Beat *is* King Crimson?
In this video, I share some spicy takes about the band Beat and their connection to King Crimson.
Beat delivers a better live show than King Crimson, and Beat essentially is King Crimson. After their recent show in Phoenix, the band’s unique spin on 1980s King Crimson tracks brought a fresh, energetic vibe that’s less formal and more danceable. With Steve Vai, Danny Carey, Tony Levin, and Adrian Belew in top form, Beat offers a more approachable version of King Crimson’s complex sound. Despite Robert Fripp’s absence, they carry forward the legacy of King Crimson’s music with passion and intensity. If you’re a fan, don’t miss out on this live experience.
Get tickets for the show here: https://beat-tour.com
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Originally posted by UCSnf2i8SB7Cy1cV0fICP-fA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WlUFqlSeC4
I’ve never responded to a YouTube video before, or even looked at the comments (I imagine anyone who reads this will hope I never do so again…) However, having thought about it, I thought I’d put my own thoughts down about this, I hope nobody minds, and I’m totally cool with it if anyone/everyone disagrees.
I flew from London to NYC to see Beat at The Beacon last weekend, and was grinning from ear to ear throughout, it was a completely joyful and celebratory performance. I’d purposefully avoided all clips and discussions until after I’d seen it, and I had been lucky enough to end up with tickets in the centre, 2 rows back. An amazing experience that I will never forget.
I also saw KC in ’84 (the first time I saw them, but certainly far from the last). Tbh I was on the young side to fully appreciate it, but I've them many times since, and of all the live albums I would say I play "Absent Lovers" the most, which is from this period. Was the Beat show a “better show” than KC? Absolutely no, not in the slightest. It amazes and even disappoints me that this gets raised. The two bands may share half of the members, and all 6 musicians involved are virtuosos, playing the same songs, but culturally they are opposite ends of the scale, and their performances cannot be compared in this way.
A King Crimson gig was an intense experience, they had a darkness to them, and an unmatched ferocity. Fripp is the key to that, his playing was so relentless it bordered on violent at times. Compare that to joyful and celebratory feel of Beat, which is emotionally the opposite. And I came out of both feeling on top of the world. The intensity and power in a KC gig was something like that of a classical concert, with the joy of Beat feeling more like how jazz connects with me. It seems that Fripp and Bill Bruford set the tone for this culture within Crimson, which has been described as being “British” in tone, where Steve Vai and Danny Carey make this an all-US line-up, with these cultural results. There was a ‘tension’ in a KC gig, which was fantastic. There is a lack of tension in a Beat gig, and that’s fantastic. The word “better” does not belong in this conversation.
I keep reading that Danny Carey “brings power” to the show. He does indeed, but he doesn’t bring power to a place where it didn’t exist previously. Bill Bruford had power to burn, when he chose to use it. Bill’s range was vast, but he hit hard when the music required it. I’ve seen Tool enough times to be super confident and very excited by how Danny would interpret the drum parts, and he didn’t disappoint, but it’s recency bias to believe that there was no ‘power’ there before. I’d also say that Bill was more of a showman than Danny, as Steve Vai is more of a showman than Fripp. Danny is entirely hidden behind his kit, which rises up around him. Bill, due to his lack of cymbals, was very visible. He also had racks of percussion mounted on racks behind him which he would play standing up, running around, hitting things. Bill was a visible part of the show, as well as the drummer.
Steve Vai has impressed me beyond words. It is such an act of artistic bravery to throw yourself over the edge as he has, taking on music in such a radically different style from that which he is comfortable with. It’s a privilege to see someone on the high wire like that, without a net. You can see how he’s working really hard up there, but he’s done a magnificent job of reinterpreting Fripp’s lines rather than repeating them, allowing him to make it work for him in his own stye, throwing in some signature Vai licks to boot, and seems to relish the creative freedom he's given to add his own flair. He’ll get more and more comfortable as this stuff gets more and more drilled in. I hope he's enjoying it, I’d love to see more of it.
Is Beat actually King Crimson? Could be, just a very different King Crimson. There are bands out there without any original members after all…Personally I’d prefer it if they stayed Beat, because I think Beat’s identity is a thing of value in its own right and doesn’t need the Crimson legacy/baggage to validate it, or weigh it down. I’d love to hear what they would create, and I’d prefer it not to have to live up to or be compared with KC.
The darker stage set of the Wetton period(Larks Tongue in Aspic, Starless & Bible Black & Red) was fabulously superb prior to U.K. I which collectively could be considered a Fripp-less Crimson having seen both periods shows. I was too young for their 1st 4 studio LP Tours(In The Court of the Crimson King, IN the Wade of Poseiden, Lizards, Islands. Those 1st 4 standalone concepts indeed did set the framework that wold, tidily Crimsons 1st epoch. Being 8 to 12 years young prevented any 1st epoch attendence. Exposure to epoch 1 I can thank my older siblings particularly brother & sister that were from the classes of '69 &'72 respectively. Now the sponsor/hosts of this latest iteration here have totally nailed it with their tight yet fun musicianship of the '80's Primary Colored collections of Discipline, Beat & Three of a Perfect Pair. To have seen/hear both camps, epoch 2 & now 3 with UK jammed in between have further filled my Crimson experiences both w & w/o Fripp. Robert did give the 'Beat Bunch' his full support from the beginning whispers. I just wish they would come back around after a break & re-play at the large venues again while more importantly show up at some of the intimate settings like Park West, The Chicago Theatre.
