Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin have banded together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and explosive Tool drummer Danny Carey for the first time to create Beat, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums - Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. Beat will be performing the music of 80s King Crimson on tour.
Vai spoke with Make Weird Music about about the upcoming tour and performing the music of King Crimson. Check out the interview below.
Vai: "I'm feeling good about all of it, really. There's a couple of things that are a little difficult, like, oddly enough, 'Elephant Talk'. It's just a peculiar kind of thing so I might change that up. Plus, this isn't really a cover band. We're kind of re-interpreting some things, and I think my style and my sound will flow into it just becauye it's coming out of me. I'm doing my absolute best to respect every note that Robert (Fripp) wrote."
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The vision for this undertaking emanated from initial dialogue between Angelo Bundini aka Scrote and Adrian Belew. Tour Producer Bundini recalls, “When Adrian called me to help bring his idea to fruition, I immediately thought it best to focus on the 80s albums: Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. These three records famously marked Adrian and Tony's entry into King Crimson. Their fluid, melodic virtuosity, and Fripp's and Bruford's dramatic precision created a totally unique, dynamic push and pull that would influence nearly every rock musician and/or band going forward for years, if not decades, to come.”
Both a meet & greet and a VIP tour package will be available for purchase. The M&G includes one premium ticket in the first five rows, early entry, pre-show meet & greet, personal photograph captured, limited edition autographed poster, Beat challenge coin, tote bag, an exclusive merch item, and an official laminate and lanyard. There is limited availability with pricing set at $200.00. For the VIP tour package, buyers will receive one premium reserved seat in the first 15 rows, a limited edition Beat tour poster autographed, the challenge coin, an exclusive tour merch item, and a commemorative laminate and lanyard. Availability is limited at $100.00.
Ticket links at beat-tour.com. Dates and a video trailer can be found below.
Tour dates:
September
12 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
13 - Napa, CA - Blue Note Napa Summer Sessions at Meritage Resort
14 - Los Angeles, CA - The United Theater on Broadway
15 - Anaheim, CA - City National Grove of Anaheim
17 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s Concerts
18 - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
20 - Austin, TX - The Paramount Theatre
21 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Centre
22 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
24 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
26 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - The Parker
27 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
28 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
29 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
October
1 - Charlotte, NC - Knight Theater
2 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre of Durham / Fletcher Hall
4 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
5 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
6 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
8 - Richmond, VA - Carpenter Theater in Dominion Energy Center
9 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Center
11 - Boston, MA - Shubert Theatre
12 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
14 - Halifax, NS - Rebecca Cohen Auditorium
15 - Moncton, NB - Casino New Brunswick
17 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Maisonneuve
18 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
19 - Rochester, NY - Kodak Center
21 - Albany, NY - The Egg
22 - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theatre
23 - Reading, PA - Santander Performing Arts Center
25 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
26 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
27 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
28 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
30 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
November
1 - Chicago, IL - Copernicus Center
2 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre
3 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater
4 - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
6 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
8 - Las Vegas, NV - The Theater at Virgin Hotels
Adrian Belew - “The 1981 through 1984 King Crimson created a music all its own. Timeless. Beautiful. Complex. Fierce. For the fans who lived through it then, and the ones who never got to witness it, our aim is to bring it to life again. A monumental task but we’re going for it! There are not enough exclamation points to express my excitement!”
Steve Vai - “Being a part of this ensemble is an extraordinary privilege and opportunity to perform some of the most beloved, timeless, and monumental music of the 80’s (and beyond) with truly inspired musicians. This music resonates deeply with me. Adrian, Tony and Danny are unique musicians with an otherworldly insight into presenting rich musical complexities in a very accessible way, and I am looking forward to searching each other’s musical minds in real time on stage. I’m sure sparks will fly.” He continues, “Father Robert Fripp is one of our historical geniuses. His highly specific and exceptionally brilliant guitar technique is studied and revered. His contribution to the quality of my musical life, and so many others is supreme. I can assure the fans of KC that I will be putting my best foot forward to respect this great music with the care and intensity it deserves. Did I say ‘sparks will fly?’”
Tony Levin - “This is going to be quite a tour. Revisiting some of my favorite music is a treat in itself, but in company of this stellar lineup, I expect to have my musical butt kicked! And it’s also great that we’re not just playing a few shows, we’re hitting it hard. So, Road Dogs are coming to your area soon.”
Danny Carey - “I am very excited to share the stage with three of my favorite musicians on the planet. Tony, Steve and Adrian have always been a source of inspiration for me since the beginning of my career, and now to be able to share a bit of my musical journey with them is a dream come true. There’s nothing better to make some sparks fly and light a fire under your ass than getting out of your musical comfort zone, and I can’t think of any other three guys I’d rather do this with. I think I can speak for all of us when I say I hope all of our fans are as excited as we are about this tour.”
