Nitrous, an ET correspondent offered this account of the lunchtime performance. “I arrived for the lunchtime RF gig 45 minutes early to find RF sitting in the audience seats absorbing the beautiful ambience of the Winter Garden, located in the World Financial Center, across the street from the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan.
A beautiful setting it is, with giant 50 foot high palm trees and thousands of tiny white Christmas lights shining against a high vaulted glass ceiling revealing a bright blue sky,
in the middle of the world's capital center. Certainly a different type of setting one usually hears RF or Crimson music in. RF appeared to be content taking in the scenery, so I didn't disturb him (nor did any of the other early arrivals.) The crowd varied from Crimheads to financial brokers to an 80 year old woman sitting in front of me.
At 12:15, Fripp launched into 45 minutes of Frippertronic Soundscapes, mesmerizing the mostly hushed audience. He traveled from the pleasant to the mind-provoking dissonant sounds he is well known for producing; by the end of the concert, some looked as if they wished he had finished 25 minutes earlier! He ended the concert smiling to a standing ovation! And not one flashbulb went off!”
Robert’s comment on the performance? “This lunchtime I gave myself permission to disturb the lunch of those who had not come to listen by making a demand of them.”
The evening concert includes Affirming which appeared on the 2005 Robert Fripp album, Love Cannot Bear under the title of Requiem - Affirming. Heard within the context of the overall concert it remains one of the most moving soundscape pieces you’re likely to hear.
