Show with Robert Fripp's Soundscapes (long)

[Dan R]

I saw Robert Fripp last night do his solo "Soundscapes" performance. I have long admired him as a guitarist and am a long time King Crimson fan. It's funny, I don't go in for gadgets in my guitar playing, but I like his playing and style because it is unique and interesting. He had a rig with Eventide equipment and played a Les Paul type of guitar (custom made probably) with what looked like a Floyd Rose type tremolo. He never used the tremolo. He had a screen set up with a projector showing geometric patterns that would morph into various patterns and colors. Not exactly high tech by today's standards. On his Apple laptop, he showed various personal photographs. After about an hour of playing, he had a chat with the audience and took questions. It was really a treat to see one of my favorite musicians so approachable. It was like he was playing in my living room. Mr. Fripp seemed very affable and humorous. A fellow offered him a Newcastle and he politely declined. "Thanks, but I don't drink while performing." He sat on a drummer's stool and wheeled about using a footswitch device. He was constantly adjusting his Eventide Harmonizer after playing a phrase or note. Effects can be wonderful in the hands of the right musician, or simply an instrument of torture in the hands of a novice. It's the imagination of the performer that makes an effects rack worthwhile. The Eventide Harmonizer is an incredible unit. In my hands however it might send my dog into a lonesome howl. I don't usually go in for an ethereal, cerebral type of guitar playing. I generally like more visceral, roots type of playing. However, Fripp's playing has always intrigued me. To wrap things up, I'm very glad I got to see this inventive guitarist in this setting. Any Fripp or King Crimson fans out there?

Dan R

 

[mr natural]

Absolutely

I'm a huge Crimson fan, especially the 1973-4 version and the late '90s version. Saw Projekct 2 or 3, can't remember which, with Adrian Belew on electronic drums. That was amazing. Fripp is certainly unique. My wife calls Crimson "husband music" because she finds their harder stuff very abrasive. She digs Matte Kudasai, though. I was so psyched when they reissued USA a few years ago with 2 extra tracks. My vinyl copy is just about worn out.
-Mr. N.

 

[OaklandA]

Lucky you

I've seen KC a few times over the years and usually had to scan the stage for a bit to find Fripp! So it's cool that you had a Q&A with him. He can be pretty funny though. And he is a true artist...though an acquired taste for most.

You probably are already hip to the Discipline Global website, but if you aren't you should definitely check it out:

http://www.dgmlive.com/

 

[genelovesjez]

I love his work of Bowie's Scary Monsters.

 

[zoom]

I bought my first soundscapes in the form of an LP in the early 80's. I remember the clerk saying "Fripp plays guitar like an accountant" and laughing as I was at the counter. But you do get the feeling that he is very intentional and counting every note -- especially with the soundscapes.

I'm looking forward his playing here soon. Glad to hear he's taking questions and interacting. Although I'm not entirely sure why, I never would have expected that.

But I love Crimson too. There is that unique chemistry and contrast between Fripp and Belew.

 

[kingnimrod]

awesome - I'm going to see this show this weekend here in Atlanta. Can't wait!

 

[sjfoote]

A Fripp fan since the 60's....

when I heard the first K.C. album. It was one of those moments when my musical world was completely shattered - like when a jet aircraft goes thru an unseen barrier such as the speed of sound - I heard and felt the boom when I listened to the K.C. album. Thank you Robert Fripp.

My youngest daughter (15) and I have tickets for tomorrow night at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. She ranks him as her 2nd favorite guitarist (behind only Mike Oldfield) and she is very excited. Should be fun.

 

[Geyser]

I just recently got into KC. I'm really digging everything from the Wetton-Bruford area. A co-worker is a total fan and has been loaning me a bunch of live stuff (The Great Deceiver box set among others...). What an amazing band. Wetton is an awesome singer and bassist, Cross and Fripp had awesome interplay (especially on my favorite tune "Fracture"), and Bruford was a monster. They were very good at giving the illusion of musical chaos but as someone stated above, every note was accounted for.

