November 29, 2006
	Hitomi Memorial Hall    Tokyo, Japan

Notes In his diary, Fripp comments that the “audience was generous, although some had difficulty with the Soundscapes. But, generous all the same.” Their generosity on this last date supporting Porcupine Tree, was to be rewarded with a ‘scape opening up on an eerie, sombre landscape that both thrills and chills. Listening back to the Schizoid Fantasia, the guitarist was heard to yelp “Yowalamus est!” Those familiar with Oldgoatspeak will recognise this as the cry of someone not so much touched as jabbed by what they’re hearing. To these ears it seems darker the previous evenings exploration. It sounds like someone a long way from home and wondering how to get there. The antidote to this bleakness and despair can be discerned in the soulful playing during Time Stands Still and its shining coda. The hopeful tones that characterise these sections, suggests that although we all have a long way to go on our journey we will eventually get there. There’s comfort in that thought and there’s comfort in this music.
Tracks Disc Number 1 1.  Bell Threshold   [PREVIEW]  1.30 2.  Schizoid Fantasia   [PREVIEW]  6.38 3.  Queer Jazz Symmetrical   [PREVIEW]  3.18 4.  Time Stands Still   [PREVIEW]  10.25 5.  Time Stands Still Coda   [PREVIEW]  6.33 All previews are MP3 192kbps Personnel Robert Fripp		Audio Source: Hard Disc DGM Audio Quality Rating: Average Customer Rating: Purchase Show  $9.95 (What is FLAC?)  $6.95     Submit a Review

Band Member Diaries

    Wed., Nov 29, 2006
Written by Robert Fripp

09.36

Hotel Acceptable-ish, Osaka.

Acceptable buffet, reflective breakfast. New reading: Ways of Listening: An Ecological Approach to the Perception of Musical Meaning (Oxford 2005) by Eric. F. Clarke

This is also a result of bibliophiliacal tumescence at the University Bookstore in Seattle.

Bartok: the lento from the First String Quartet is sublime. This music held great power in my life around the time of the first major life transition, from estate agent to professional musician in 1967, and contributed to the shift. I have not returned to the Bartok SQs with the same intensity since, until now. And here I find the lento, waiting for me still. I feel this music is part of the unfolding future-sense: my sense is of time opening forward & backwards simultaneously.

12.36  Bullet Train Osaka>Tokyo.

Osaka Platform I…

II…

That’s our train!...

On board…

II…

III…

Always a wonder when traveling to & from Tokyo when this view appears: Mount Fuji I…

II…

III…

IV…

V...

14.53  Hotel Acceptable, Tokyo

The room is better than I was lead to believe it would be I…

II…

III…

Centre…

Left…

Right…

This is the first time I have stayed in this particular hotel, some 15 years old. It is quite close to the Hotel New Otani, where Crimson stayed on their first visit to Japan in December 1981; and the Capitol Toyku, where I have mostly stayed since touring Japan with David Sylvian in 1992, which is currently closed for refurb & about to re-open. But not today.

The view from my room is the opposite direction to the Otani & Tokyu, less spectacular but also a little quieter.

Now, an e-flurry.

20.17  An early performance, as is conventional in Tokyo: doors open at 17.45, support act on at 18.30.

Soundcheck of the top act I…

II…

Stage right monitor of stage action…

Rock Gods I…

II…

III…

Support act’s dressing room…

II…

Tonight, the Soundscapes set was 29 minutes: 1 minute short. What a terrible man - shortchanging innocent audients who handed over their hard-earned pay. The audience was generous, although some had difficulty with the Soundscapes. But, generous all the same.

This was the last  of our 3 performances of this visit. I continue too jet-lagged to stay & cheer for PT, or go with them to the promoter’s farewell dinner at the restaurant Quentin Tarentino used to film Kill Bill – where the killer schoolgirl & hordes of assassins & Lucy Liu are all despatched by Uma the revenging hero.

So, back to the hotel.

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Fan Reviews

Last show? Miniature perfect, Sat., Mar 9, 2013
Written by jeremykeens
This is the last soundscape available, and for that reason (mainly) I bought it. It would make sense to have these three Japan shows available as a set: they are relatively short compared to some other ones that are here. That said, it is like a condensed distillation of the 2005+ soundscapes. Beautiful guitar work threading through the more non-guitarsounding sounds that Mr Fripp generates through his rig. A beautiful keening work, like a perfectly pulled espresso it takes you to the heart of a man and his guitar exploring and imploring. Thank you - I hope there are more in the archive

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