King Crimson

The Sept 8 show in Stuttgart was everything I had hoped for and then some. The venue was very comfortable, not crowded seating and there was not a bad seat in the house as far as seeing the band.

What can you say about a band that plays music like this? Progressive does not even remotely begin to describe it.

For this show, I took my nephew with me. It was his first concert and he has...different musical tastes than perhaps the average King Crimson fan does. The one word description he had for me was "heavy". I think that is a good one word descriptor. I told him that I thought it was symphonic, very European, angular and symmetric. He said heavy, and I like his descriptor better.

He was blown away by Fripp's guitar playing, particularly during the solo bits of augmented chord arpeggios he does during Fracture.

I told him he was quite lucky that King Crimson, at this level of power and skill with three drummers working so well in tandem together, was his first concert ever. He was completely blown away by the show.

I, being a much older fan, having starting my apprenticeship in the court in the '80s with Discipline and then working my way backwards to the Pete Sinfield days and being awestruck by Red, could not have happier with what I heard. This was mostly old school Crimson, with some of the uber difficult material from the "newest" albums included. No Belew here at all, and given the material that was chosen, he was not terribly missed, but of course being a Crimson fan I love all of the incarnations and I did miss that voice and those crazy guitar noises. It was Belew's tenure that I was most personally familiar with since I didn't know about Larks Tongue's in Aspic except as research material after I was caught by Discipline. So I did miss that. But the new inclusions made up for it in spades.

Jakko and Mel Collins were the biggest surprises of all. Mel is so good he makes you forget he's playing a flute over this serious racket and he makes it sound calming and soothing. Consequently, my nephew thought he made it sound dirty and nasty sometimes and thought he played like he imaged a satyr would. Top marks for my nephew, I should think. Jakko, on the other hand, is ridiculously good and I will seek out other things he has done before Crimson if that's how he sings and sounds and plays. He could stand toe to toe with Fripp on those blinding fast chromatic bursts of single notes and he made it sound clear and crisp.

The one thing that always struck me about Fripp was the ability to have that never-ending round single note sound almost seem like it wasn't a guitar but some other instrument, like a ondes martinet or an oboe with a dirty reed heard through a drainpipe. That was in full effect this evening. He had that going on and the other thing that I love about Fripp is that he could stay permanently in augmented scales and it would never need resolution. It's that particular scale that seems to wind it's way around your brainstem like a serpent and it can just go on and on and on and never seem to land, and Fripp exploits it not only beautifully, but powerfully and in an almost clinically cold and sterile fashion. It's very compelling.

The songlist itself was exactly what I would have expected. Standing out for me was Starless, Red and everything they did from Islands. That is a special album for me since it was one of the most "accessible" records they ever made, if you could ever call King Crimson that. I had zero complaints about anything they played.

The ONE thing I will say that I found a bit...off-putting for lack of a better word, is the drumming. It was over the top. It was very cool when they were doing the intros to all of the 3 sets, well, 2 sets and an encore. But when it came to the full band, sometimes the music was utterly drowned out by the drums. A bit better mixing would go a long way to making sure that no one in the back row was obscured by the percussion, but it never really lasted long and I think they got the mix better by the end of the night, so perhaps the mixers have a trial and error period due to each room's unique characteristics. But that was really my only gripe, and that has bugger all to do with King Crimson.

It was a magical night for me. My nephew thought it rocked. Need I say more?

King Crimson Elements Tour - Seattle Crimson was been through more configurations than I can quickly count. This tour features yet another lineup, one that combines some past members with brand new members. Given the variables in play (this 7 person lineup is their largest ever, I believe), I didn't really know what to expect. What I got was the finest live performance I have ever seen by this or any other band. I've been watching bands big and small in all sorts of venues for nearly 40 years, so I do say this lightly. I was trying to figure out WHY it was so amazing and here's what I've come up with: The band is comprised solely of crack, veteran players. Any one of the band's members is arguably in the top level for their instrument, e.g. Robert Fripp on guitar, Tony Levin on Chapman Stick/bass, etc. The band's age was an advantage. No tussle for control, no intermural BS. These are seasoned players who want to play with other players of their ilk. Musicians who work ceaselessly at their craft in pursuit of a creative ideal that is greater than what any of them could create on their own. The inclusion of sax/flute player Mel Collins opened up a lot of the older portfolio. Tony and Robert have played together for over 30 years, so it is possible for them to lead the group in virtually any song in the library.
Because of all that, the concert included songs from the 1st and 2nd albums all the way up to a couple new compositions and virtually every iteration of KC inbetween. The only parts that were skipped were the early 80's incarnation. That would normally have disappointed me, but not last night. The playlist was both familiar and fresh in its reimagining of older classics alongside newere pieces. The concert opened with Lark's Tongues in Aspic, Part 1. But instead of the light percussion/violin opening, Pat Mastolletto and Gavin layed a marimba/gamelan duet. Absolutely mesmerizing. When the guitars, bass and full drum kit came on, it literally blew the tops off everyone's heads. The show was heavy, really heavy. Red heavy. In fact, 3 of Red's tracks were in the set list. The non-Red tracks had a distinct Red makeover.
The triple drum assault is impossible to convey in words - the combined percussive impact was felt as well as heard and drove the entire show to be played at a very high volume. The level of musicianship on offer was staggering. My girlfriend remarked that she didn't know where to look - with 7 top rate players doing complicated shit ALL the time, it was hard to know what to focus on.
The sound quality was sterling. Fantastic mix. The sax was occassionally buried in the mix, but the three drum kits were distinct, Tony's bass/stick/double bass was prominent without being overbearing. Given the technical challenge of mixing for 7 musicians, I have to tip my hat to the folks manning the soundboard. There were not big FX, light shows, etc. For most of the show, the stage was just lit - plain white light. At the end, the switched to redlight illumination and it was quite dramatic after no real lighting FX till then. Did I mention these guys were astonishingly adept musicians with fantastic feel for each piece?
I could go on, but really the only thing that I regret is that the tour is done and there is no way to see them again. For now.

