G3 lineup thoughts?

John King5 said:Hey everyone,
So, when was the last time any of you actually caught King Crimson live? Based on what I'm reading here—it sounds like most of you haven't even been to one.
"Red" shows up on the setlist for basically every single one of their shows. Back in the nineties, they could easily pull off "Larks' ii" or "Talking Drum"—and hell, they could even throw in "21st Century Schizoid Man" if they felt like it.

I’m pretty skeptical about any upcoming shows anytime soon—especially after those comments from Robert Fripp about how KC isn't planning on touring Europe anymore because the promoters there are just too incompetent (particularly in Eastern Europe).
Has anyone here actually sat down and listened to The Power to Believe?
The Discipline era was solid, don't get me wrong—but honestly? I think the Fripp - Belew - Gunn - Mastelotto lineup is still the best KC reincarnation we've seen to date.

I own The Power to Believe. Look, there’s absolutely no debate that it’s a solid album—it holds its own—but when you put it up against that legendary era from the 70s? It just feels kind of small by comparison.
It’s true that they played those bits here and there during the '90s. As for 21st Century Schizoid Man, they did actually tackle it—I think it was either in Nashville or Mexico—but Adrian Belew’s vocals were pretty rough on that one, so I guess they eventually just gave up on it. On the Power to Believe tour, I didn't see Larks' ii or Talking Drum on any of the setlists, but hey, whatever.
Honestly, Robert Fripp was never one to get sentimental about the past—not even when it comes to the '70s. I respect his stance, really, but personally? I just can't bring myself to watch Crimson without at least half an hour of that '70s era mixed in. That specific period is what built the whole Crimson cult and that fanatic following we see today. It’s basically what allowed Fripp to make a living off endless reissues and those overpriced deluxe editions featuring obscure live recordings from the old lineups.
At this point, I’ve pretty much given up hope that I’ll ever actually see the 21st Century Schizoid Man band play the stuff those of us who have been around since the beginning actually want to hear.

Douglas Hayes6 said:Oh, give me a break!
The only obnoxious attention-seeker at that concert was Fripp with his stupid half-hour string swells and knob-twiddling. For the first two minutes, it actually felt kind of cool, but after that, it just became mind-numbingly boring. The guy acts so pathetic and self-important that he didn't even play anything properly during "Red"; he just sat there messing around in the corner, and those two or three solos were just weak.
I’m not saying he isn’t a good guitarist—far from it—but what he did at Gillette Stadium was honestly pathetic. If he thought he was going to mess around, he shouldn't have shown up.
IMHO, Satriani, and especially Vai, are much better and more interesting than him. As for old Robert, he’s totally washed up.

Reading your post is about as entertaining as watching a rabid bull thrash around in a pen.😁
God, you're clueless. If you don't get Fripp, that's your loss.
Suck it.😁(copyright 😉 )

John King5 said:Hey everyone,
So, when was the last time any of you actually sat in a crowd and watched King Crimson live? Looking at the answers I’ve seen here—it’s pretty clear. None of you have ever been.

For crying out loud, we aren't all some bunch of old ladies like you...😛
Looks like we’ve even got some younger folks hanging out here... basically just students. 😁 🙂

John King5 said:Has anyone here actually listened to "The Power to Believe"?

Man, I've given it a spin. To me, the sound feels like a direct sequel to Construction of Light, just way darker. Honestly? It didn't really grab me. 😁

Brandon Castillo4~ said:I feel like a kicked puppy because I missed out on being in Ljubljana to experience the madness of Robert Fripp. I’m a big fan of King Crimson (even though I’ve only checked out a few albums), and I really dig that avant-garde style Fripp pulls off.

I couldn't agree more.
My only correction is that I actually own almost the entire King Crimson discography.

If we’re talking about a solo Robert Fripp show or even just a full Crimson set, I’d be down to trek all the way from Ljubljana... But this specific lineup? Just wasn't worth my time or my money...

stormyviper11 said:If we're talking about a Fripp solo gig or a full Crimson show, I’d definitely make the trek from somewhere like Chicago. But this specific lineup? Just wasn't worth my time or my money...

