It’s a fact of life that the Crimson setlist doesn’t change around too many times over the course of a tour. There are variations of course but in sculpting the overall shape of a live performance, the narrative and dynamic of how a night can go, as a band digs in on the road, the fixed points on the setlist are like anchor points, orientating both band and audience. Every now and then, however, small changes incremental changes are made. This show is one such occasion.
On the second night in Chicago’s Park West, it’s fascinating to hear the drifting soundscape in the middle move seamlessly into The Power To Believe Part II. To then hear the piece move through it’s varied, diaphanous layers, from sparkling percussion, vocoded voice, majestic soundscapes, and Fripp’s valedictory solo, and then back into One Time is quite a special moment in this gig. You can hear the crowd being appreciative of this approach. “It’s a medley,” jokes Belew as the applause dies down.
“We love Chicago. Yeah, we do,” after a spectral Deception Of The Thrush. The change of mood and pace couldn’t be more contrasting as Into The Frying Pan comes pounding in. Its appearance is something of a rarity - the first time so far since this particular tour began. Sizzling stuff.
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