Live In Philadelphia 26/08/96

Having played over 150 gigs, the reborn King Crimson came to Philadelphia - a city which had seen some storming performances in the past to give it’s final performance in front of an audience. They carry off a performance which has them blowing out the doors, hurtling through the set like a bunch of cross-country runners desperate to cross finishing line. In what might well be the quickest version of Indiscipline, Belew delivers the words at breakneck speed, whilst the haste with which Larks’ Tongues Part 2 seems almost indecent. Alongside the more recently generated Thrak material there were a few surprise inclusions from 80s period - notably the Sheltering Sky, an infrequently heard live Double Trio recording of that piece. More surprises were to come “Here’s a little treat you haven’t heard in about 27 years” said Adrian ahead of the band plunging back to where it had all begun with 21st Century Schizoid Man. As with every Crimson line-up it fits the pattern of being simultaneously flawed and magnificent. Fripp’s assessment in the liner notes of VROOOM VROOOM is probably on the money though. “Revisiting this difficult band I find it interests me more today than it did at the time, and at the time I found it very interesting. And exasperating. And Irritating. And Impossible. And quintessentially Crimson.”