I mean … DAMN!!!

Rare is the day that music renders me speechless. But when I think about experiencing BEAT: Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai, and Danny Carey playing the eighties King Crimson tunes that shaped me into the musical maniac I am today …

I’m speechless. And that takes some doing!

I learned about King Crimson in 1985, a year after my favorite incarnation broke up. There would never be an opportunity for me to experience this transformative music live. That fact would always leave a musical hole in my consciousness.

Until now.

BEAT has come along and given the eighties King Crimson new life. People have been raving about this quartet since they first started touring. I had a pretty good idea why. Now, I’m certain of it.

You can do a helluva lot worse than having Steve sit in for Robert Fripp and Danny for Bill Bruford. They are simply remarkable musicians who were wise enough not to copy the original sounds made by Robert and Bill. What Steve and Danny brought to the table was nothing short of extraordinary.

Best of all, the band is clearly having a wonderful time onstage. Adrian grinned from ear to ear watching Steve add a degree of slinkiness to the parts Robert played. Even though he was off to the side of the stage (when he’s normally the frontman), Steve was clearly willing to be his rock star self. He was just subtle about it.

My friends and I came up with the same description at the same time. Steve is the “Anti-Fripp.” This is not meant as an insult to Robert. He and Steve are just different people with very different personalities. Robert is very staid when he plays. Steve is the polar opposite. The music moves him and he works hard to shape it into something he exudes. Whatever you want to call it, his treatment works!

Danny is a remarkable drummer, which no doubt helps him to be part of the driving force behind Tool. With BEAT, he was very careful to respect Bill’s original parts while also adding an extra (but low key) degree of intensity. It was a joy to watch and hear. You could feel the love Danny has for this music, which he has expressed verbally more than once.

Tony was … well, quintessential Tony! Whether he was on bass, Chapman Stick, or bass synthesizer, he was right on top of the grooves. Nothing got past him. He was having a ball doing his thing while enjoying the rest of the guys doing theirs. He is the band’s rock, steady and consistent.

There were a couple of musical “clams,” but nobody cared. It’s just a testament to how difficult this music is. What I wouldn’t give to be able to pick up my guitar and play these tunes! Every one of them has personal meaning. Every one of them deserves (and has) a place on my musical mantle. Some of my friends are traveling to see this band more than once. I’m starting to wish I was one of them!

The audience was positively captivated, which made me so happy, I can’t put it into words. I remember now alone I felt in the eighties when I tried to get my friends into King Crimson. They didn’t understand. One of them even said the music sucks. That was positively painful. Why don’t they get it?

Well, no matter. I was surrounded by people that do get it. That restores my faith.

I’m not going to post the setlist. Fans already have a good idea, and I’d rather have you experience and enjoy this show for yourself. I for one sincerely hope there’s a video of this tour somewhere in our future. I have no doubt that fans will snatch it up in a Heartbeat. (See what I did there?)

My head is still spinning. It might go on for a while. I’m okay with that. It speaks to how deeply BEAT’s music reached into my soul. Whats more, I’m sure I’m not alone.

This is what music should feel like. I hope to experience it again.

#cirdecsongs

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