levin, belew, vai and carey tour as beat

If you haven't heard Tony Levin, Adrian Belew, Steve Vai and Danny Carey (Tool) are touring as Beat playing 80s King Crimson. Specifically, Discipline, Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair. Fripp approved. And our old pal, Scrote is involved.

Presale code - beattour

9/12 SAN JOSE, CA @ SAN JOSE CIVIC
9/13 NAPA, CA @ BLUE NOTE SUMMER SESSIONS at MERITAGE RESORT
9/14 LOS ANGELES, CA @ THE UNITED THEATER on BROADWAY
9/15 ANAHEIM, CA @ CITY NATIONAL GROVE of ANAHEIM
9/17 SAN DIEGO, CA @ HUMPHREY’S CONCERTS
9/18 PHOENIX, AZ @ CELEBRITY THEATRE
9/20 AUSTIN, TX @ THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE
9/21 HOUSTON, TX @ BAYOUS MUSIC CENTRE
9/22 DALLAS, TX @ MAJESTIC THEATRE
9/24 ATLANTA, GA @ THE EASTERN
9/26 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL @ THE PARKER
9/27 ORLANDO, FL @ HARD ROCK LIVE
9/28 CLEARWATER, FL @ RUTH ECKERD HALL
9/29 CHARLESTON, SC @ CHARLESTON MUSIC HALL
10/01 CHARLOTTE, NC @ KNIGHT THEATER
10/02 DURHAM, NC @ CAROLINA THEATRE of DURHAM / FLETCHER HALL
10/04 WASHINGTON, DC @ WARNER THEATRE
10/05 NEW YORK, NY @ BEACON THEATRE
10/06 GLENSIDE, PA @ KESWICK THEATRE
10/08 RICHMOND, VA @ CARPENTER THEATER in DOMINION ENERGY CENTER
10/09 RED BANK, NJ @ COUNT BASIE CENTER
10/11 BOSTON, MA @ SHUBERT THEATRE
10/12 HAMPTON BEACH, NH @ HAMPTON BEACH CASINO BALLROOM
10/14 HALIFAX, NS @ REBECCA COHEN AUDITORIUM
10/15 MONCTON, NB @ CASINO NEW BRUNSWICK
10/17 MONTREAL, QC @ THEATRE MAISONNEUVE
10/18 TORONTO, ON @ MASSEY HALL
10/19 ROCHESTER, NY @ KODAK CENTER
10/21 ALBANY, NY @ THE EGG
10/22 GREENSBURG, PA @ PALACE THEATRE
10/23 READING, PA @ SANTANDER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
10/25 CLEVELAND, OH @ AGORA THEATRE
10/26 CINCINNNATI, OH @ TAFT THEATRE
10/27 ROYAL OAK, MI @ ROYAL OAK MUSIC THEATRE
10/28 NASHVILLE, TN @ RYMAN AUDITORIUM
10/30 INDIANAPOLIS, IN @ MURAT THEATRE
11/01 CHICAGO, IL @ COPERNICUS CENTER
11/02 MILWAUKEE, WI @ PABST THEATRE
11/03 MADISON, WI @ ORPHEUM THEATER
11/04 MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ STATE THEATRE
11/06 DENVER, CO @ PARAMOUNT THEATRE
11/08 LAS VEGAS, NV @ THE THEATER at VIRGIN HOTEL

As much as I love Belew--and that guy is seemingly ageless (he's 75 this year)--I have to question whether he can still deliver the goods performing this type of music. I want to see some videos before I invest in tickets.

I saw Belew just last year, touring with Jerry Harrison and performing material from Remain in Light. He showed no sign of relinquishing his voice, his talent or his overall vitality. Too bad the itinerary skips Seattle; I'd gladly grab a ticket for this one.

Delvin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw Belew just last year, touring with Jerry
> Harrison and performing material from Remain in
> Light. He showed no sign of relinquishing his
> voice, his talent or his overall vitality. Too bad
> the itinerary skips Seattle; I'd gladly grab a
> ticket for this one.

Well, that is good to know! I wanted to go to the Remain in Light show locally in Tampa last year, but the tickets were outrageous (priced way higher here than other stops on the tour for some reason).

I'd like to be excited about this, but the presence of Steve Vai kills it for me. Good luck to 'em, though.

Michael Toland Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd like to be excited about this, but the
> presence of Steve Vai kills it for me. Good luck
> to 'em, though.

If this tour was happening in 1991, and Vai was coming off recent stints with David Lee Roth and Whitesnake, I would have felt the same way. But I've listened to a lot of his solo work from the past 30 years, and while a good portion of it is of the "shredding" variety, there is a lot more depth to his playing. He definitely has the ability to play Fripp's parts, and as long as he sticks to them and doesn't veer off into wankery, I can buy it...but perhaps not 100%. Again, I'd want to see videos to see what I'm getting into.

"as long as he sticks to them and doesn't veer off into wankery"

And there's the rub. My experience with Vai is that, while he can start off with something good, even exceptional, he can't help going into the speed demon, "look at all the guitar lessons I took - all at once!" thing that guitar mags love him for. No thanks.

I saw Belew and Levin (and Mastelotto) with the Crimson Projekt a few years back, where they did both the 80s and 90s stuff, and quite well, too. I'm good.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2024 01:42PM by Michael Toland.

Who’s doing the Fripp parts? Vai?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2024 01:02AM by MrFab.

MrFab Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Who’s doing the Fripp parts? Vai?

Yes. There is a lengthy interview with all four of them and it does seem like this is going to be much in the vein of the original. Remember that Vai started out with Frank Zappa so he has some cred.

As for Belew, I've seen him solo and with Jerry Harrison and he is ageless. His voice is still the same.

It is strange that Seattle is being left off the tour, it is pretty comprehensive. Maybe they are still figuring out the dates.

MrFab Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Who’s doing the Fripp parts? Vai?

According to Fripp, Vai is the only one who can do it!

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/steve-vai-king-crimson-beat

Despite my initial skepticism, I'm on board with this whole thing now the more I think about it. Tickets go on sale my local show this Fri, so I have two more days to decide whether to pull the trigger.

> MrFab Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > Who’s doing the Fripp parts? Vai?
>
> According to Fripp, Vai is the only one who can do
> it!
>
> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/steve-vai-king-crimson-beat

I have to say that I saw Belew in 2017 with his Power Trio and they performed "Frame By Frame," my favorite 80s Crimson jam…didn't miss Fripp at all. And I'm a Fripp Cultist!

Uh oh, the band is called "Beat"? Wait til Dave Wakeling and Paul Collins find out!

After watching the Rick Beato interview with the guys, I bought into the hype and purchased my ticket for the 9/28 Clearwater show. Can't wait!

I had to laugh when Beato asked what it would be like to play those Beat-era songs for the first time and both Belew and Levin said "well, we play them pretty regularly".