“Oh sorry, my throat...Whose been smoking pot?” asks Adrian Belew after aborting the first couplet of Three Of A Perfect Pair at the end of great King Crimson set. “Some of it got caught in my throat. OK we’ll try that again,” and off he launches into another rendition of the song. Perhaps the smoky conditions encountered in Milwaukee and the effect upon Ade’s voice were the cause of the encore part of the set being cancelled? Who knows at this remove. However, what is certain that this sounds like a keeper of a show.
There’s a vibrancy about much of this performance - the mid-set take-no-prisoners improv features some of Robert’s most frenetic runs across the fretboard which quite rightly draws cheers from a jaw-dropped crowd. It’s one of those sets where even the older material sounds as bright and as fresh as if it had only just burst out of the studio; the double-duo double-whammy that is Frame By Frame and Elephant Talk hits as hard.
Elsewhere, the large-form set pieces, LTIA PtIV and FraKctured, cast long and deep shadows.The latter of these formidable compositions sounding especially savage during the fast running lines of the metal section. The exhilarating rush that comes from Mastelotto’s percussive punctuations as Gunn and Fripp wrangle those writhing notes, is one of the reasons that makes this group so compelling.
“Oh sorry, my throat...Whose been smoking pot?” asks Adrian Belew after aborting the first couplet of Three Of A Perfect Pair at the end of great King Crimson set. “Some of it got caught in my throat. OK we’ll try that again,” and off he launches into another rendition of the song. Perhaps the smoky conditions encountered in Milwaukee and the effe...
What stood out for me at this exceptional performance was the improv when Robert took off on a “screed” (as Hunter S. Thompson was wont to write) and Pat followed him. Adrian looked at Robert rather bemusedly, then shared a glace with Trey as they both settled back to observe for a while until eventually finding spots to join in on the excursion. This group appeared to be having a real good time on stage, and after listening to the music again last evening after the download, it appear...
What stood out for me at this exceptional performance was the improv when Robert took off on a “screed” (as Hunter S. Thompson was wont to write) and Pat followed him. Adrian looked at Robert rather bemusedly, then shared a glace with Trey as they both settled back to observe for a while until eventually finding spots to join in on the excursion. This group appeared to be having a real good time on stage, and after listening to the music again last evening after the download, it appears my memory may still be intact. Yet another highlight, among many on this evening, was an amazing FraKctured that had the entire audience enthralled. Having witnessed this piece earlier in the year in Paris, I was hoping for a second helping, and it was even better the second time around. I’m not sure what “the cause of the encore part of the set being cancelled” refers to in the official notes, as TOAPP and Thrush were the first encore and Oyster Soup was the second. The band seemed very appreciative of the audience as they took their final bows, and I even think I recall Robert applauding us! While a third encore would have been greatly appreciated, I doubt that anyone left the theater unsatisfied.
