The problem is not, however, the venues…
Words 88 · RF@80 Series.
Photo: King Crimson 2000 Tour. Japan.
16.36 A numbing amount of stuff-stuff has covered positive future-beckoning aspects. And I am being encouraged, by a business associate, to undermine my creative & joyful future-prospects by taking on & driving forward work that would crush my spirit.
And, if that isn’t enough, from a recent ET posting...
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 11:11:21 –0500
From: sallak <ET02066@elephant-talk.com>
Subject: Fripp and the Weariness of Touring
Like several people whose posts I’ve read here on ET, I’m saddened by Robert Fripp’s dropping-of-large-hints that his days of touring or live public performance might be over. I’m certainly an enthusiast, and would like to see him perform live again, by himself or under the aegis of a group...
Has Mr. Fripp considered venues where a quiet, concentrated audience can be more reasonably expected? Has he considered, as an example, residencies at university schools of music or performing arts establishments? I can think of any number of institutions where classical guitar students might be interested in NST and flat-pick technique. Certainly there are numerous electronic music studios where real-time electro-acoustic performances such as Soundscapes would be welcomed by students and faculty. And venues where a more “classical” audience mindset is the norm will, in all likelihood, result in quiet attention and focus.
How about these three venues, where a more “classical” audience mindset might result in quiet attention & focus?
1. Salisbury Cathedral;
2. Lecture Theatre, York University;
3. “Esoteric”-oriented Dreaming Peace Seminar, Mountaineers’ Building, Seattle.
Salisbury Cathedral, where Soundscapes were performed for several consecutive days in 1997 as part of the Salisbury Festival: the photographer snapped off near the beginning of the first performance, while facing the please no photography sign. When I asked why? he made no answer. That was the end of the beginning.
The PRS Annual John Lennon Memorial Lecture at York University (1990): killed by the flash during Q&A. (This was not only my experience, but also of several others).
The first Soundscape at the Dreaming Peace Seminar ended abruptly after 5 minutes, immediately following the flash.
So, the quick answer to Sallak’s question is yes, I have not only considered more “appropriate” venues for performance, but gone to them & played in them. The problem is not, however, the venues: it is a proportion of the people that go into those venues.
Reasonable, decent people like Mr. Sallak expect other people to act reasonably & decently as well. But relatively few know what is right behaviour; and only a small proportion of those who know have the capacity to act in accordance with their knowledge. Technically, this is the difference between knowing & being.
[Excerpt from RF’s Diary – February 4th. 2005]