For me, it wasn't about the cash, it was the time. I'm just bummed I missed out on seeing him... 🙂

shadowmarlin15 said:It’s true they played bits and pieces of what you listed here off and on during the 90s. As for 21st Century Schizoid Man, they did play it—I think it was in Nashville or maybe Mexico City—but Adrian Belew’s vocal delivery was pretty pathetic, so they probably just gave up on it after that.

During the The Power to Believe tour, I didn't see Larks' ii or Talking Drum on any of the setlists, but whatever.

Look, the reality is that Fripp has never been one to get sentimental about the past, not even regarding the 70s era. I respect his stance, I really do, but personally, I don't want to sit through a Crimson show if they aren't playing at least half a set from the 70s. That specific era is exactly what built the Crimson cult and this whole fanatic following. It’s what allowed Fripp to make a living off endless reissues and overpriced deluxe editions of obscure live recordings from the old lineups.
All I can do is hold onto a shred of hope that I'll eventually see the 21st Century Schizoid Man band perform the stuff that we, the original die-hard fans, actually want to hear.

They weren't just playing those songs sporadically; they were staples during both the Thrak and Thrakattak tour runs. And honestly, Belew did an okay job with the vocals. If you're wondering why they don't lean harder into the 70s material, it isn't really a Fripp thing—it's more Belew. He just doesn't feel comfortable stepping into someone else's shoes vocally. They stopped playing 21st Century Schizoid Man because the crowd would literally lose their minds; I heard they actually smashed a piece of equipment standing in some venue in Poland because of it.
But hey, they still play Red at almost every show to this day.

To me, Fripp is being much fairer by not living on past glories (well, except for the financial side of things). Why bother playing 70s tracks when this isn't even the same group anymore? It makes way more sense for him to release archival live recordings of the original lineups rather than trying to resuscitate something that died decades ago. Every new Crimson project aims to push something forward. At the same time, they still manage to sound quintessentially Crimson. That’s what I love and respect about them. The Power to Believe is actually a perfect example of that, because it takes those signature sounds we all know and places them in a completely fresh context.

Nathan Barnes5 said:If I had it... The sound is basically just a sequel to Construction of Light, only darker. Personally, I wasn't really feeling it.😁

UUUUU....give me a break. TPTB has absolutely nothing to do with Construction of Light. Honestly? CoL was a total flop. If you want a real sequel, look at Heaven and Earth—that whole side project thing, Project X, which was basically King Crimson run by Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn. Now THAT was a killer album!!!!
By the way, has anyone actually checked out those projects??

Brandon Castillo4~ said:For crying out loud, we aren't all old grandmas like you...😛
There are some younger folks hanging around here too... students...😁 🙂

Aha... I see you're one of those people who thinks Crimson just vanished after in The Court of the Crimson King !!!!😁

John King5 said:UUUUU... look, TPTB isn't even related to Construction of Light. Honestly? CoL was a total miss. If you want a real follow-up to "Heaven and Earth"—that whole side project vibe, basically Project X where it’s just King Crimson run by Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn—then TPTB is the one. It's an awesome album!!!!
By the way, has anyone actually checked out the projects??

Could be. I haven't dug into "Project X" yet, so I figured this was the closest thing in terms of the overall sound and production style.
I've got projects 1 and 4 lying around, but I still can't quite wrap my head around them. I'm sticking to the 80s era myself.😁

Oh yeah, have you checked out any of those Robert Fripp solo tracks? I've only got "Robert Fripp & The League Of Crafty Guitarists," and man, it is absolutely killer. 🙏

Nathan Barnes5 said:Oh yeah, have you checked out any of the Frippian solo stuff? I’ve got "Robert Fripp & The League Of Crafty Guitarists" and it’s absolutely killer. 🙏

Yeah, I’ve dug through quite a bit of it (Exposure, let The Power fall, God Save the King, those collabs with Ena, Bill Summers, Peter Gabriel, and David Sylvian, the Robert Fripp string Quintet, The League of Crafty Guitarists, The League of Gentlemen...). But honestly? Soundscapes are my absolute favorite.
I’ve also noticed that Fripp’s solos on other people's records often hit harder. That one he did on Ena's Moonchild is just insane, and then you look at what he did on Sylvian's Silver Moon—it's some of the most delicate stuff I've ever heard. There's this one solo he played for the band no man that was a total religious experience. I can't wrap my head around the song title or the album right now, unfortunately. If it comes back to me, I'll let you know.

