“Ladies and gentlemen you see before you a phenomenon which is interesting if not rare; it’s a mellotron which has just broken down.” Eight gigs into the North American tour and Fripp’s mellotron has given up the ghost forcing him to valiantly comp for all he’s worth during an otherwise storming reading of Cirkus. There have been equipment bugs throughout the tour but thanks to some on-stage support from the crew normal service is soon restored. This is a bright and often hissy audience recording but it clears up nicely for Formentera containing some choppy picking from Fripp as though he’s slightly impatient and wanting to get on to the next track. When he does he opts for the sustained laser beam tone intially. Possessing the sleek beauty of a scalpel Fripp slices the air with before reverting to the chordal sledgehammer that stomps everything in its range flatter than a tentpeg. The outro is momentarily chaotic with Collins’ brass setting ‘tron being somewhat swamped by Fripp’s scorching tone. A superb Schizoid Man with Collins setting the place on fire gives the punters in New York the kind of clout they were cruising for all along. Another powerful gig by a band who definitely know what they’re doing.

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KING CRIMSON: Academy of Music, NYC-Nov. 24, 1971-Master Tape

Master>cd-r-Bias Peak Pro 5 (song indexing)>XACT>flac

In appreciation of The Toole Man's Academy of Music Yes post, we present another part of the unique Yes/Crimson/Procol Harum bill at the Academy of Music in November 1971. Sound quality is VG/EX, very nice for the period. Song samples provided.

Lineup: Fripp-Boz-Mel Collins-Ian Wallace

Fripp clearly says they are in town for two shows, and that this is the first of those, so this is the day before the Thanksgiving.Shakurav says he went the second night, on Thanksgiving. Toole lists his Yes was 11/24/71. This comes courtesy of the Florida Kid. He doesn't remember exact date of the gig, just that it was November 1971. So we'll go with 11/24/71. The Kid had the Academy masters for all three shows (Yes, Procol, Crimson) at one time, but he loaned out the Yes one decades ago, and can't remember to whom. Glad the Toole brought it back to life for us! Enjoy!

Setlist: (57:52)
1. Cirkus
2. Pictures of a City
3. Formentera Lady
4. 20th Century Schizoid Man
5. Devil's Triangle