King Crimson

This was the fourth time we'd seen King Crimson, and definitely the most interesting. The shows are always interesting - that's what the band does - but this one more so. The band had been on hiatus since their last tour, in 2008 (their last album was released in 2003), and Robert Fripp had supposedly retired from the music business for a year. But he decided he wanted to work again, and it was time for the beast to rear its head once again.

But things are a little different now. Fripp wanted to take things in a different direction. Back to its roots, I would say. Reed man Mel Collins was back after forty years. This alone puts a certain spin on things. Saxophone. Crimson can be a beast - all teeth and claws. Saxophone, in this context does not smooth out any sharp edges. Further pursuant to that direction, Adrian Belew was not welcomed back to the fold. His songs very often had a smoothness. So not only was he not invited back to create music with the band, but they didn't even play any of his songs. None of the ones with vocals, anyway. No "Thela," no "Happy With." So who was Adrian replaced with? Jakko Jakszyk. He'd been playing with Fripp and various other Crims for over ten years, and suitably talented. But also, he's a vocal dead ringer for Lake and Wetton. So there you go.

But what about the front line? Tony Levin. He was reactivated after the departure of Trey Gunn in 2003, but in all that time, he'd only played one short tour. Then we have drummers. Pat Mastelotto (since 1994), Gavin Harrison (since 2007) and Bill Rieflin (2014). Yes, three. So anyway...

We were late getting our tickets, and ended up against the wall, near the front. Fairly close, but we couldn't see part of the stage behind the stage left speakers. We could see Harrison's kit, but not him. Jakszyk's stand was half obscured, and Fripp's was out of sight back in the corner. Shortly after taking our seats, a guy came by and asked if we wanted to move back. We went to the back row, against the wall. Much farther away, but we could then see everyone but Fripp.

I thought the sound started a little muddy, but it had improved by the third or fourth song. The three drummers remained overpowering throughout the show, but the mix was much better balanced in the second half. I didn't detect any problems with the sound due to me being next to the wall.

Leaning towards their early work, there were a several pieces I didn't actually recognize, and others I just wasn't that familiar with. "Pictures of a City," "The Letters." Songs from Poseidon and Islands. And there was Red. I knew "Red," but wasn't so familiar with "Starless." But they closed with "Schizoid Man," and did a couple of parts of "Larks' Tongues." And one song each from ConstruKction of Light and The Power to Believe. They had three new pieces, including the drum trio which they opened their encore with. That was the highlight of the show, drumming-wise. That's how it should be done! They also did two pieces from the Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins group. So the unfamiliarity was interesting. It was interesting to approach the songs as a fan, but without having heard them before. Very academic. And there was so much going on onstage, you couldn't see it all. Or even hear it all.

We couldn't see Fripp, but we talked to a guy later who said he was smiling and talking during the show. He also told us that Rieflin had put his foot through a bass drum. We'd wondered what had necessitated a mid-song head change.


Setlist:
Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One
Pictures of a City
Hell Bells
A Scarcity of Miracles (Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins cover)
The ConstruKction of Light
One More Red Nightmare
Interlude
Red
The Letters
Level Five
Sailor's Tale
The Light of Day (Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins cover)
The Talking Drum
Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
Starless

Hell Hounds of Krim (drum triet)
21st Century Schizoid Man