care has been taken to do the mixing of this download version. Here you don’t get the volume drop you do get on the DVD version after the 2 track TCoL.Perhaps since this gig was originally released as a double-DVD along with the more ’fancy’, multi-angled -footage which also included the then new material from the more successful The Power to Believe- Tokyo 2003 DVD, this 2000 London gig, I think, has always been somewhat underrated. I’ve always preferred the more intimate Shepherd...
Great care has been taken to do the mixing of this download version. Here you don’t get the volume drop you do get on the DVD version after the 2 track TCoL.Perhaps since this gig was originally released as a double-DVD along with the more ’fancy’, multi-angled -footage which also included the then new material from the more successful The Power to Believe- Tokyo 2003 DVD, this 2000 London gig, I think, has always been somewhat underrated. I’ve always preferred the more intimate Shepherds Bush gig, both performance wise and visually - that was indeed great ’Bootleg TV’.Thank you for this downloadAnother very ’intimate’ London performance I’d like to see released would be the 12th September, 1982 at the Hammersmith Palais
