22.49
Rising c. 07.00 to arrive more closely to our working schedule.
Down to the trough, sitting in the adjoining quiet-room to the main area, and to Setlisting. Entering a different subjective-space to the one in which I woke: something in the air? A DGM Breakfast meeting with David.
To the room for practicing.
First van, to the Tokyo Bunkamure Orchard Hall, at 13.00.
Lunch and personal meeting with Hellboy Tom, who arrived on Sunday and is staying at a hotel opposite the venue.
Practising. Soundchecking and Bellscaping,
At Soundcheck, I felt the spirit of King Crimson entering the band. This was very moving and tears were close. Gratitude.
Welcoming the Royal Packagers…
Onstage at 19.00. First set c. one hour and twenty -three minutes. Overall: two hours and forty-seven minutes, taking into account the curfew. From the first notes, I felt the presence of the audience, and their listening.
My sound was excellent for the first set, hard for the second. Chris Porter, our FOH, reported that the venue had taken out a load of 250 hz during the intermission without consulting us: they were looking at frequency curves on computers. Not sure whether this had an effect, or it was the nature of the music – more Crimson-metallic. My playing is significantly governed by what I hear, although part of the craft is to play when all you can hear is mush. As earlier this year at the Amsterdam Concertgebeouw: as bad personal a sound as I have experienced onstage anywhere at any time.
Gauging the response of audients as much as possible: Japanese audiences, conventionally, appear reserved to Western players. Experience suggests that the tendency, for KC audiences, is to wait until the end of the performance to express approval. Tonight, a learning for me in terms of cultural response to this band.
Overall: 7.5 – 8 our of 10, not quite magical, perhaps unlikely to shift the trajectory of one’s life. But special nonetheless. And a sense of Help made available.
First van back to the hotel and a call to Toyah in London, c. 13.40 UK time, just before her rehearsals with the SAS Band. Yippee!
"Even genius requires a competent technique."
