Responding to Thorsun about the King Crimson recent era (2016-2019) performances he witnessed, ten times. Wow, I would have loved just one live gig from that lineup performing that classic era Crimson. I purchased the two blu rays last year, majestic they both are. The King Crimson that entails it all, that earlier 70’s era. Jazz, folk, rock, symphonic, dissonant, and all that is heavy and experimental. I really enjoy the 80’s and 90’s era’s too, two very different beasts they are, more of the two guitar, electronic and industrial in many ways. Lucky you. They thought about dropping down under but then covid got in the way, bummer. Thanks for the comment overt at THS original site. Cheers.
Dear McGregor,
there’s this blue button 
at the top of the forum front page and every category page. try it, you might just like it. 
Unfortunately I never got to see Crimson at all. However, I did go to the recent BEAT gig at Hammersmith, where they played a whole set of Discipline era KC. As that is my favourite album of theirs I was delighted when that date was announced, and I wasn’t disappointed on the night. Fabulous show.
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Thanks Nick, much appreciated. I guess this new site spooked me a little with all the new buttons, he he he. Cheers.
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I saw just the one performance, at Buenos Aires’ Luna Park arena in 2019 (traveled there with four friends and saw them, Muse and Iron Maiden on the same week!)
They were, of course, fantastic, great players, but personally I didn’t like it that much. Jakko is just … not on the same level as Robert, Gavin or TLev.
Couple of those friends atended the BEAT show (again, in Buenos Aires) and told they were FANTASTIC.
To me, their last great era was the THRAK record and lineup. My all-time fav era is Wetton/Bruford 72/74.
Again, like I say every time: just my opinion 
Cheers, J.-
Jakko’s voice on the harder rock arrangements was a little disappointing, he doesn’t have that baritone strength that Greg Lake and John Wetton had. And that lengthy side two from the Lizard album goes on far too long, as it does on the album. I have always avoided that. Otherwise the lineup is great for songs that we have never heard or witnessed live in concerts before and also for a few older classics. I am a bit in the ‘not a Gavin Harrison fan drumming in Crimson’ circle. He isn’t old school enough for me, too modern and not jazzy enough. I really enjoy his playing in Porcupine Tree though, a fantastic drummer. Cheers
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Dear McGregor,
I’m finally for totally late answer and expressing my gratitude re: your shout out about KC here.
So if I may, a bit of more light shine on my 2016-2019 frenzy of going to gigs I had with them.
Two factors: in 2012 I became an avid fan of The Stickmen, and had a chance of befriending Pat Mastelotto. One of the loveliest and friendliest chaps you’d ever meet in the business. It was him who broke us the news that KC would be back. By the time they hit Poland first in 2016 King Crimson developed a 1000 Club of world-wide supporters who in turn for a fee were granted perks related to the band, including the access to the ‘friends and family’ index zero shows of the tours. Effectively these have been full dress general rehearsal gigs prior to every leg of their concert treks. A chance to meet and greet and a free gig as a bonus to the regular ticketed ones. I treated this coming together of events and possibilities as the best chance to maximise participation in their live appearances and I always liked being given the chance to express my gratitude for their efforts in person. That’s why I was going these many times to see them during that period.
The formula itself with the revolving set lists was good enough to accept that the musical concept was pretty much precise to it, certainly much more than it ever was with Adrian Belew on board. And the fact that Sir Robert was keen again to revisit a lot from two early eras of the band was important too. My personal favourite time of KC is Bruford-Wetton era, and there was really plenty from it to bask in. It was the period when UK ceased to exist and in no time we lost John Wetton (who is one of my biggest musical inspirations besides Jon, Ritchie and Colin Towns). So it probably also worked as a sort of a fix to bear his loss a little bit lighter. I agree to the remarks seen above about JJ, I’m not sure how exactly he got to the position in the 7-headed beast. But still the configuration of the band was enough to appease the almighty. Mel Collins, Tony Levin - behemoths of their own respective areas in music. And the impeccable 3 drummers (four altogether untill Bill Rieflin was able to be around). Do I mention the fact that every time Easy Money, Exiles, Red, One More Red Nightmare went on - there was a frenzy? These tracks are sooooo POTENT. And, of course, Starless, that became a permanent fixture of all gigs. The most beloved, ever, getting my soul into wrench, every time. Along with Awaken, Carrying No Cross, Tarkus and Take A Pebble it forms the quintet of untouchable prog genius. So… With all that summed up… Even Jakko couldn’t diminish the result of this project being thrilling and exceptionally rewarding and important time of my life in music. I’ll cherish it forever.
Hello Martin, good to read your story of all things Crimson. Jakko Jakszyk was on the Fripp and Collins album Scarcity of Miracles along with Tony Levin and Gavin Harrison, 2011 era. Prior to that he was the guitarist and singer in the 21st Century Schizoid Band, an early 2000’s ex early KC members live band. I have to admit when I read about the 2011 album recording SoM (it isn’t a rock album at all), I did think, ‘what if?’. So I was pleasantly surprised when it happened in 2014. The five years from 1969 to 1974 are obviously the most known King Crimson and if I had to split hairs, my favourite era. The Bruford and Wetton connection and that is definitely hard to leave out as the favourite lineup, although that changes often for me, depending on the mood etc. John Wetton aka "the bass beast of terror’, what Robert Fripp jokingly called him. He was certainly a stand out in that lineup. I also enjoy Wetton on the debut Asia album (and the live in Tokyo 2006 reunion Asia concert) and Wetton is in the Steve Hackett band one off concert, the Tokyo Tapes live in Japan, mid to late 90’s. That song Battles Lines from Wetton, what a song that is. A brilliant lineup performing a selection of early Genesis, Crimson and also a few solo songs etc. An offical recording, well filmed etc. Original KC saxophonist and flautist Ian McDonald is there too along with Chester Thompson on drums. I have that on dvd. I think it is available online to watch, well at least a few years ago I noticed it somewhere. John Wetton’s voice, love it. I do have to re buy the debut UK album on cd, I used to own that on vinyl. I do really enjoy the 1980’s KC version, ground breaking indeed as I had no idea who Tony Levin and Adrian Belew were in 1981. Of course the Thrak album and tour shows are dynamite from the mid 90’s. Post 2000’s KC left me a little cold especially the first album The Construction of Light. The Power to Believe was much stronger and I have the live concert dvd from Japan and also have the two early 80’s live dvd’s and the Thrak Japan concert dvd. I do think that the Fripp /Belew link had nothing left in the tank, so when the 2008 get together failed, I was relieved. You can only go so far with certain things in life and that interlocking duel (dual) guitar combination was well past its use by date to my ears by that time. The 1000 club is a great idea, I would have joined but being in Australia that would have been pointless in regard to possible live shows etc. Those "friends and families’ pre tour shows I read about. Lucky you going to one of those. Pat Mastelotto, yes indeed and brought into Crimson as a serious metronomic time keeper in the early 90’s, to bounce off Bruford, or that should probably be the other way around. He was in the Crimson Project in 2014 which I had the privilege of witnessing in action. Marcus Reuter from the Stick Men band performed the Fripp guitar pieces on the Crimson songs they all performed towards the end of that three pronged band concert. When KC announced pre covid 2020 era they were looking at concerts in Australia, I was getting really excited, but at the same time being realistic. Not to worry, those two blu rays are superb in places, a few tracks here and there have me reaching for the remote control, otherwise most of the set lists are grand indeed. A lot of people actually use to hear a little ‘Frippism’ and don’t even know it. He plays the four notes on the Vista operating system when it is starting up. That Fripp man, he is everywhere. Cheers.
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