King Crimson Kick Off First U.K. Tour Since 1982

On Monday and Tuesday nights legendary prog-rock act King Crimson began their first U.K. tour since 1982 with a pair of performances in Aylesbury at the Waterside Theatre. The band not only dug deep into their repertoire for a number of bust outs, they also treated fans to three live debuts.

King Crimson opened both shows with “Larks Tongues In Aspic, Part One” but the two evening’s setlists diverge from there. Opening night saw the live debuts of new compositions “Suitable Grounds For The Blues,” “Radical Action To Unseat The Hold Of Monkey Mind” and “Meltdown.” Monday’s first bust out came in the form of Larks Tongues In Aspic track “Easy Money,” which hadn’t been performed since 1974. “Epitaph,” off King Crimson’s 1969 debut In The Court Of The Crimson King was the evening’s biggest bust out as the song saw action for the first time since 1969 – a span of 46 years. KC had one more treat in store as the encore at both shows included In The Court Of The Crimson King’s title track which had been shelved since 1971. Tuesday’s show featured a handful of tunes which weren’t performed on opening night including “VROOOM,” “Level 5,” “Lark’s Tongues In Aspic Part II” and “Red.” King Crimson’s U.K. tour continues tonight in Cardiff, Wales.

Setlists (via Tony Levin’s Diary)

Aug 31: Larks Tongues in Aspic Part I, Pictures of a City, Suitable Grounds for the Blues, One More Red Nightmare, Radical Action, Meltdown, Hell Hounds, Easy Money, The ConstruKCtion of Light, Epitaph, Banshee Bells, The Letters, Sailors Tale, Interlude, Red, Starless

Encore: Devil Dogs, In the Court of the Crimson King, 21st Century Schizoid Man

Sept 1: Larks Tongues in Aspic Part I, One More Red Nightmare, Vrooom, Suitable Grounds for the Blues, Radical Action, Meltdown, Hell Hounds, Easy Money, The ConstruKCtion of Light, Level 5, Epitaph, Interlude, Talking Drum, Larks Tongues in Aspic PartII, Starless

Encore: Devil Dogs, Red, In the Court of the Crimson King, 21st Century Schizoid Man