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In 2017, as they were working on the live production of Celebrating David Bowie, Adrian Belew and the show’s producer Angelo Bundini got chatting. Wouldn’t it be great, Bundini enthused, if Belew could put together a live band performing songs from Discipline, Beat and Three Of A Perfect Pair, the celebrated King Crimson triptych of the 1980s?
Founding member Robert Fripp was consulted. He eventually declined involvement, but gave Belew his blessing to proceed. The pandemic and the conflicting tour schedules of eminent in-demand musicians further stalled proceedings, but by 2024 Belew’s dream line-up was good to go.
Tony Levin would revive his position on Chapman stick, Tool’s resident Bill Bruford aficionado Danny Carey would handle drums, and Steve Vai – a big fan of Fripp’s 1979 solo LP Exposure – would step up on second guitar alongside frontman Belew.
“Crimson’s music has a complexity that scratches an itch I have,” Vai said in 2024, chatting about the challenges of nailing Fripp’s “relentless” riffage on Discipline and other releases.
Documenting the band’s September 2024 show at The Theater On Broadway, Los Angeles, BEAT LIVE is a truly virtuosic and deeply musical homage to Crimson’s legacy. The deluxe Blu-ray version has beautifully filmed footage of the entire show – hugely entertaining from the moment a grinning Belew appears in a salmon-pink suit and pork pie hat.
Buzzing on the live resurrection of such deliciously tricksy tunes as Neal And Jack And Me – not to mention Three Of A Perfect Pair material that was never played live back in the day – BEAT also sound supremely relaxed here, as can be garnered from Belew’s banter with the crowd.
He and Vai coax alien love secrets from their guitars, while Carey pounds on Bruford’s old rototoms, given to him by Belew. There’s an audible joy in their live performance, which, together with their ability to segue from pachyderm-impersonating dissonance (Elephant Talk) to languorous ambience (Matte Kudasai), ensures they never sound remotely indulgent.
The quartet’s combined chops are next level, but it’s all done in the service of some wonderfully daring and unique music that Belew’s articulate, stream-of- consciousness lyrics pull in a more art-rock direction. And Vai, we’re reminded, is often at his very best while serving the music of others.
Belew is clearly in his element here, thrilled that he and Levin’s work with Crimson is alive, kicking and evolving.
BEAT LIVE is on sale now via InsideOut.
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