To be able to describe the phenomenon King Crimson it is best to let the spiritual leader of the band, Robert Fripp, explain. “King Crimson is, as it has ever been, in the first place a way of operating. When there is nothing to do, nothing is done and King Crimson disappears. Only when there is music that has to be played, King Crimson reappears again”. For those among us who do not know King Crimson, this quote from the intellectual guitar player from British Dorsett might sound like abracadabra. He just means that the band is simply discontinued when there is lack of inspiration to make music at the highest creative level. As soon as the flame is rekindled, the band, whether with a different line-up, goes on as before. The first incarnation of King Crimson was born at the end of the sixties. The band then was lauded as 'the new Beatles'. Later, when the music at the same time became more improvised and symphonic the band landed in the corner of 'art rock', a term that was more of a judgement than a compliment. After the album Red (1974) Fripp declared that it was forever “over and done with” for King Crimson. In 1981 the leader renamed a group that was originally called Discipline back into King Crimson: the spirit and approach of old were back. Master guitarist, singer and songwriter Adrian Belew has, from then until now, been a creative force in the band that is just as important as Fripp. The odds are that King Crimson - with Tony Levin on bass and stick and Pat Mastelotto on drums - will play a lot of completely improvised jazz and rock music like on the album THRaKaTTaK. But also works from the latest album The Power to Believe will be part of the set.
