FraKctured

November 24, 2000 The Guvernment / Toronto, Canada

Hey Guv-nor!

A rocking show. We knew it would be quite the rock and roll audience as
they were coming in. Adrian even modified the set-list a bit after seeing
the crowd. He had no intention of going out to sing One Time to this crowd.
And it was very much the right call.

It was an interesting night because I could see various parts of the
audience changing as we played through the show. When we were first walked
on-stage I could strongly feel that there were many 'vintage' Crimson fans
there -- and there to see if this group stood up to their image. Crimson
has pretty much always played both Toronto and Montreal, and there is a
deep history here. So, I did feel a strong sense of having to prove
ourselves.

We were very smart in beginning with Larks'. That won the crowd over
wonderfully. Although I still sense that we lose them with the Coda. But,
by then there are so overwhelmed by the sheer quantity notes, if not the
power of the band. (Hey, quantity and quality are connected, aren't they?).
Then we dove into Light. Hurrah, I feel ourselves being accepted. Then
ProzaKc. An even bigger 'Yes.'

So, as we progressed through the night I could sense the audience changing.
In some ways, physically the members moved around. I don't really know, but
I suspect that once the band begins then the people more closer to the
stage move about to get better views of the players that interest them the
most. By then end of the show you have all the starers gawking in front of
Robert. You have all the happy faced dancers down in front of Adrian. Pat
has the air drummers mingled about the front to get good views of what in
the world he is doing. (And Lord knows, they have no idea. Because we, in
the band, certainly don't!) And then you have the people intrigued by me on
my side. I can't exactly say who these people are because I don't sense
them as a 'type'. But, they must be, by nature, very curious.

It's interesting to ponder what type of person is drawn to you as a
performer. And actually quite hard to do because as I look at it, myself, I
struggle with the urge to describe myself -- not who I see drawn to me.

And these characteristic, please sir?

Which ones? Mine or my guess at theirs?

Either/or. Or both. You decide.

OK...

Curious. Drawn to the intriguing. A strong, and innate, physical sense. But
not necessarily with a clear avenue for this side. Quick witted.

Hmmmm.... this is going somewhere interesting. My little brain engages with
some new questions. Are people drawn to characteristics that are within
them and apparent (like attracts like), or are they drawn to
characteristics that they are lacking and wish they had (like attracts
opposite)? Or, do different people fall distinctly into one or the other of
these categories. Or do different characteristic within people fall into
one or the other of these categories for themselves? And how do I,
me-myself-I. as a performer play into these specific characteristics? And
to go even further -- how do the different levels of myself fall into these
connections? -- my personality, my musical life, my role in this particular
band, my essence? Do each of these dimensions connect differently with
different aspects of specific audients attaching to specific qualities and
characteristics?

Whew! That is a load of questions to ponder. I can even sense a whole
subject of investigation here.

And this has only occurred to me at the completion of the tour! Damn, I
wish I had thought of it a few weeks ago. Then I could have gotten some
hands-on inquiries going. Well, there's always next year. I go out with The
Trey Gunn Band on the west coast of the USA in February and KC starts up
again in April.

--------------------

Anyway, I diverted. Yet, quite gracefully I think....

The audience changed throughout the show. Part of it was, no doubt, the
fact that more accepting faces began to appear in front of me. I don't know
if it was just that the people who didn't care for me moved on and the ones
who did, arrived. Or if this acceptance came from within the people who
were already there. Probably both. But, it was a good feeling and makes
playing music feel like the real thing.

--------------------

The show did have a sour end. Two flashed went off in the encores. One
during Thrush, which has never happened before and quite surprised me. I
can't imagine why ANYONE would want to stop listening to this piece in
order to take a picture. Even to me, that seems incredibly dense.

The other was during Red, and I thought Robert was going to leave. I could
see that both of these photographers knew that they were doing something
illicit. They were so sneaky about it.

Robert had had it and so, Toronto lost two more pieces at the end of the
evening. Bummer! And a really sour end to a great tour.