KING CRIMSON CONCERT - ORPHEUM THEATRE - LOS ANGELES OCT/02/2014.
Finally I have the opportunity to see this band live! I have to travel from Tijuana, Mexico to Los Angeles only to listen and presence these guys!
As expected on a King Crimson concert, no photos or videos were allowed during the performance of the band, and actually, there was a recorded audio intro of the band members providing their opinions about being in a concert and recording with a cellular device; obviously, talking no good things about this activity.
Anyway, I didn't complain about that, since it is actually TRUE. When you see this band live, it is a total joy to contemplate what are they doing in their respective instruments... it is just very impressive. In the musical side, they are true masters of their instruments, with an amazing biography each one of them.
Something that I was very impressed, is that the actual line up of King Crimson consists of three drummers! Each drums were microphoned so well, that even a little sound on a tom, snare or cymbal, was audible, making it more incredible for the audience how precise and accurate are the drummers in their playing.
Another interesting feature on this new line up, is the inclusion of wind instruments, played by Mel Collins. I consider myself not a fan of this instrument at all, but I have to admit that most of the arrangements on the songs sounded amazing.
Most of the material played were from their 2000 albums and 1970s albums... and that is not a complaint at all. With a band like King Crimson, you don't have place to lose, all their music from whatever era is just fantastic and well crafted.
The most pleasant surprise of the night was that the encore featured their famous song 21st Century Schizoid Man! Just so exciting to listen it live!
This performance reached the level I had in mind... and actually surpassed it.
Long live the King Crimson!
By Pea Trayer

A night of spiritual and technical magic set in a place of acoustic perfection. The King Crimson show was one of the five best shows I have ever seen and I have seen hundreds of shows in multiple countries. When I got home after the show I sat in silence for an hour because I could not imagine hearing anything else after the show.To see and hear masters at their craft coming together with such precision was hypnotic. Their catalogue of music is so vast and they managed to pick gems such Larks Tongues in Aspic parts 1 and 2, Pictures of a City and others that covered so many great albums.. I almost jumped out of my seat at the wonder of Red. The confluence of three drummers was something I had never seen before. To all be playing something different and then snap into syncopation for a few notes and then return back to their previous drumming was impressive. Fripp of course tried to fade into the back ground. Sitting on his stool, body still but fingers flying. It is astounding that the person you notice least is the mastermind behind this life altering music. I saw Crimson in 1984 and 1995 during the Belew era and they were brilliant but this was something on another level. To play this kind of music and not have it come out as noise takes a deep understanding and trust amongst the musicians. King Crimson truly is the creator of complex symphonic industrial sound. So many bands owe their sound to King Crimson. I will treasure this night of perfection that took me out of myself, gave me renewed energy and brought so much joy that my eyes were moist when the show ended.

Overall, it was a good show, with songs ranging from the early Crimson (great version of the "21st Century Schizoid Man" on the encore), to the very latest ("Meltdown"). The insertion of saxophone and flute works better in some segments (like "Starless and Bible Black") than in others ("Red"). Jakko Jakszyk's vocals are fine for this set up, although he seems to have struggled a bit with the "Epitaph." Or maybe it was just the last leg of this part of the European tour.

Performance was exceptional, with the spectacular input of three drummers (perhaps not used as much as they could be -- they need new songs), very solid Mel Collins, spectacular Tony Levin, and Robert Fripp... well, being just himself. This was a celebration for every Crimson fan.

On the down side, the huge placards on the stage before the beginning of the concert asking people not to film or record the show (followed by the live announcements in both German and English) were a bit excessive. Also, while performance was technically brilliant, there was no real passion, there was a spark missing that would ignite a very welcoming audience.