It would truly be a spectacular treat to see/hear Adrian let out 'the Rhinosity. Cheers to all & please keep up the good & happy work of sharing MORE Beat Tour, full play set videos!!!! ;>))
I mean this is my first time hearing about Beat and it sounds like it’s just a cover band? Like Led Zepagain?
It’s cool I guess to bring that to a live show again, but ultimately I think it’s better to let stuff like that take on new life as either actual covers by fully original bands, or just fully original bands inspired by it (like The Mars Volta).
I had never seen any version of KC live before, if Beat is the only version I ever see I’m ok with that. Vai adds some fun and rock and roll attitude that just multiplied my enjoyment. I only flew 2700km to see them, not around the world, but 10/10 show for me. Simply fantastic show.
I went to the Detroit show last night and after the first set of the band getting dialed in to the venue it was absolutely amazing. Second set started with Adrian vocalizing for the board to bring in the tone he wanted. Awesome set. Have a good time enjoying this Crimson lineup. Via is covering detailed progressions of the original work with slight tones that is Via himself adding to the originals works that I know well. The drummer is on it heavy and to the point. It was a great show and I think they get better with every show they play. What a great time. The Masonic Cathedral theater was packed to the gills. Well worth it in every respect.
Watched them last night in Cincinnati… such a great show!
I think this band should not be compared directly to KC of the eighties. The driving emotion of the 80’s version was the duality of discipline vs indiscipline, the UK guys versus the Americans. You all know which one is which. I saw the three drummer version of KC in Stockholm, and that was musically the best performance of any band I have ever seen. That was mostly discipline, perfect sync all the way. I have heard that they played to the click, but still,
I like it! Maybe I am inclined that way. I have not seen Beat, only some YouTube videos, and I certainly would go and see them if they came nearby, although the first clips I saw were a bit underwhelming to me. Lacking discipline. They have got better, I suppose, and they should be judged on their own merits.
I would love to watch the show and be in their presence if they come to Brazil with this amazing tour.
Just saw Beat at the Egg in Albany NY. WOW. Just a great show performed by amazing musicians. DUELING NOIZ FROM VAI AND BELEW WAS SO GOOD!! What an enjoyable evening of incredible music. The setlist allowed me to hear songs I hadnt listened to in ages and at one point I was teleported to 1983 Berlin where post Talking Heads Belew was making incredible noise! Probably just a flashback but…..
My friends and I all agreed this was better in way. The musicians are the best in the world. No one else, I don't think, could have done justice to this awesome music. I saw them in Boston, and I am seeing them in Hartford. If they come back to Boston, I would see them a third time. It hard to say better because I can't of a nuanced way to they enhanced the fantastic music and not really be saying it was better. And I did see them.im their original 4 piece and many different versions since then
Agreed. It’s sort of like Van Halen with Sammy Hagar. Van Halen with Sammy Hagar is obviously superior to Van Halen with David Lee Roth in every single way.
I’m just kidding.
It was so difficult to type that.
I’m glad you had a great time, but I wish you were older.
This is Wolfgang , signing off, from The society for the preservation of all things FrippIana????
Thanks for the video. Maybe they’ll be good at the end of the tour. That was not a David Foster Wallace reference.
No Fripp, no KC. Simple.
RELEASE A NEW KING CRIMSON RECORD WITH THE CURRENT LINEUP!!!!!
Vai’s solos ruin the songs. They don’t fit.
Wishful thinking here. Please tour Australia ????
Beat was a better concert experience, I don't think it was all prog though. It was more industrial sounding than a typical prog show.
Beat was a fun show, but not as good as the original KC band of the 80s.
I'd say King Crimson and Beat are two different bands that play same music. Like when you listen to different performances of the same classical piece. Great!
Cannot wait to see the show in Atlantic City!
"I listen to King Crimson for the music, not the guitarist" Robert Fripp would agree with that. Would Adrian Belew too?
You speak sacrilege, sir. Danny Carey is a fantastic drummer, but Bill Bruford is near godlike.
Vai no es simplemente un "shredder", es un gran músico que empezó su carrera con Zappa ni más ni menos.
Beat was incredible.
Ages between 60-80 years and those players were all so on point. It was one of the best performances I’ve seen.
Absolutely loved some of the ways Vai did Fripps parts as well.
The leads from both Vai and Belew all so creative and played with so much expression.
I heard someone in the, that had probably never watch king crimson videos, didn’t even know Belew was a lead player.