Those projects really have that specific magic Fripp brings to the table when he's guesting with other musicians.

shadowmarlin15 said:I have to be honest, I’m totally lost as to why Robert Fripp is even bothering with those two boring hacks. Honestly, hardly anyone in the crowd even knew who that little suit-wearing guy was. Even Pete Penava (who leads one of the absolute worst bands out there) couldn't name a single song from that King Crimson set that these three supposedly "world-class" guitarists played—and by the way, what do you call that tool used to measure the quality of someone's guitar playing?
Robert Fripp (who I truly thought was untouchable) has really hit a new low here.

A buddy of mine who was over in Chicago mentioned that Robert Fripp only ended up playing for about 20 minutes!
Well, then again, he doesn't really know who he is either... so, you know how it goes...

John King5 said:Oh, I see... you're one of those people who thinks Crimson just vanished after in The Court of the Crimson King !!!!😁

Look at this guy.
No, I'm not saying anything specific, I'm just pointing out that I haven't heard much from Crimson lately, even though I actually like them.
And yeah, you're basically an old lady at this point.😁
Suck suck, Suction 😳 😳 😁

Brandon Castillo4~ said:Look at this guy right here.
No, I’m not trying to be deep or anything, I’m just saying I haven't listened to much from Crimson lately, even though I actually dig them.
And yeah, sure, you’re a total old lady. 😁
Suck suck, Suction 😳 😳 😁

Listen, kid, if going to a King Crimson concert in the summer of 2003 makes me an old lady, then fine, I guess I am. Thanks for the input!🙂
But let's be real, you're probably still in diapers. 👋
That’s exactly why you haven't even touched half of the KC albums yet—you're just not mature enough for this kind of stuff.👍

Brandon Castillo4~ said:Your post is about as interesting as trying to domesticate a rabid bull... 😁
Honestly, you're being pretty dense here. If you don't "get" Fripp, that’s entirely your loss.
Just go lick 😁(copyright 😉 )

Look, my post isn't some performance meant to entertain you—and if you weren't actually at the show, you might want to just sit back and listen to your King Crimson CDs instead.
Next time there's a G3, I'll probably just hop on stage with a power drill, spend half an hour boring holes into a green wooden plank, and act like I'm the coolest, most original guy in the room—just like Fripp...
Truly groundbreaking stuff.

Douglas Hayes6 said:Look, my post isn't here to entertain you. If you weren't actually at the show, then honestly, just shut up and go listen to your King Crimson CDs.
Next time there's a G3, I’ll just hop on stage with a power drill and spend half an hour boring holes into the green floorboards. I'll be totally cool, super original, the absolute man—just like Fripp.
Fucking hilarious and original.

How about you actually listen to some Fripp works first and try to wrap your head around what the guy has actually done with his life.
And for the record, I never said anything against Vai or Satch; they're legends, period. But we aren't living in the days where "guitar heroes" impress me with that avant-garde, sickly kind of gimmickry. 😁
As for you being bored? That just proves you're a narrow-minded hack. 😁😉

John King5 said:Man, if going to a King Crimson concert in the summer of 2003 makes me an old lady, then I guess I am. Thanks!🙂
You’re probably still in diapers, kid. 👋
That’s exactly why you haven't even touched all the KC albums yet; you aren't mature enough for this stuff.👍

Look, I wish I could have made it to a KC live show too, but things just didn't work out until now...😁
And so what if I haven't heard every single KC album??!?!
Have you listened to everything by Mr Bungle, Tomahawke, Fantomase, dream Theater, Gordian Knot, or Spiral Architect?
Even if you had, I wouldn't care. I've been hanging around this forum longer than you, so my main argument isn't based on some "fact" about whether I've heard every record from a certain band...🙄
even if that band happens to be incredible. 🙂

sisati my tight ass.😁 😎

Let’s keep things civil, shall we? 🙂 I honestly thought guitar nerds were a decent bunch, but then I see this... 😁