King Crimson 50th Anniversary tour...

[Michedelic]

Just three US dates(NY/Chi/LA), basically the same band of the past few years(Levin, of course), but with four drummers. That clever Fripp, if he fired the drummer, nobody would know the difference. Tickets go on sale in a couple of days...
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[Thrillhouse]

I saw them with this line up in Chicago the last time they came through and it was a fantastic show (they even made a live album from it). It is odd to me that those are the only shows they'll be playing in the US but I'll definitely be going. Maybe they'll add more down the line?

 

[bholder]

Just three US dates(NY/Chi/LA), basically the same band of the past few years(Levin, of course), but with four drummers. That clever Fripp, if he fired the drummer, nobody would know the difference. Tickets go on sale in a couple of days...
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Actually, I think Bill Rieflin is on keys only on this tour (was previously drums / keys).

 

[bholder]

I hope they add more shows, but I will be trying to go to the closest (NYC). God I hate going into the city...

 

[Michedelic]

I saw them with this line up in Chicago the last time they came through and it was a fantastic show (they even made a live album from it). It is odd to me that those are the only shows they'll be playing in the US but I'll definitely be going. Maybe they'll add more down the line?

I think you’ll find that certain bands, the older they get, and the more ‘selective’ their audience is, are going to opt for the Vegas Residency model, where the audience comes to them. There’s more dates in Europe, of course, but the tour logistics and demand there may be entirely different. Perhaps they’ll add secondary market dates later in the year.

 

[Thrillhouse]

I got an email from DGMLive about presale tickets and it included the following line so there may be hope for more US cities/dates:

"We cannot yet announce the full 2019 tour list as some show-dates and contracts are still being finalised. We do, however, insist that the first announcement comes from the DGMLive website."

 

[Rev J]

Actually, I think Bill Rieflin is on keys only on this tour (was previously drums / keys).

For me it's kinda weird to read the name Bill Rieflin in connection to King Crimson since I remember him drumming with Ministry in the 90's and REM in the early 00's.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[Michedelic]

For me it's kinda weird to read the name Bill Rieflin in connection to King Crimson since I remember him drumming with Ministry in the 90's and REM in the early 00's.

C/S,
Rev J

Fripp and REM’s Peter Buck(along with Reiflin and some others)had an experimental project called “Slow Music” about 10 years ago.

 

[Rev J]

Fripp and REM’s Peter Buck(along with Reiflin and some others)had an experimental project called “Slow Music” about 10 years ago.

I remember that. I think at one point he also did a few Guitar Craft seminars with Fripp.

To this day when I hear the name Bill Reiflin I think of the drums on this:



Even though I'm not the teenage metal head I used to be I still have a hard time not headbanging and air drumming to this.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[HeavyJazz]

I keep buying the albums of the current lineup, listening to them then giving them away. Can't seem to lock in with it. I had an easier time getting used to Geddy's voice than Jakko's. Seems over the top to me and there's a lot "missing" in the guitar department to my ears.

I guess I need Adrian AND Fripp for it to sound like KC.

 

[Michedelic]

I keep buying the albums of the current lineup, listening to them then giving them away. Can't seem to lock in with it. I had an easier time getting used to Geddy's voice than Jakko's. Seems over the top to me and there's a lot "missing" in the guitar department to my ears.

I guess I need Adrian AND Fripp for it to sound like KC.

Crimson has never been a static band; there are those who were fans of the Wetton/Bruford era that couldn’t get into the Discipline material because it was too “new wave” and found Belew’s vocals annoying. There are the followers of the 80’s era that have no use for stuff like “Lizard”. The “Islands” line-up was looked down on as being a subpar version of the original; and there are those fans who don’t want to hear anyone but Greg Lake singing. Then there are all the 90’s-00’s ‘projects ’ that confused some casual fans. KC is always an evolving organism. I don’t care what they do, I don’t mind being surprised. As long as the do “Schizoid Man” at the end of the night.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I keep buying the albums of the current lineup, listening to them then giving them away. Can't seem to lock in with it.

I bought Live At The Orpheum (from their first tour with this 3-drummer repertoire configuration in 2014) and was completely underwhelmed...but not so underwhelmed as to not keep paying attention to what they've been doing, and ultimately seeing them live in November of 2017. Live they were fantastic; methinks if I had a well-recorded CD of that performance it would be in regular rotation in my home.

Which makes me think part of the problem is that -- now that the era of Big Record Companies giving Big Advances is in the past and bands need to make a living by touring and CDs are just a form of memorabilia -- King Crimson's problem is simply one of oversaturation: They've been so successful selling CDs of 30-year-old live shows culled from the vaults that now they're not being nearly as discerning about what gets released. They'll just release anything that captured a better-than-average performance via a decent recording. For all I know the show two days before Live At The Orpheum was recorded was a better show, but they didn't record it?

Jakko's voice is definitely an acquired taste. Still not sure how I feel about him. It took me four years to finally make peace with the A Scarcity Of Miracles album.

 

[Michedelic]

You're right in the regard that Fripp's released so much product, practically all live, to keep the cash flow going(as opposed to selling huge amounts of one title, and we know that ain't gonna happen), but due to the nature of the band, and the nature of the fans, it's no surprise. It's no different from some Deadhead owning(and listening to) hours and hours of "Darkstar". I was at that Orpheum(L.A.)show, and the overwhelming experience of seeing them live can't quite be translated to recordings; I don't play that album that much.
As for Jakko, yeah, he isn't as forceful a singer, but he ain't that bad; consider that as a person/musician, he just fits what's required of him. He was already in the Porcupine Tree orbit, having done a project with Steve Wilson, and as there has been a mix'n'match/overlap personnel thing going on between members of Crimson, Porcupine Tree, and the British group Japan(with Bill Nelson in there as well)for some time, it was no surprise. After all, he had been fronting that 21st Century Schizoid Band outfit, which was basically KC's current model of alumni reunion but without Fripp's involvement, performing the back catalog. Maybe it's just down to his personality. It could be that, after Belew, Fripp just did't want any more clash of wills. I say that knowing what an obstinate pain in the ass Fripp can be.
Fripp has worked with plenty of strong vocalists before---Daryl Hall, Peter Hammill, Japan's David Sylvian, even wifey Toyah(not to mention Peter Gabriel), but all of those endeavors were their own beasts. None of those people would really suit Crimso's oeuvre, and their style might distract/overshadow what the band is about. Plus, how much vocal fits into the band's instrumental improvisational nature anyway? What I think would be fitting, interesting, and maybe something fresh for the band, is if they brought in Petra Haden to do vocals(plus she plays violin). She obviously has the chops...




But then, she's been busy singing for Bill Frisell and The Stooges' James Williamson lately.
Did you know, back in the day, Elton John and Bryan Ferry auditioned to be the Crimson vocalist? How weird would that have been?