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| P2 At Albany Again |
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| :: Posted by Sid Smith on Mon., Feb 20, 2012 |
My thanks to J Eric Smith for sending in this marvelous review of P2 playing Albany. You can hear the gig that Eric is writing about here.
Eric writes "I was a music critic (for better or worse) in Albany, New York for many years. My wife and I recently relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, and as part of launching a web presence in my new home community, I have been reviewing old archives of my work for items that might lend themselves to new purposes. I found a ProjeKCt Two live review (copied below) while digging through old floppy discs and files, and thought I would share it here, since I have not seen many other formal newsprint reviews from that era posted here. It was a lovely show, one that I still cite as one of my all-time favorite live performances.
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ProjeKct Two
Valentine’s Music Hall, Albany, New York, May 8, 1998
Copyright 1998, J. Eric Smith (Originally appeared in Metroland, The Alternative Newsweekly of Northeastern New York)
"OK, now we’ve played everything we don’t know,so we can play something that we actually do know," announced electronic drummer Adrian Belew at the end of ProjeKct Two’s second all-instrumental, all-improvised set. Belew, 10-string Warr guitarist Trey Gunn and electric six-string guitarist Robert Fripp then encored with King Crimson’s "Vrooom," an angular number originally created by Fripp, Belew, Gunn and their Crimson bandmates Tony Levin, Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto.
As nice as it was to hear "Vrooom," the true value of the encore was to place the evening’s improvisational extravaganza in context by providing a single sample of how ProjeKct Two sounded when tackling a fully developed and structured instrumental piece. Frankly speaking, the encore paled in comparison to the 90 minutes of music preceding it, as its rehearsed complexities and nuances were nowhere near as impressive as the knotty, towering sound collages that ProjeKct Two created on the fly as the rapt audience watched and listened.
Fripp, Belew and Gunn were watching and listening to each other as well, and much of the thrill of this concert came from witnessing the interactions between these deeply talented musicians who have played together long enough to anticipate each other’s thoughts, sometimes before they eve realize that they’ve had them. Belew or Fripp typically opened each number with a drum or guitar pattern that the other musicians would would investigate, mount and ride, sometimes to loud and uplifting summits, sometimes to quiet, scary grottoes, sometimes back to the point at which they started. It was actually harrowing to experience in many cases, as the trio careened just on this side of control as they rode, the looks on their faces indicating that it was just as thrilling (and frightening) for them as it was their audience.
As important as technical prowess was to the concert’s success, mention must also be made of ProjeKct Two’s technological proficiancy. Belew was playing the latest generation of Roland virtual drums, allowing him to create a seemingly infinite number of sonic assaults as he clattered and rattled along with a look-Ma-I’ve-got drums grin on his face. (Understandable, given that he’s normally a guitarist.) Gunn matched Belew’s rhythmic and textural intensity as he tapped, stroked and and beat the touchboard of his Warr guitar.
Fripp spun out any number of his trademark spine-tingling sustained guitar lines but also used the treatment technology he has developed over the years via his Soundscape and Frippertronic performance experiments to create a wealth of tones and intonations. At times, the bands’ sounds were so far skewed from what your eyes were reporting to your brain that it was almost psychologically easier to look at the floor and imagine that Fripp was playing cluster chords on some beaten-up jazz-hall piano while Gunn blew on a baritone sax and Belew kept time by tapping on whisky bottles and ashtrays. Crazy, man, crazy.
All told, ProjeKct Two’s concert was a magnificent one, and I must confess to feeling great relief in being able to report that. Why? Because Robert Fripp’s written and recorded works have done more to shape both how I listen to and how I think about music than have any other artist’s over the last two decades, although I never actually stood in the same space with Fripp until last Friday. So imagine the potential for debilitating disappointment at this show, and then imagine the transcendent relief and joy when it didn’t come to pass. It literally moved me to tears. And how often can a wordless concert do that?"
More news
Displaying 4131 items (Viewing 291 to 300 of 4131)
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Fripp Olympics
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Mon., Aug 13, 2012
The world of social media was ablaze last night to the news that Robert Fripp's guitar was featured in the closing ceremony for the 2012 Olympics when they played David Bowie's Fashion. You'll recall Fripp's guitar was also heard a fortnight ago in the opening ceremony when David Bowie's Heroes accompanied Team GB into the arena. In the words of Head of Deliverance, Ian Fletcher, So, that's all good then.
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BGE vs 1605munro
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Sun., Aug 12, 2012
There's a series of live dates coming by the Berlin Guitar Ensemble and 1605munro.
24.08.12 20:00 Kulturpalast Linden
Eintritt: 8€, Deisterstraße 23, 30449 Hannover
(details)
25.08.12 19:00 St.-Andreas-Kirche
Eintritt: frei, St.-Andreas-Straße 5, 31832 Springe
(details)
www.kulturpalast-hannover.de
26.08.12 19:00 Antikriegshaus Sievershausen
Eintritt: frei, Kirchweg 4A, 31275 Lehrte
(details)
http://www.facebook.com/events/395213677209709/ oder
www.antikriegshaus.de
27.08.12 19:00 Hofcafé Peetzen 10
Eintritt: frei, Eveser Str. 45, 31675 Bückeburg, OT Evesen
(details)
www.peetzen10.de
29.08.12 20:00 Oberer Stadtpark Alfeld (Open Air)
Eintritt: frei, Kalandstraße 1, 31061 Alfeld (Leine)
(details)
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No Control
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Sun., Aug 12, 2012
My thanks to the UnusualMuse for sending this link to an article about who's getting the biggest chunk of the pie when it comes to streaming services.
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Mentioned In Dispatches...
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Sat., Aug 11, 2012
Thanks to Dragos for spotting this reference to Fripp in an article about film makers and this citing of KC's influence on Van Halen!
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New Studio Album From Travis & Fripp
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Fri., Aug 10, 2012
Follow is the title of the latest release from Travis & Fripp. Echoing the KC 40th Anniversary Editions, this is available as a CD/DVD-A package enabling listeners to enjoy the duo in the immersive world of a Steven Wilson 5.1 surround sound mix. The DVD-A also contains footage of T&F in concert.
You can pre-order from Burning Shed in Europe and the mail order shop for the USA.
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Lizard On Vinyl
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Fri., Aug 10, 2012
King Crimson's third album, Lizard, is being reissued on heavyweight vinyl. Fans of this album will enjoy seeing its sumptuous art work restored to its full gate-fold glory. Coming on 200gm vinyl and MP3 codes, this is a must-have for KC collectors everywhere.
You can pre-order from Burning Shed in Europe and the mail order shop in the USA.
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And The Winner Is...
:: Posted by Sid Smith on Mon., Aug 6, 2012
Congratulations to Greg Guillot of Dallas, Texas. Greg was able to tell me that the name of the solo album by Jakko Jakszyk we were looking for was indeed The Bruised Romantic Glee Club. For his troubles Greg nabs himself the CD/DVD-A edition of A Scarcity of Miracles by Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins.
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