Audio Source 1/4 Inch Tape
DGM Audio Quality
#
Title
Time
1
09:44
2
07:29

Houston Hall Evening

Robert Fripp
Philadelphia
21 Feb 1981

The whole two days at Houston Hall had been quite eventful on way or another. Writing on Elephant Talk on 13th February 2003, Spear man recalled the novel method of his and his pal's contribution to posterity: “Back in 81, robert fripp was doing his first frippertronic tour and was playing at the u. of pennsylvania in philly...we knew we had to tape it, but knowing how quirky fripp is on this issue and the small size of the venue, we had to resort to unconventional means...so we went to a medical supply house, rented a wheelchair, taped the mics to the arm rests, and had my buddy sitting in the thing with a blanket covering the deck...fripp, who was tuning up and checking his decks, graciously requested that our suddenly wheelchair bound buddy be placed right in front of him...at the end of a nice 60 minute set, and after fripp takes his bows, my buddy, who was being fed margaritas via a straw the whole time, starts screaming: "fripp healed me...i feel my legs...hallelujah...fripp is god", jumps outta the chair and runs outta the place...pandemonium ensues of course, and fripp is flabergasted...the story does not end though...next day, fripp is doing promo signing at a record store, and i walk in with a j-card and ask him to sign it for the guy he had healed yesterday, becuz the tape of the gig would be incomplete without it...needless to say, fripp went ballistic, spewing obscenities left and right...i had a good laugh...”

Writing in his diary of 17th February 2003 Fripp comments “Strangely, I don't remember "going ballistic", nor "spewing obscenities left and right". But hey - it's in the nature of memory to be selective.”

For her part, Kimberly Haas, who had organised the benefit performances has this observation: “I don’t recall the wheelchair and record store episodes. I was Robert’s host and driver, so I would have been at the record store, and I remember throughout his time here, hovering near him constantly, feeling protective of him and wanting to be at hand if he needed anything. I was exceedingly grateful that he was giving us these benefit performances, and even more so–plus a bit guilty–given his illness.
 
During one of the shows, Robert reached a point in the looping where he seemed satisfied with the composition, that it felt finished, so he stopped playing live. Perhaps to hear it better, or at least to experience what the audience was hearing, he got off the stage and moved into the audience. He approached two young men in the first row and gestured to ask to sit down. They of course made room for him. I clearly remember the look on their faces, something between rapture and panic: "Oh my god, Robert Fripp is sitting next to me!!!"  Robert sat straight up, with hands on his knees and listened for a while, looked pleased, and eventually returned to the stage to wind it down."

All that survives of the final benefit gig in the evening are these two loops.

Our thanks to Al Okada for his help in preparing these recordings for release.


Join the 1000 club today


1000 Club

The One Thousand Club is an exclusive Club for long-term King Crimson fans, who wish to support the continued work of this site, and value the ongoing work of the King Crimson archives. We hugely value the support of the 1,000 members, which does much to make the online archiving possible – and, with the redesigned site, have increased the benefits and interaction.

  • UP TO $750 FREE DOWNLOADS a year.

In practice, this is close to unlimited downloads – certainly enough to download everything that is added to the site in a year, and much more. Build yourself the authoritative King Crimson collection, and then advise others on the hidden gems you discover.

  • FREE STREAMING.

1,000 CLUB Members are now able to stream all the music on this site for free, with similar access to the DGMLive catalogue that is added to the Nugs.net site.

  • BI-MONTHLY ONLINE MEETINGS

Every two months, DGM will arrange an online meeting, where 1000 Club members can hear and see what is upcoming and cooking behind the scenes in DGM Soundworld. It is also your chance to make suggestions about what you want to see in the future.

  • WEEKDAY APHORISM CARDS

Every weekday, Monday to Friday, beginning on 1st February, 1000 Club members will receive an email featuring an “Aphorism of the Day”. Robert Fripp’s three sets of Aphorism cards have been hugely popular. An online version of those cards to inspire us each work day.

  • SPECIAL user profile

We have designed a special user logo for 1,000 Club-members, similar to the one for the core DGMLive team. With their special access to all the downloads on the site, we encourage 1,000 Club members to curate the site - sharing their knowledge and insights by placing reviews and comments and favourites.

  • 1000 CLUB PLAYLISTS

1000 Club members have a unique ability to make publicly available playlists on DGMLive. Everyone has different favourites, a chance to help new visitors and even die-hard fans to discover hidden gems lurking within the site.

  • Why is it called the 1,000 Club?

Because membership is strictly limited to exactly 1,000 members. Once it is full, there will be a waiting list and any new members can only join if someone chooses to leave.

  • Why the number 1,000?

The number is partly based on Kevin Kelly's notion of the "one thousand true fans" that support a band or artist. We reward those fans by offering them free downloads, as well as other goodies. In return, we ask them to use their enhanced position to review those downloads, help curate the site, and make recommendations to new users and the DGM archivists.

  • How do I join?

There is an annual subscription of $150 a year (varying slightly by territory for sales tax/VAT reasons). Places are available on a first-come first-served basis. For further details, or to be placed on the waiting list, please email alex@dgmlive.com.

  • IT'S YOUR CLUB.

