Jazz Articles about King Crimson

About King Crimson

Extended Analysis

Live in Toronto: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, November 20, 2015

by John Kelman
March 22, 2016

"The best live albums are the ones that make you glad they were recorded while simultaneously regretting you couldn't have been in the venue on the night." So writes Declan Colgan, president of Panegyric Records--the label responsible for, amongst other things, King Crimson's extensive 40th Anniversary reissue series of its initial run of studio and live albums, remixed by Steven Wilson or Jakko M. Jakszyk--in his liner notes to Live in Toronto: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, November 20, 2015, the full-concert ...

Live Review

King Crimson at Theatre St-Denis

by John Kelman
November 29, 2015

King Crimson Théâtre St-Denis Montréal, Canada November 16-17, 2015 When King Crimson's only original member and co-founder, guitarist Robert Fripp, announced unexpectedly that the band was coming out of retirement in 2013, other than the unconventional lineup nobody had any idea what to expect other than the brief snippets being released at the band's DGM Live site, which suggested that this “seven-headed Beast of Crim," in addition to new material, would be revisiting songs not ...

Extended Analysis

THRAK BOX - Live and Studio Recordings 1994-1997

by John Kelman
October 25, 2015

After three years spent extensively focusing on its 1972-'74 lineup--documented over a massive 66 CDs, DVDs and Blu Rays (plus some additional downloads) on Larks' Tongues in Aspic (40th Anniversary Series Box) (Panegyric, 2012); The Road to Red (Panegyric, 2013); and Starless (Panegyric, 2014)--King Crimson turns the clock ahead 20 years to an almost completely different lineup, a radically different sound and a far more unwieldy six-piece incarnation dubbed “the double trio" on THRAK BOX: King Crimson Live and Studio ...

Live Review

King Crimson at Usher Hall

by Ian Patterson
September 26, 2015

King Crimson Usher Hall Edinburgh, Scotland September 18, 2015 It's been thirty-three years since King Crimson last toured the UK and you have to go back to 1973 to find the last occasion Robert Fripp's storied band played Scotland. That's a long gap, whatever way you look at it; malt whiskies mature faster. Little wonder therefore, that the band's twelve UK dates have nearly all been sell outs, as you wouldn't hold your breath in ...

Extended Analysis

Live at the Orpheum

by John Kelman
January 11, 2015

It was the reunion nobody expected. After years of touring in circumstances less than ideal--and, for him, distinctly and increasingly unpleasant-- co-founder and only remaining original member Robert Fripp was as clear as can be that he was done with his flagship group King Crimson. A brief four-city, eleven-date 2008 tour--with a revamped version of the 2000-2003 quartet, also featuring Adrian Belew, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto reunited but with previous bassist/stick man Tony Levin replacing Gunn and a second ...

Extended Analysis

Starless

by John Kelman
October 25, 2014

After seeing the “Seven-Headed Beast of Crim"—words used by the group's co-founder and only remaining original member, guitarist/keyboardist Robert Fripp, to describe the 2014 incarnation of King Crimson that just wrapped up a 20-date, 10-city American tour including two exhilarating nights at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre—now is the perfect time for a detailed look at Starless: Live in Europe, the third box released in as many years by the band celebrating its 45th year in 2014. While King Crimson 2014 ...

Live Review

King Crimson at The Warfield

by John Kelman
October 11, 2014

King Crimson The Elements TourThe Warfield San Francisco, CA October 3-4, 2014 It's been eleven years since King Crimson last toured extensively, barring a brief four-city, fourteen-date tour in 2008 that acted as the final nail in the coffin of its 28-year run with pyrotechnic guitarist/vocalist Adrian Belew. Never a fan of the gruelling toll of the road, guitarist/keyboardist Robert Fripp--the group's only remaining founding member--seemed resolute in retiring from active touring after that ...