King Crimson Reunite for 17-Show Run This Fall
Update: After announcing three shows in New York, King Crimson revealeed plans for 17 shows in nine cities, including Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago. Full itinerary below.
Last September, King Crimson mastermind Robert Fripp stunned the music world by announcing a new seven-man, triple-drummer reinvention of his seminal prog-rock outfit, promising to play shows after one year of rehearsals. And his intuition was spot-on – their first performances will be a trio of New York City shows, September 18th, 19th and 20th at the Best Buy Theater; tickets will go on sale Friday, June 6th, at noon EST.
Readers’ Poll: Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time
The new Crimson lineup features Fripp reuniting with bass god Tony Levin and drummer-percussionist veterans Pat Mastelotto and Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree). The trio will be joined by eclectic drummer Bill Rieflin (R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails), guitarist-vocalist Jakko Jakszyk and woodwind legend Mel Collins. The latter two musicians collaborated with Fripp on the 2011 LP A Scarcity of Miracles, and Collins played on numerous early Crimson albums (including 1974’s iconic Red).
“The Point Of Crim-Seeing was of a conventional Back Line – Gavin Harrison, Bill Rieflin, Tony Levin and Pat Matstelotto – reconfigured as the Front Line, with Mel Collins, Jakko Jakszyk and myself as Back Line,” Fripp wrote in his website diary entry that announced the new lineup. “All the Crims have expressed great excitement at the return to Go! mode.”
Fripp recently elaborated on the band’s schedule to Uncut, saying they planned to rehearse in England before shifting to the U.S. in August or September 2014. “There is a plan to include the UK in the tour dates,” he said, “but it depends on a number of circumstances. Right now the primary geographical focus is the United States.”
All of this news was (and remains) surprising, given Fripp’s distaste for the music industry. He more or less announced his retirement in a 2012 profile with Financial Times, saying, “My life as a professional musician is a joyless exercise in futility.” At this point, Crimson fans will take whatever they can get.
King Crimson 2014 Tour Dates
9/9 Albany, NY – The Egg
9/10 Albany, NY – The Egg
9/12 Philadelphia, PA – Kimmel Center
9/13 Philadelphia, PA – Kimmel Center
9/15 Boston, MA – Colonial Theatre
9/16 Boston, MA – Colonial Theatre
9/18 New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
9/19 New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
9/20 New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
9/23 Madison, WI – Barrymore Threatre
9/25 Chicago, IL – The Vic
9/26 Chicago, IL – The Vic
9/30 Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
10/1 Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
10/3 San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theater
10/4 San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theater
10/6 Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre