King Crimson

[Ed S]

Saw King Crimson last night at the Rochester International Jazz Festival.  My two sons purchased tickets for the three of us for my birthday back in March.  At the time I had no idea they were touring again. 

Despite having listened to their music since the late 60s/early 70s, I had never seen them live. 

Last night's show:

Stunning, powerful, surprising.  The vocalist was terrific.  Did not expect Mel Collins to be used as extensively as he was.  Really loved his baritone sax work.  Levin was just outstanding. Fripp was Fripp.  I loved the multiple drums.

 

Awesome night.

[7/4]

I love that new band, I got to meet Mel Collins after a show a few years ago and mentioned the bari made some of the tunes sound like big boss hot rod Crimson...he got kick outta that dumb comment.

[romualdo]

Green with envy - have been a fan since the early 70's - BTW AFAIK they have never come to Australia

Just bought the Larks' Tongues In Aspic 13CD/DVD & Blue Ray set - my favourite period with Jamie Muir

check this 2016 version of "Starless" - probably the same lineup as you saw, Ed

 

Edited July 5, 2017 by romualdo

[GregK]

I'm not that excited by this nostalgia version of Crimson. After years of consistently pushing forward, it seems like they are stalled in the past now. It was exciting 3 years ago when they first did this, but now, it's more of the same with nothing new. And I find the saxophone really doesn't fit well in most of the songs they are doing. VROOOM and Level Five sound a little too "yakety-sax" for me

[Aggie87]

I tend to agree, Greg.  I've really, really enjoyed the live albums this lineup has produced.  

That said, I have mixed feelings about this lineup, despite the interesting 3 drummer setup.  It seems like a "King Crimson Revue" to me, a summation of everything that's come before.  Not a new evolution from the last lineup (which I consider to be the 4 man lineup that did Power to Believe most recently).  

Would love to hear a studio release. That would help me to evaluate this lineup more on its own merits, rather than how they play prior KC music.  

[7/4]

They're playing nothing new? 

 

 

 

.

[Aggie87]

I looked at the past couple of setlists, I see two of the newer drums-only tunes (Banshee Legs Bell Hassle and Hell Hounds of Krim), and Radical Action II and III.  

Radical Action II is a band number, all two and a half minutes of it (based on its length on the Radical Action release).  I assume Radical III is as well, haven't heard it as it's not on a released cd yet I don't think).  So technically there are at least a few minutes of minutes of new music performed by the band.    

What they are playing sounds great though, regardless of how old it is.  Still would like an actual studio release of entirely new music from this lineup.  Maybe the closest we've had is the Scarcity of Miracles album, which is essentially this lineup but with just one drummer (Harrison).  

[Ed S]

Now I'm pissed.  Or maybe just disappointed.  In reviewing the set lists for recent shows, I've seen that most nights, they play 22 songs.  The night I saw them - dues to restrictions at the venue, they played only 14 songs.  What's up with those people in Rochester???

While I'm on the subject, I have to tell you, that even though this was an abbreviated set, it was no nostalgia band I heard that night.  It was King Crimson - in all their glory - not Herman's Hermits playing some casino venue.  This was no note for note replay of past performance of the hits by a bunch of stand-ins. As Fripp defined when he resurrected the band - it was reinvention and re-creation of those songs with a lineup that includes up to three drummers, 2 keyboardists and Mel Collins and saxes and flute. The performance just blew me away

Yes - it would be great if they came out with new material. Hope they will.  On my night, they did play 3 songs from the resurrected band era starting in 2014.  To me, that's new stuff.  I've read on the internet how Fripp hates the studio, but they are looking at using live events to roll out new pieces going forward and perhaps releasing them on an album. Either way, I'm entirely satisfied that what I heard was creative, re-imagined excellently performed music by a reconfigured King Crimson that kicks ass.

Romualdo - the lineup now includes 8 members.  Bill Rieflin had left in 2016 and was replaced by Jeremy Stacey.  For this tour, Rieflin is back as a keyboard player, effects and percussion.  Stacey plays drums as one of the three drummers and also keyboards - hence the reason I referred to up to 3 drummers and 2 keyboardists above.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

tony levin finally started posting some food pics

[Aggie87]

On 7/9/2017 at 7:27 PM, 7/4 said:

They're playing nothing new? .

I believe this is a complete list of new music that they've released/performed since the 7/8 man lineup began.  More than I initially thought:

Radical Action I - 3:41
Radical Action II - 2:27
Radical Action III - ? (not on a release yet, but played live)
Suitable Grounds for the Blues - 4:49
Meltdown - 4:23

...and the tracks that are drum based:

Hell Hounds of Krim - 3:37
Banshee Legs Bell Hassle - 1:38
Devil Dogs of Tessellation Row - 2:58

I don't think all tracks are played at every performance though.  Haven't really researched that.

[BFrank]

I saw them a couple of years ago for the first time. Really enjoyed it. Even though they played a couple of the "hits", it didn't seem like an oldies act to me.

[7/4]

They're changing their setlist every night on this tour. I didn't go to any of the shows from this tour, but I've been peeking at the set lists.

[bertrand]

I splurged - will be seeing both DC shows 10/28 and 10/29, as well as in Allentown PA on 11/11. They were so great in Paris last year.

Bertrand.

[Steve Reynolds]

I'm also going to Allentown on 11/11/17:)

[bertrand]

Life is too short. Chewy had a great quote which I will dig up later. It actually convinced to go for the Paris shows!