To conclude, this was a very fine concert by a band that has the strength and the quality to constantly re-invent itself. Or it was the ultimate cover band for the early King Crimson. The choice is yours.

Nov 3rd London Palladium. I’ll start with my wife’s opinion. “I can’t understand why any band would want to make that sound, and indeed, why anyone would want to pay to listen to it!”
Now I enjoyed it a lot more than that, but this isn’t the Crimson I personally wanted to hear. The KC I love is the one where they are moving forward, experimenting with sound and progressing. For me, Adrian Belew was a big driver of that. Here we have a band playing 2 types of music. What I consider middle of the road stuff from the 60s and 70s, then industrial numbers mainly from Mr Belew’s tenure. Level 5 for example, was stunning.
The older tracks are songs that KC would never generally play in the 80s/90s/00s because they were moving forward. There is such a stark difference between those tracks that I either sit and hope the song will finish soon, or I love it. Nothing in between. In addition songs like indiscipline in particular miss Mr Belews psychotic fguitar style. Three drummers makes for quite a spectacle, but I’m not sure it adds to the music. Pat Mastalloto used to manage perfectly well on his own (and with Bruford). Music appreciation is subjective so I understand that others may entirely disagree with me, and fair enough. But this KC incarnation isn’t a touch on the last one.

It was fine. A die hard fan would say it was the best show of all time. For me, who is "just a fan" and has most of their studio work and has seen them several times, it was fine.

Given that it was billed as the 50th anniversary tour of 21st Century, I expected if not that album end to end, at least more of it. Alas, they are the height of a band that refuses to pander to the fans who love their old "hits".

The musicianship was stellar, incredibly tight performance. Absolutely no stage show, no interaction with audience. Ridiculously over the top ban on the use of phones with in your face reminders by the band and ushers running around the venue shining lights in faces and leaping across seats to stop people from taking a picture. Crazy distracting and just stupidly unnecessary. I heard "huge fans" defending it, but really, it was just stupid. They just shouldn't tour if they can't put up with people posting pics and saying how much they love the band!

And as always, the Budweiser stage is just a horrible venue. Terrible logistics, poor sound, insanely overpriced food and beverage and just too much security and police constantly in your face. I think if the show had of been in Sony Center or some other small venue I'd have given it a "great" instead of an OK.

Bill Bruford, a man who played with Genesis, Yes and, at points, King Crimson, once said this about that third band: “everything you’ve heard about King Crimson is true. It’s an absolutely terrifying place.” What Bruford’s comments - tongue-in-cheek or otherwise - really represent is the fact that fear so often lies in uncertainty, because during their initial run, between 1968 and 1974, nobody on the planet had heard anything quite like King Crimson. For all intents and purposes, they invented progressive rock, and fused styles in such an avant-garde manner that it was just the sheer range of possibilities that was frightening, more than anything else; on their iconic 1969 debut, In the Court of the Crimson King, they broke just about every rule in the book, and in doing so, became one of the most influential bands of all time. With varying lineups, they’ve continued to reform and then disband again over the years; currently, the band is officially active, having reconvened again last year. Bandleader Robert Fripp led the reunion, despite no prior indications that he’d be involved, and the plan is to bring their famously complex live show to the U.S. late this year and then likely the UK at some point in 2015; keep your eyes peeled for dates.

King Crimson has shown once again their impressive musical talent and legacy. They have under their belts 30+ years of accumulated hits and they still sound fresh and highly inspiring. One can appreciate how they pay attention to detail in reproducing every song as if it was orchestrated and written down in music sheets (it probably is). This show in Massey Hall, Toronto, featured an 8 piece band, 3 of them being drummers whom shared the work as one brain.

King Crimson music can be described as being inspired by cold sweat dreams or plain nightmares, with some moments of extreme peace to be broken down again to a state of mental illness. I was really impressed at how they create an atmosphere without rushing, without trying too hard; for example when Jakko Jakszyk is playing only one note on two different strings and the lights slowly turn from blue to intense red I could only think on the simplicity of the performance but how much of an effect is causing. That was probably my favourite part of the show. It takes magic and expertise to create such an intense effect with so little and to sink a whole audience in a nightmarish feeling, and it's not about how hard you beat the drum or how loud the speaker system is.

This is the first live tour by the band since the 80s.
Those who love the music of King Crimson will certainly want to attend one of the shows. Therefore in this review I will deliberately avoid spoiling the surprise by revealing the specifics of the set list etc.
However first and foremost aficionados will NOT be disappointed! This was an amazing show with top ranking musical performances. The lineup with 3 drummers is utilised brilliantly. The set list will leave no one disappointed and the audience members with whom I shared a lift in the nearby car park were in a stunned silence...until I broke the spell by saying : "Well. That was Good!" Followed by an excited chorus of agreement.
One tip:If your local venue has 2 nights booked if you possibly can try to go to both as the idea is that the shows each night will be different!
In short this was a memorable return to a live existence in stunning form. Do not miss it!