Only few months ago this writer was enjoying King Crimson on stage. Everything was perfect, the band was on, and they appeared to be having fun. Since then, an announcement was made that King Crimson is switching into silent mode, and suspending any further activities. This live album appears to be a swansong release.
Each spin brings back memories from that hot August night. The band definitely ended their activities at the top of their game. These live performances are superb. Nothing here is out of place, a mathematical precision indeed. Yet, the songs sound very analog and organic.
The album covers just about every phase of the band, and that’s a very wide spectrum of music. The odd thing about that is that a lot of the music sounds very different much like the line ups that functioned in the past, but there is something that connects it all. There’s this common denominator, I can’t quite name it, but I can definitely feel it. It would be easy to say it’s Robert Fripp, but it’s much more than just a single player, even if it’s the key player.
The double CD set is a great listen from the beginning to the end. The songs flow, and the sound is enormous. With so many King Crimson live albums available, every single of them appears to be essential for different reasons. Even if this was not the final set from King Crimson, it would still be a killer live record. It captures the group at their absolute best, in the moment of time. If there are no more audiences with the King, this is certainly a satisfying one.
Mark Kadzielawa
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