King Crimson - 2015-09-15 Symphony Hall Birmingham (2025)

Lyricist Richard Palmer-James’ tale of rock stars, chancers, city slickers and those who rest on their laurels is given full voice here by Jakko via a terrific, impassioned vocal. Away from the slashing chords of the verse section, the middle section has an almost dream-like quality. Fripp’s liquid soloing, interspersed with Jamie Muir’s sardonic chuckle sampled from the original LTIA multitracks and triggered by Pat Mastelotto, quickly builds into an intense vocal improvisation and some haunting keyboard work by Rieflin. Except for Interlude between Easy Money and The Talking Drum and Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part II, this section replicates side two of KC’s 1973 studio album. It’s interesting to note that had Mel Collins accepted an invitation to join a newly revamped Crimson in the late summer of 1972, this is what the Larks’ era band might have sounded like.