BEAT Awed with the Music of King Crimson at the Warner Theatre

Live Review

Live Review: BEAT @ Warner Theater — 10/4/24

marcshea2

October 11, 2024

Live Review: BEAT @ Warner Theater — 10/4/24 — Adrian Belew performs with BEAT at the Warner Theatre on Oct. 4, 2024. (Photo by Marc Shea)

The Warner Theater was recently host to an unusual supergroup. The group is called BEAT. Their focus is the trio of King Crimson studio albums from the 1980s: Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair.

It may sound like a very specific focus, but it makes complete sense when you learn who the band is composed of. The anchors of Beat are two members of that era of King Crimson: Adrian Belew on guitar and Tony Levin on bass, Chapman Stick, and percussion. Rounding out the band are guitar legend Steve Vai and the drummer for Tool, Danny Carey.

The band members alone were enough to make me want to see this show at the Warner Theatre on Oct. 4. But the fact that they were sticking to three of the most complex and unique sounding albums in the King Crimson pantheon made it irresistible. And I was not disappointed. The show began with each member walking out individually. Adrian entered the stage first, followed by Tony, Steve, and finally Danny. They bowed to the audience and each took their respective place on stage.

Set one began with “Neurotica.” Adrian cracked a smile that never left his face for the duration of the show. He must be the happiest person on the planet. And why wouldn’t he be? He’s currently on tour, playing some of the most unusual music in the world which he helped create, and he’s playing with three of the most accomplished musicians on the planet, to audiences who adore it all.

Tony was as impressive as ever. His is one of the premiere bass players in the world and his skills are on full display with this show.

Danny Carey is a natural choice to fill Bill Bruford’s shoes. The work he’s done with Tool rivals that of most other bands. And not many drummers can do what he does. So, he was a natural choice to sit in on drums.

Steve Vai was the most intriguing member to me. His sound is so unique. I was really anxious to hear how he would fit into this group. What he did was truly remarkable. He managed to bring his own sound into the music of King Crimson without making the show a Steve Vai guitar clinic. The only difficult part of the evening was trying to catch everything. With four virtuoso players on stage, sometimes it was difficult to know who I should be watching.

The first set included Crimson staples like “Sartori In Tangier,” “Man With An Open Heart,” and “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part III).” Adrian interacted with the crowd and joked about when we should applaud.

After about an hour, the first set was finished and the band took a 15-minute break.

The second set began with Danny Carey taking center stage and began playing drum pads alone. It was the start of “Waiting Man.” Adrian soon joined him on the pads. Adrian had changed from a bright red suit to a black one. But the mood didn’t change. He was still all smiles. Next up was Tony, picking out the angular bass line. And Steve quickly joined in the action.

The second set was filled with my favorite songs from ’80s King Crimson — songs like “Frame By Frame,” “Three Of A Perfect Pair,” and “Matte Kudasai.” Adrian continued cutting up with the crowd but to be honest, I just sat there in awe of what I was watching. After about another hour, they wrapped up the second set with “Indiscipline.” They all gathered together at the front of the stage, took a bow and walked off.

They emerged a few minutes later for an encore, which provided the only deviation from the Adrian Belew-era King Crimson. The encore kicked off with “Red.” It’s a personal favorite so I was thrilled. After “Red,” they finished the show with “Thela Hun Ginjeet.”

Supergroups like this don’t happen very often. Between the musicianship and the narrow focus of the setlist, this show was as unique as the band. They played complex music effortlessly and everyone had room to shine. If BEAT comes around again, catch them if you can. You’ll be glad you did!