Here’s King Crimson in fine fettle near the half-way point of what would be their last American tour for eleven years.
Entry of the Crims is a particular robust affair. The sonic brutality perpetrated in this track evokes memories of Beat’s Requiem. Uncompromisingly fierce, it segues into a better than usual LTIA Pt III (full of vim and vigour) which in turn gives way to a thrashingly savage Thela, with Tony Levin providing VFM entertainment. Fifteen minutes of pure Crim mayhem and an astonishingly bold start to a gig.
Other aural highlights include a progtastic-sounding Industry (courtesy of a way-cool Bruford backbeat) and a frenzied Indiscipline wherein Adrian, even more gregarious than ever, demonstrates his command of his instrument (including its attendant hands-free technology) and crowd control.
The set here is broadly the same as Absent Lovers although this show boasts a really belting version of The Sheltering Sky, with Fripp hitting all kinds of sky-high inspirational octaves and whatnot.
One possible reason for the lack of variation in the running order might be due to the fact that KC were by this stage in their career using a click track in order to keep strict tempo on several numbers.
The concert presented here has been taken from two separate but incomplete bootlegs and nicely stitched together by DGM engineer, Alex “Stormy” Mundy, in order to recreate what the punters would have heard that night. What it lacks in sonic fidelity, it more than makes up for with its tremendous atmosphere.
Truly, this is one of the great KC take-no-prisoners shows.
Poplar Creek Music Theatre Hoffman Estates United States
Here’s King Crimson in fine fettle near the half-way point of what would be their last American tour for eleven years.
Entry of the Crims is a particular robust affair. The sonic brutality perpetrated in this track evokes memories of Beat’s Requiem. Uncompromisingly fierce, it segues into a better than usual LTIA Pt III (full of vim and vigour...
This show is the bomb. One of my favorite all time KC shows. I did see the band play the Pier in NY in 1984 but I don't remember the energy that the band displays on this bootleg recording. Highly recommended.
Written by Bari Tarmon
Fantastic Show, worth the one year wait!
I had been looking forward to the concert in 1983 and purchased tickets to attend the show with a friend and two of his buddies. When we stopped at the buddies Chicago apartment, they had a small set-up and played a few KC songs. we were all pumped up. We drove to Hoffman Estates and when we got to the venue, we waited behind a long line of cars waiting to get in. The wait was long and we saw some from the line of cars exit and play with frisbees and just waiting to get in. We then saw a several...
I had been looking forward to the concert in 1983 and purchased tickets to attend the show with a friend and two of his buddies. When we stopped at the buddies Chicago apartment, they had a small set-up and played a few KC songs. we were all pumped up. We drove to Hoffman Estates and when we got to the venue, we waited behind a long line of cars waiting to get in. The wait was long and we saw some from the line of cars exit and play with frisbees and just waiting to get in. We then saw a several venue employees just walking towards us and some were just waiving us to turn around! It transpired that there was a power outage caused by a thunderstorm that took place some time before. We were extremely disappointed to say the least.
Fast forward one year and KC were back. This time my friend couldn't make it but I got two tickets anyway. I was hoping my wife would come with me but she wasn't able to attend either. So I asked another friend of mine to go with me and since he didn't want to go, he had his brother (who was totally unfamiliar with KC) to take me. (Our only car was being used by my wife).
The place was packed and the show was intense. I felt like I was in a dream! I just couldn't believe I was seeing and hearing this band. I though Adrian Belew was perfect for that lineup.
Poplar Creek is gone but my memories of this gig are not.
Written by Frank Hadlich
Reference 1984
All of the available shows of 1984 (2 officials: Japan DVD, and Montreal gig) and the handful of bootlegs are attention gripping, blistering, joyful documents of musicianship and craftsmanship. I recommend them all. If one wants only one bootlegged gig, the one of Hoffman Estates should be the perfect choice. The opening row of Improv - LTiA III - THG is fantastic, and the opening of 1984 is generally of the best KC ever provided - LTiA III is perfectly paired with the antecedent...
All of the available shows of 1984 (2 officials: Japan DVD, and Montreal gig) and the handful of bootlegs are attention gripping, blistering, joyful documents of musicianship and craftsmanship. I recommend them all. If one wants only one bootlegged gig, the one of Hoffman Estates should be the perfect choice. The opening row of Improv - LTiA III - THG is fantastic, and the opening of 1984 is generally of the best KC ever provided - LTiA III is perfectly paired with the antecedent and the successor, giving it the guts it lacks on the ToaPP recording.I concur with Sid’s statement on the sheer quality of Industry. I would like to hint at the fascinating double drumming on Indiscipline, Sartori and Waiting Man which can be heard very well on this record.I have sequently gone through all the releases officially available from DGM from the Moles Club to here, the 1984 tour took was a perfect make up of modern technology, even a slight motion forward in the recurring reinvention of the wheel, as well as a retrospective of the existence of the 81-84 KC incarnation. A fascinating development, even though the Discipline album cannot be topped (for me of the same kind of St. Pepper).Besides my very positive perception of ToaPP, indeed one of my secret favourites, and one of my first KC recordings, I even can bear the weakest song of KC ever released in this version (MwaOH).Lucky us, the Hoffman Estates gig is nearly complete with sadly Dig Me missing (maybe it has not been performed at this night), thanks to Alex’ dedicated work.Must have stuff.
Written by Kevin Gautier
RIP Paul Sacks
I very recently lost my best friend in the world, Paul Sacks, who accompanied me on this night. I remember us getting stuck in a HUGE Chicago traffic jam and we were all bummed out that we would miss some of the show. Lo, and behold, the band got stuck in the same jam-up and all was right with the world. The way the band came out for "Entry Of The Crims;" one-at-a-time, unlike any band I’ve seen before or since, has stayed in my memory bank. I remember sitting about halfway up ...
I very recently lost my best friend in the world, Paul Sacks, who accompanied me on this night. I remember us getting stuck in a HUGE Chicago traffic jam and we were all bummed out that we would miss some of the show. Lo, and behold, the band got stuck in the same jam-up and all was right with the world. The way the band came out for "Entry Of The Crims;" one-at-a-time, unlike any band I’ve seen before or since, has stayed in my memory bank. I remember sitting about halfway up on the lawn seating and, during the percussion lead-in to "Indiscipline," Paul and I started this synchopated clapping to the beat. A guy a couple rows back yelled out, "Man, you guys are great!" Artificially influenced as many of us were that night, I don’t know how great we were... but the Crims were awesome. I’ve been to 60+ concerts in my life but this show, and the memories, rank among the best. There is a dvd from this tour "King Crimson - Live in Japan 1984" which is a MUST if you’d like a visual from this time period.