Beat, named after the second of three King Crimson records released in the 1980s, is a stellar lineup of musicians that digs deep into this often-overlooked period in King Crimson history. The 80s trilogy, Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair, hold a unique place in the band’s history. They arrived during the “prog-pop” boom that saw more accessible releases from bands like Yes, Asia, GTR, and others, plus, they represent the first time the band had a lineup that lasted more than one record. While Robert Fripp and Bill Bruford are not on the tour, King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin are joined by Steve Vai and Danny Carey to create a stellar lineup that breathes new life into these forty-year-old classics. Please scroll below for the MisplacedStraws exclusive Beat live photos and review.
The night appropriately began with a run of 4 songs from the Beat record, “Neurotica”, “Neal and Jack and Me”, “Heartbeat”, and “Sartori in Tangier”. Watching Steve Vai play these intricate songs is like watching a painter create art. His entire body becomes an extension of his instrument producing stunning sounds in a fluid motion. Belew’s vocals sound strong as ever after all these years and he provides the perfect complement to Vai on guitar. Levin spent most of night on his famous Chapman Stick, it’s easy to get lost as you watch him play the unique instrument, while Carey excelled at following the path laid out for him by Bruford on the original songs.
Set One ended with a deep dive into Three of a Perfect Pair. The record received mixed reviews upon its original release and the band broke up soon after. Belew mentioned that many of these songs were never played live by the original band. The experimental “Dig Me” was sandwiched between the friendlier “Model Man” and “Man With An Open Heart”. One of the Set One highlights was the instrumental “Industry” which saw the band faithfully recreate the wall of industrial noises that define the song. The set came to an end with the soaring “Larks’ Tongue in Aspic (Part III)”. Prior to the intermission, Belew assured the crowd that Set Two would feature the big “hits” of the period.
Set Two began with Danny Carey standing up front playing a small drum kit, soon joined at the kit by Belew. As Levin and Vai returned to the stage, the band morphed into “Waiting Man”. The highlight of the night came next with an absolutely brilliant performance of the Discipline instrumental “The Sheltering Sky”. The crowd erupted and rose to its feet as the song ended.
A run of three songs from Discipline followed “Sleepless”, “Frame by Frame”, “Matte Kudasai”, and “Elephant Talk”. Once again, the crowd roared as the band completed the classic “Elephant Talk”, leading Belew to say that he told us that we’d like the second set better. The main set ended with the beautiful title track to Three of a Perfect Pair and “Indiscipline”.
The band did not leave the stage before the encore but did thank the crowd. Belew mentioned Bruford and Fripp, and the band played the 1974 instrumental “Red” in their honor. The night came to a triumphant close with “Thela Hun Ginjeet”.
Beat is a collection of all-world talent that centers in on the period of music that was my introduction to the great King Crimson. I never thought I would hear these songs played live, but Belew, Levin, Vai, and Carey honor the legacy of this classic band and propel it into the future. One can only hope that this is just a beginning for Beat and that they will explore other eras of the band and perhaps create new, King Crimson-inspired music.