 

[Dan R]

Mr. Natural wrote:

My wife calls Crimson "husband music" because she finds their harder stuff very abrasive. She digs Matte Kudasai, though

. Yeah, I couldn't get my girl to go with me, so I went by myself. I made the comment at the show, "Not many ladies here." It's certainly not dance music. It was nice to see a few women there. You're a lucky guy if your wife or girlfriend digs Fripp and K.C. Robert said K.C. was lining up a tour for 2007. I'm very glad Fripp has kept the group going all these years. It's hard to believe he and Belew have been together over twenty years. The latest line up brings back Tony Levin on bass instead of Trey Gunn. I'm glad to see some fans out there.

Dan R

 

[winny pooh]

Must say that my fav line-up was with Belew and
my bass hero Tony Levin. Awesome stuff.

Has anyone here actually tried that "disciple" trick where you play a repeated phrase with a buddy and then one of you leaves one note out each time.

Always gauranteed to blow minds!
Fripp is wonderful, and so spiritual when he talks about music.

 

[kingnimrod]

so,

went to the Atlanta show last night, and here are my impressions:

We arrived about 8:45, disappointed to find that this is the only concert in history to start at the time printed on the ticket. Oh well....

I was dead-on when I predicted to my wife that there would be a multitude of guys with long beards and a combination bald/long haired -hippie look. Hilarious.

The first soundscape piece was nice. At first it sounded a little too artificial/sterile for me, but it grew on me and was overall a dark, emotional "tune" that would have made a nice soundtrack for something.

His Q&A session was OK, but I could have done without it. There were a couple of people there who were staunchly anti-corporate and chided him for:

a) designing sounds for the next Windows operating system

b) having the apple logo pop up on his projection screen during the performance. The idiot who brought this up (she had quite the antagonistic/hysterical tone of voice) was unaware that Fripp was just letting the iTunes visualizer do his visuals for him-- she thought that he was receiving a fat check from Steve Jobs.

He took a short break, then came out and mentioned that he was doing something at the request of some soundman friend of his, and started a bell-like piece. Apparently dissatisfied with that after about 5 minutes, he reverted to making sounds VERY similar to the first piece of the evening. After a short while, he cut it off and ended the show.

I left feeling it hadn't quite been worth the money. I guess maybe it was just an off night for him or something....

Anyone else catch this show?

 

[sjfoote]

It all depends on your perspective

but my daughter and I were very pleased with the whole show. I was expecting him to start on time, so we were there and seated by 8:00. I liked the slide show that he had playing before the show started - nice to see some of the old photos.

Anyway, he started right on time, and with no fanfare he just appeared on stage and began playing. There were no equipment problems, so apparently the sound check was done properly and the sound crew were to be commended (i would not expect anything else from the artist). The first piece was very nice and reminded us of a cross between a string quartet and a small orchestra. To watch and hear all of that sound come from 1 guitar and a couple of processors, was pretty cool.

The dialog section was very interesting and he showed us a side of him that is rarely reported - he is a funny guy. We only wished the audience had asked more "burning questions" as he had asked. I don't blame him for cutting off the dialog after the ridiculous insinuation that he was a corporate shill for Apple.

The final piece was very nice with a lot of tasty guitar sounds and a passion that was different than the first piece. I wish he would have played longer because I could have watched and listened for hours.

On the ride home, my 15 year old daughter understood that she had just witnessed an artist "compose" original music for us. There would not be another performance exactly the same. We talked about the fact that if he were a painter, when the curtain rose, we would have been presented with a blank canvas, and when we left, there would have been a painting of something that was created just for us.

For me it was possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen or heard 1 man create with 1 guitar. Very cool indeed.

 

[bebopalula]

I saw KC about two years ago in AZ

as mentioned above
Re: "Husband Music",
the crowd was an interesting mix
and mostly male.

plenty of balding hippies too.
heh.


my first guitar was a black LP Custom-copy,
in imitation of Fripp,although all i have to show for the infatuation
was years of knob-twiddling and
time wasted enamoured of making "noises",
as opposed to music.

Tony Levin,Bill Bruford,John Wetton,
Fripp and Adrian Belew are some impressive musicians.

not familiar with Trey Gunn,
but i always loved Tony Levin's (ominous)Stick playing
and Bruford is one of my favorite percussionists.

good to hear about Fripp showing his humor.

while i wouldn't call him an accountant,
he does come off as a bit of a control-freak...
but who that produces anything of value
or interest to others isn't a control-freak of some kind??

Fripp's alright.