When I heard this super group had formed specifically to tour the music of 80’s King Crimson, saying I was thrilled would be an understatement. Things on paper don’t always turn out as you’d expect, but before you read any further, my expectations were exceeded on this night. Wow! I was transfixed from the moment the band hit the stage, absorbing the sound while my eyes would not leave the stage. The band hit the stage running as Adrian Belew blows that whistle and the band launches into Neurotica. I breathe a sigh of relief as the intro of “Neal, Jack and Me� rang out, probably my favorite Crimson song from that era, and I finally get to hear it live. The band proceeded to run through those three albums and I felt the energy level continue to rise throughout the night. This band has chemistry; the joy displayed by both the band and fans was undeniable. Steve Vai was definitely a presence on this evening, standing off to Adrian Belew’s right; he proceeded to nail his parts, and thankfully added his own character to the music. Danny Carey was terrific, and the drum sound that evening was spectacular, kudos to the sound crew. The first set came to a close with "Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" and the band took a short break.

The Second Set for me continued to elevate, the band was locked in, hitting their stride with tracks like “Sleepless�, and then three in a row from the Discipline album had the audience up after every song (Frame by Frame, Matte Kudasai, Elephant Talk). Closing with “Indiscipline� the crowd roared their approval, and we get hammered over the head with “Red� and a monster “Thela Hun Ginjeet� as encores.

What hit me the most was I never once thought about Robert Fripp or Bill Bruford during the show. I think that is a testament to how hard Steve Vai and Danny Carey worked to bring this music to us. That is not meant as a slight at all to the originators, just an observation of my reaction to the performance. Kudos to Robert for giving his blessing to Adrian and Tony to put Beat together. If you don’t have tickets, hopefully the show is not sold out at your venue (many shows are now sold out), DO NOT MISS THIS BAND!

Eric Porter