Touring with what many observers concluded was their strongest album for many years, the beastly Crim appeared to be in buoyant health[endtease] as they played Europe, but as we all know, appearances can be deceptive. “Let Me remind you one more time, please don’t take a picture. Especially of him” says Adrian after a truly blazing Level Five.
Fripp’s aversion to flash photography had culminated in him repositioning his rig so that he was almost facing the band rather than have the audience in his sight-lines. Despite worries in his diary about the cumulative effect that all of this was having upon his playing and that of the group, Crimson still turn in a powerful performance.
True, Vrooom is somewhat tentative but an astringent rendition of Dinosaur, a cavernous-sounding PTBII (complete with sampled thunder) and a glistening Gunn solo during Deception provide plenty in way of compensation. The further into the gig you get the better the vibe between the musicians. Pretty much everything from Happy really cooks and in the case of Dangerous Curves seems to go beyond anything previously attempted to date.
Whatever reservations RF might have had about the concert one eyewitness reports that at the end of the evening “he went out from the darkness of the stage and applauded to everybody, to all the audience, as a farewell of a good performance, which is a not usual attitude on Mr. Fripp, like you know very well." Thanks to Jose Correa Caro and his 17 year old son who requested this concert be made available.
