King Crimson USA 2017

Tapfret wrote: Catcher10 wrote: Tickets for Seattle show bought..Man these are going fast! Went on sale at 10PST, I bought at 10:02 and got middle of left section......F*ing ticket bots!!! I'm going and that's all that matters.... When I go on it says general sales don't start until March 17. I'm confused. Then again, $37 for rear balcony and $100 to be close? Sort of less than enthusiastic about that price, even for the Moore...even for Fripp's Crimson.

^ No dues...just sign up for the news letter.

TronFlutes wrote: RE: Toronto show. The first day of sale I mentioned WAS the presale day. LiveNation had an easy to find password (which I was using) and sections were reserved for American Express card holders as well. I found out after the fact the only reliable way to order on that day was with a Ticketmaster smartphone app. Either their online software failed or it couldn't handle the onslaught of professional scalper demand. I guess when you have a monopoly, you really don't have to give a crap. Yea, I'm bitter.

So has no one gone?  Or maybe I missed a thread.

Saw them last night in Denver.  Wonderful!!!  Here is the set list for this show (looks like its altered somewhat for each show):
Neurotica
The ConstrucKtion of Light
Pictures of a City
Radical Action III
Cirkus
Lizard (c) The Battle of Glass Tears
Hell Hounds of Krim (triple drum solo)
Red
Fallen Angel
Islands

Indiscipline
Easy Money
The Letters
Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One
Meltdown
Radical Action II
Level Five
Starless

Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
The Court of the Crimson King
"Heroes" (David Bowie cover)
21st Century Schizoid Man

As I was driving to the show "Pictures of the City" started running through my head.  Strange, because I haven't listened to that album in years.  So I was blown away when I heard those opening notes!  So cool.
And "Cirkus" followed by the end of "Lizard"; whodathunk!  And that wasn't even the biggest surprise.  "Islands" to end the first half!!  One of my Crimson faves.  Beautiful.

A sung version of "Indiscipline," with an extended intro, opened the second half.  I like it!  Both "Easy Money" and "The Letters" had extended psychedelic jazz freakouts in their mid-sections.  Could have been disastrous, but not in the hands of these masters.  "Meltdown" appears to be a new(ish) vocal song.  Had never heard it and wondered what Belew album I had missed it from.  Actually don't have The Power To Believe, so I thought it could have been from that, but apparently its a recent Jakszyk/Fripp song.  This was immediately followed by the amazing instrumental "Radical Action II".  Just wow.

"Starless" (surprise) ended the "second half".  Of course we knew they would have an encore.  A great (yes!!!) Gavin Harrison drum solo in "The Court of the Crimson King".  There should have been dancing (but wasn't) during the upbeat "Heroes" cover.  (This was actually the song that stayed in my head during the drive home.)  And of course "21st Century Schizoid Man" to end the evening.

Man oh man.  "A Majestic Cacophony" is the best way I can describe it.  If you are any kind of Crimson fan you really shouldn't miss it.  It seems likely to me that this would be their last U.S. tour.  Just a guess, but Fripp is 71, after all.  (And he tripped on something coming back on stage for the second half.  Yikes!)

Jakko Jakszyk sang wonderfully on all the songs, no matter that the originals were, what, four or five (including Bowie) different singers.  He also played some of the leads; particularly notable being the first half of the "Starless" instrumental section.  Great job!  And Fripp was great as well (of course).  Tony Levin had some fabulous Stick and bass (duh).  Having a full-time keyboardist was very cool.  Mel Collins woodwinds generally cut well through the mix.  I only recall one time he was playing where he was drowned out by the rest of the band (don't recall which song).  Good stuff.  And three drummers, what can you say.  I did miss the Bruford style at times, but mostly loved it.

All for now.  If they haven't made it to your area yet, do you self a favor and go!  Even if you don't have tickets yet, you can probably get them still.  The show was well attended but not sold out by any means.

Great review. And a pretty damn good set list. 

I've been looking at their set lists on this tour, and they've been quite amazing! There were also a few concerts where they played Fracture and Exiles, and even played Epitaph at one or two of the concerts.  I saw them three years ago in Philadelphia, and would definitely loved to see them play again. The songs I's really like to hear, that they didn't play last time would be Circus, Battle of Glass Tears, Fallen Angel, Fracture, Indiscipline, Easy Money, In the Court of the Crimson King, and Epitaph.

^ They played it pretty extensively on their last European tour, but only on a couple shows thus far on this American tour.

Boston! Woo woo