'Where next' for the 1,000 Club is entirely up to the members. We are open to suggestions. Take the idea and run with it.

Just For You
ARTICLES

Like 3D glasses for your ears!

BPM&M - XtraKcts & ArtifaKcts. 
Now available to download fr...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Under Heavy Manners Instrumental Mix.

Mr Stormy brings us the rhythm track from the 1980 release,...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Upbeat Moments & a brand new Sunday Lunch!

MORE

Complete Salisbury Cathedral Soundscapes.

Robert Fripp performed on four consecutive afternoons in the...

MORE

Rough Trade Frippertronics

On This Day 40 years ago, Robert Fripp played at the Rough T...

MORE

Gibson Stereo guitar.

With the DGM releases of The Cheerful Insanity of Giles Gile...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's latest Upbeat Moments & a vintage Sunday Lu...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's latest Upbeat Moments & a brand new Sunday...

MORE

Going Mobile:

When the League of Crafty Guitarist’s sound engineer abruptl...

MORE

Guitar Craft Course with RF

An Introduction To Guitar Craft & The Guitar Circle, directe...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's latest Upbeat Moments & vintage Sunday Lunc...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Giles, Giles & Fripp New Editions.

The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp (The Songs),...

MORE
DIARIES

Satch Bus.

09.23

Satch Bus.

We arrived at Hotel Adeq...

MORE

Satch Bus.

10.53

Route 66 gives a route of 1535 mil...

MORE

Cabin 6020, Silja Ferry >Stockholm.

16.21

Cabin 6020, Silja Ferry >Stockholm.

...

MORE

Satch Bus.

10.29

Bags at 09.30, lobby 10.00, set off for Got...

MORE

Satch Bus, outside venue, Copenhagen.

24.47

An experientially long overnight drive, inc...

MORE

Hotel Pricey And The Staff Are Superb, Amsterdam.

10.47

Breakfast this morning with Joe alone. He w...

MORE

Hotel It-Is-Almost Posh, Amsterdam.

09.10

Into the breakfast room at 06.30 for a quie...

MORE

The Basement, Chateau Belew.

10.28

The Basement, Chateau Belew.

The su...

MORE

The Basement, Chateau Belew.

05.30

One proper response to being alive is joy....

MORE

The Basement, Chateau Belewbeloid.

16.41

The event of the day: Martha Belew is 31 to...

MORE

Los Molinos.

07.23

Rising at 05.52, or 04.52 UK & body tim...

MORE

Crimson Tourbus, Outside Hotel Acceptable, Phoenix.

01.00

Crimson Tourbus, Outside Hotel Acceptable,...

MORE

#504, Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.

00.15

A supportive & generous audience and wh...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.

11.03

The weather is changeable, a blue sky rapid...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.

23.57

We arrived at Denver International Airport,...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.

10.42

The sun is shining, the sky is mostly blue,...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.

20.04

Snowbound in Denver. Rising at 08.30, a not...

MORE

Room Most Acceptable, Hotel Quite Acceptable.

11.00

Driving snow is blowing past on the other s...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.

23.15

And with free Ethernet access, too. A call...

MORE

Mobile HQ, Crimbus.

12.47

We left our hotel punctually at noon and ar...

MORE
DOWNLOADS

Salisbury Cathedral Day 3

Robert Fripp
Salisbury Cathedral
4 Jun 1997

MORE

Winnepeg Art Gallery

Robert Fripp
Winnipeg Art Gallery
9 Aug 1979

MORE

Cafe Campus

Robert Fripp
Cafe Campus
16 Aug 1979

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 50 - Time Present (Buenos Aires 9 Jun 2007)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
9 Apr 2021

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 9

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
26 Jun 2020

MORE

The Painted Bride

Robert Fripp
The Painted Bride
22 Nov 1998

MORE

World Financial Centre 2nd Performance

Robert Fripp
World Financial Centre 2nd Performance
4 Dec 2010

MORE

Robert And Trey

King Crimson
DGM Sound World I
26 Sep 2022

MORE

Robert Fripp - Fripp On Fripp

Robert Fripp
DGM Soundworld I
24 Jun 2024

MORE

Bijou Cafe 2nd Performance

The League Of Gentlemen
Bijou Cafe 2nd Performance
1 Jul 1980

MORE

Harpo's

The League Of Gentlemen
Harpo's
10 Jul 1980

MORE

Amsterdam

Robert Fripp
Heineken Hall
12 Oct 2009

MORE

Red Creek Inn 2nd Show

The League Of Gentlemen
Red Creek Inn 2nd Show
21 Jun 1980

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 28 -Time Stands Still (Udine 24 Jun 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
6 Nov 2020

MORE

I Advance Masked

Summers & Fripp
Arny's Shack
1 Jun 1982

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 49 - Time Calls (Charlotte 22 Feb 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
2 Apr 2021

MORE

New Pine Knob Theatre

Robert Fripp
New Pine Knob Music Theatre
26 Jun 1997

MORE

Le Pretzel En Chaine

Robert Fripp
Le Pretzel Enchaine
17 Aug 1979

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 14

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
31 Jul 2020

MORE

Entropy Pulse

Summers & Fripp
Arny's Shack
2 Jun 1982

MORE
ARTISTS

Robert Fripp

MORE
PHOTO GALLERY