Robert Fripp on June 24, 2004 in Manchester

Robert Fripp

	June 24, 2004

	Apollo Manchester, United Kingdom

Notes
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. 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.

Tracks

Disc Number 1
1.	Threshold Bells	[PREVIEW]	1.03
2.	Paradise	[PREVIEW]	8.46
3.	Paradise Lost	[PREVIEW]	11.15
4.	Paradise Regained	[PREVIEW]	9.44

All previews are MP3 192kbps

Personnel
Robert Fripp - Guitar

Audio Source: Direct Hard Disc

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Band Member Diaries

Thu., Jun 24, 2004
Written by Robert Fripp
12.01

Satch Bus, hurtling from Glasgow to Manchester.

Today's journey is 218 miles with an estimated travelling time of 3'49". We left Hotel Acceptable at 11.05.

At 09.35, in my underwear & preparing to step out for a coffee, there was a knock at my door. Surprisingly, it was the Room Revibrator enquiring as to my departure time. Surprisingly, because there was a do not disturb sign on the door.

The Happy Gigster's Guide notes that a do not disturb sign functions much as a red flag does to a bull. The second volume in the series - The Happy Gigster's Guide To Metaphysics (Or How To Make The Cosmos Work For You) - tells us that whenever a situation is defined negatively, and/or when a situation that must not happen is clearly described, the proscribed event will inevitably take place.

At check-out, while paying the bill for clean shirts & tidy, I mentioned the do not disturb sign that didn't work; with the proviso that I didn't want anyone to get in trouble. The receptionist went to fetch the manager & the FOH manager, both of whom came out to Reception & apologised. Do not disturb means do not disturb said the manager. I don't want anyone to get in trouble replied trouble-making Happy Gigster. The manager explained: the hotel regularly re-visited its protocol for reasons such as this, and then declined to accept payment for laundry as an acknowledgement of the hotel's error.

This is exceptional. The acknowledgement of error, and the acceptance of responsibility for vicarious acts, is increasingly rare. Management of the SAS Radisson, Glasgow, is currently high in my esteem.

And, related to negative definition and how to bring about unwanted events, from an e-mail to my office --

please don't contact me regarding guests or requests. i really do NOT want to know who is coming to a show: you know the people involved and are able to ticket them through GH if you need.

and i CANNOT be distracted at this point by people who want tickets and/or backstage access, such as -- (or -- or ..). all good people. it is intolerable that -- e-mails me, personally, just days short of the RAH for this. please, if you can, take care of this.

despite years of defining necessary touring conditions, and the guestlist issue is one, it has no seeming effect. no-one near me is in any doubt that i am unable to deal with guest list issues while on the road, particularly last minute issues. and yet i opened my e-mail after two long days on the bus to find a mailbox with varying & various requests & demands; this in addition to normal arising issues & demands.

over to you, please! help!

Already there is a third HGG being planned -- The HGG to Metaphysics II (How to Make The Cosmos Work Better For You).

15.10 We are pulling into Manchester and it is raining.

17.25 Manchester Apollo, Dressing Room

The concern of the musician is music;
The concern of the professional musician is business.

Two Choices --

Well, did the Third G practice guitar, or sign the posters?

From The Guitarist's Stool --

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Fan Reviews

June 24th Manchester, Fri., May 8, 2009
Written by antbrearton

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

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