DEJA VROOOM

Deja VROOM is a fantastic DVD outing for King Crimson. While I'll admit I haven't had an opportunity to actually experience this band live in person, this does a very good job of showing what I could expect from a Crimson concert.

The set list from this DVD is fantastic, despite the fact that most of it comes from their then latest album, THRAK. I'm sure quite a few people would see this as a detractor, but since I actually found THRAK to be a fantastic album this does not bother me in the least. Another problem many people seem to be having is that the set list does not venture any earlier than the King Crimson of the 80s, to which I say phooey. Considering the lineup at the time, it is not at all surprising that they chose not to play any of their older songs. King Crimson of the 80s and 90s is essentially a totally different band from the King Crimson of the 70s, so it'd seem a bit odd if they revisited some of their older music. Sure, it could prove to be an interesting foray, but ultimately an unnecessary one. Set list aside, the performance as a whole is amazing, and the musicianship is top notch throughout.

Honestly, I would probably take one star from this album if I looked at the whole package as opposed to just the performance itself, as the DVD's menu system is overly obtuse and annoying, but I'm more than willing to look past that since the performance more than makes up for it.