This Is The One For Me (45 Years Ago Today)
I've made no secret of the fact that, for me, King Crimson reached its apex of live performance and inventive creativity during the last seven days of June and July 1,1974; that the band somehow tapped collectively into the Great (or Large) Accumulator and embodied superhuman energies. Of course, opinions differ: Some favor Asbury Park; others, the great mystical night of July 1. To me, the best overall gig this band played during that period took place in the old-fashioned, cushioned Rococo surroundings of the vintage Palace Theater. All the pieces that are "written to be played" sparkle, and they culminate in the greatest spontaneous composition the band ever produced, the magisterial and mind-boggling "Voyage to the Centre of the Cosmos (My Mate Atman)". Get this in some form, and don't hesitate. This isn't just King Crimson every bit as powerful as it ever was, but King Crimson more powerful than ever.