Moving gently but quickly from the merest sliver of sound, Robert’s opening ‘scape builds up in tone and scale, that turns from something that’s dark in nature into something vast and radiant. This improvised piece, with its yearning solo adding another layer of emotion, is another example of how awesome, in the traditional sense of the word, soundscapes can be. It’s truly majestic.
As the notes sweep around the stereo picture in the hall Adrian steps up to the microphone and solemnly intones, “Good evening. Welcome to the Sunday night bingo,” producing a torrent of off-mic laughter from the Crims. He’s not pricking the preceding atmospherics so much as acknowledging the supper club setting of the venue. Hence his aside about offering the audience a dinner mint.
During Level Five Mastelotto is absolutely on fire detonating all kinds of electronica and a thunderous heavy-hitting fusillade of drumming. Of course, he’s been doing that most nights of the tour but here it’s especially noticeable. If you want to know why he is the longest-serving drummer in King Crimson to date, just listen to his work throughout this show. Stunning from start to finish.
“Good evening Hippies. It’s very rare that I step to the microphone, and Sir, if you don’t put that camera away I shall put that camera where sunshine never ventures,” says Robert after the band has all but finished the final gig of this tour. After some more stern words directed toward a punter who thinks the No Photography request doesn't apply to him, Robert then goes on to thank the members of the crew whose hard work helped get King Crimson from Asheville in North Carolina on the 28th February all the way to Anaheim, California on the 30th March. Thirteen days later, the band would take to the stage in Japan.
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