BEAT 11.6.24

Paramount Theatre
Denver, CO

Words & Photos by Mike Sherry Photo

BEAT Tour graced the Paramount Theatre on Wednesday with an interstellar ensemble that included Adrian Belew (King Crimson, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Talking Heads), Steve Vai (Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth), Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd), and Danny Carey (Tool) presenting an evening of 1980's-era King Crimson music. Wait! Don't scroll on - this was no recital it was a revival! Denver's prog rock faithful filled the venerable hall to capacity and warmly welcomed the band, quickly rewarded for their curiosity. 

Clear from the start was that these four players were 'in concert', synchronized and energized by the songs. "Neurotica" boldly opened the fray, familiar and frenetic. The band's sound, and so the songs' sound boasted a fresh edge: Steve Vai brought a searing attack on guitar while Carey drummed with astounding precision. Songwriter Adrian Belew, along with veteran Crim performer Tony Levin couldn't have chosen better teammates to bring new life to songs like "Neal and Jack and Me." Vai played complex interlocking guitar duets with poise and also sang freely when soloing. A sweep-pick metal lick to cap off a lead? This early shock alerted all that Robert Fripp was not in the building, and it was going to be just fine. In fact, Steve's dancy, flashy style propelled the known Crim catalog into bold territory with a purpose - fun! It seemed infectious, as everyone onstage broke from eyes down playing to frequently vibe, grin and respond.

Likewise, Danny Carey stepped right into the fine-fitting shoes of the polyrhythmic material, his band Tool famous for featuring odd meter and trance grooves. His face described a committed focus on being the rhythmic net for such peculiar music while his limbs adeptly kept everything rock solid. But eruptions also arrived on time, blasts of power in songs like "Dig Me," "Larks Tongues in Aspic Part III," and of course "Indiscipline." For this late-show crescendo number, Danny soloed with marvelous ferocity while somehow never drifting from the tune's odd meter. The band casually dropped in at the appointed point like a jockey onto a horse, cantering until Adrian's shouted zenith “I like it!” was echoed by the entire crowd.

The song selection from the trio of King Crimson albums Beat, Three of a Perfect Pair and Discipline was woven into an affirming flow of Belew's best songwriting contributions during the era. Hard-edged, note-saturated numbers like "Sartori in Tangier" and "Sleepless" alternated with the breathing space of songs like "Heartbeat" and "Waiting Man" – the latter a lush hello to the second set as Adrian joined Danny center stage to drum-duet the mesmerizing groove all smiles and some funny cross-drum trespassing!

Standout moment one: "Industry." This atonal freeform jazz exploration had amazing cohesion and movement, anchored by Carey and patiently investigated by the other players. Sonically stunning and riveting to behold. Also fully entrancing was "Sheltering Sky." I had willfully abstained from viewing social media about this tour, but the day before had impulsively tapped a video post of this song wherein a fan decried Vai's metal-tinged soloing. This reviewer struggled to collect his jaw from the floor when Steve (after faithfully playing Fripp's melody) had concluded a gorgeous explosion of notes, completely him and completely serving the song.

Tony Levin's playing and presence throughout the night was impeccably choice. Arrayed with bass (and funk-fingers), Chapman Stick and doubling at times a keyboard bass line – while also singing, Tony basked in the familiar and funky territory of tunes like "Man with an Open Heart" – including a hilarious lyric changeup by Adrian: “...could be a regular singing in my underwear...”. 

There's a point in a King Crimson (tribute) performance where it's time to remind the sitting audience they're at a rock show, and that point was Tony's iconic intro on Stick to "Elephant Talk." Nearly all butts left their seats for the remainder of the second set, bopping along to the snappiest 4/4 prog groove there is. "Three of a Perfect Pair" came hot on its heels. After the finale of "Indiscipline" and a smiling bow the BEAT band quickly returned to the stage. Adrian gave a heartfelt tribute to Crimson bandmates Bill Bruford and Robert Fripp, dedicating to them a blistering rendition of the song "Red." The Paramount house stamped its feet and cheered for more as the pachyderm drive of "Thela Hun Ginjeet" rounded out the encore. 

After the show, some fans hung around and vibed with Adrian, Tony and Steve. Tony inquired about the sound mix and it was all good feedback, plus genuine appreciation for the performance. Such a joy to hear Ade chat enthusiastically about playing material from the era live for the first time, especially "Model Man." A songwriter has to swell with pride seeing an audience respond like Denver's – in concert with and circulating the lifeblood of music in the moment!

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