Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists - 1990-10-05 Victoriaville, CAN (1990)

Originally sold at League gigs, this live recording has been out of print for many years. It shows the League at that time on stunning form; an integrated, interlocking unit tackling some truly finger-bending compositions and making it all look and sound easy. Of course it takes a lot of work to sound that effortless and this particular incarnation were incredibly tight. Whilst a lot of the material here will be familiar to long-term enthusiasts there are still many highlights and celebratory moments to be discovered. The tripping figures in Digitalis are sure to convey a thrill to anyone whose ever picked up a guitar and played against an unforgiving metronome, whilst the the throwaway humour tucked inside Spasm For Juanita
offers a knowing wink to the audience who undoubtedly enjoy the deliberate wobble on the high-wire act. The audience at Victoriaville are supportive and keen as can be heard at the end of Circulation III where they are eager to show their appreciation in final three gaps, and again (though this time more playfully) at the end of Circulation IV. This DAT recording captures the spacious nature of the venue and whilst it works well enough for the combined might of the guitars, Patricia Leavitt’s soulful voice can sound a little remote. That said, the cascading melody she introduces around the one-minute mark of Your Mary is simply sublime.