The Dulcinea and I lost our Majestic Theatre virginity on Saturday night when we took in a performance by Robert Fripp & The League of Crafty Guitarists. (For more info on them, check out my posting of an old show of theirs.) The line was most of the way down the block when we approached the theatre much to my surprise as well as my delight. I must admit that I didn't think the show would be particularly well attended. Wandering inside, we found that the new owners had done a wonderful job of restoring the place. Spackling compound and paint really made the place new again. The floor was crowded so we went up to the balcony and found a seat on one of the benches. We discovered that Mr. Fripp himself was just off to our right about 3 feet away doing his pre-show meditation/observation. As the balcony filled up and Fripp found himself seated next to a trio of teenage boys, he made his way backstage.
Being a seated show, I would estimate the capacity at around 300 and nearly every seat was taken. A gentleman was sitting next to us with his daughter who was all of 8 or 9 years old. There was the aforementioned group of teenagers plus a smattering of folks in their 20s. No longer am I guaranteed to be the youngest person at a prog show. Some of Fripp's soundscapes were coming over the PA and, shortly before show time, a group of Crafties came onstage and did intros/announcements in a half a dozen languages. There couldn't have been anyone in the audience that didn't know cameras and recording of any kind were forbidden. Shortly thereafter Fripp came out and seated himself behind his stacks and gave us a few minutes of live soundscapes. I personally am not that enamored of them but there is the odd bit of Frippertronics that I find particularly engaging. Earlier The D has mentioned that she had found his performance opening for Porcupine Tree a couple years ago to have been wonderful and the soundscapes sensual. She said all this within earshot of Mr. Fripp who, I hope, was heartened that even we cheeseheads appreciate his unique craft.
When the spectral sounds died down, the Crafties, 10 in all and clad in black, came on the stage and took their seats which were arranged in a semi-circle. They then proceeded to do what it is they do. Aside from a couple Crimson tunes, I didn't recognize any of the songs they performed but it was really amazing. For the first song, it sounded like two or three folks played a rhythm line while another three or four played the melody. The remaining players colored the melody and, in general, added little bits here and there which accentuated the other elements of the song. The Crafties are, quite truly, a small guitar orchestra.
Fripp would occasionally add flourishes of his own to the songs and then sculpt more soundscapes every two or three songs, giving the Crafties a breather. The ensemble played Crimson's "THRAK" which certainly sounded different but, as I discovered, 10 acoustic guitars can still sound incredibly menacing. For this piece, Fripp added some trademark electric guitar. In the middle of the show they played a very beautiful piece, the name of which is unknown to me. Listening to it, I thought that it was one of those moments where more is more. I could hear the song in my head being done by two people but felt that 10 of them just amplified the beauty of the piece. The Crafties don't get in each other's way so a relatively simple piece doesn't sound cluttered which had the effect of simply heightening the feeling of the song. I realize this doesn't make much sense but it's all I've got at the moment.
The main set ended with another Crimson piece, "Vroom Vroom" followed by two or three encores, the final of which saw Fripp man his acoustic guitar for the first time that night and join his students in the semi-circle. For the occasion, everyone unplugged their instruments and the performance finished with a truly acoustic moment. The lights went up and, as people were filing out, the Crafties (sans Fripp) filed in and positioned themselves right in front of the bar. They serenaded the exiting concertgoers with a song or two before finally taking their leave. It was a really nice gesture to bring the music out to the people and those few minutes were a much looser affair with smiles all around instead of looks of intense concentration on their faces as they had while onstage. The remaining folks were quite appreciative of this chance to stand face to face with the group. Indeed, the audience was that way all night. Rapt attention was given during songs and loud applause and cheers after them.
Lastly, thanks must go out to the Majestic for bringing to Madison something that wouldn't be at home on an AC/MOR station and isn't indie rock as well as for beautifully restoring the theatre.
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