LIVE IN CENTRAL PARK, NYC, 1974

This is a document from the last live performance of the King Crimson's incarnation with David Cross and John Wetton, so if you are a fan of the "Red"-era KC, you certainly want to check this out.

The show begins with a tape playing then recent Fripp & Eno collaboration "No Pussyfooting", and then the band kicks in with a fine version of "21st Century Schizoid Man". I personally feel tis line-up of the group got the best touch on this iconic song, much more firmness and aggression than on the earlier and original version, with all kudos to them as fire starters of this purgatory. The following tune "Lament" is also a good version of the song, I especially adored the furious interplay between Bill and John on this live cut, when comparing to the studio take from "Starless and Bible Black" album, which has its merits too. Then the appearance of "Exiles'" reaches the highlight moments of this album for me; The tunings before the song morph as a very oppressive and chaotic improvisation, which then continues transmuting as the mantra and then as the romantic main theme. I think that these contrasts are exceptionally fine here, the beautiful minor ballad rises from the maelstrom of a violent nightmare. A full-improvised number, a "blow" named as "Cerberus" follows next, a nice groovy shapeless form, quite pleasant, but the band managed to do better on this field also. I understood that quarrels within the band had escalated, and it can possibly be heard in these improvisations, the rhythm section dominating the playing, and Fripp and Cross are trying to punch in their melodic passages desperately upon Bill's powerful battering. There are not much changes for them in trying to alter the rhythmic directions of the improvisations anymore, unlike in the 1972-1973 open sonic explorations. "Easy Money" is a decent performance, but the following "Fracture" is very great version. I think the Amsterdam 1973 recording is yet slightly better version still, but you can hear the mellotrons much better on this one. Also one fun autistic hobby is to search all available live recordings of this incarnation of the band, and try to figure out which date had the best achievement on the songs. The next number is "Starless", and this is also really outstanding performance. The lyrics still alter from the upcoming studio release, but the violin fits this much better than the sax, and there's exceptional anguish and beautifulness in Fripp's solo at the coda. It's truly the end of the friendship happening on stage, what the lyrics were about (wipes tears from his eyes). The final smash is the classic "The Talking Drum" / "Larks' Tongues in Aspic - part II" combo, and it's a very powerful and insane performance. The amplified violin begins to give an uncontrolled feedback due to volume as "Larks' Tongues in Aspic - part II" begins, and some stage diving could have been a proper act at this moment. After this, the tide of history turns, and the magical two years are over (move out through all exits, please).

The Sound quality of this release is average, but still pleasurable at least to my bit deaf ears. I think this recording is mastered from a bootleg source. CD covers are also neat and informative; DGM's Collector Club releases are now being sold as separate releases, so one can order them from their web-shop. I think this is an essential live album along with "The Night Watch" double CD from Amsterdam 1973. Warmly recommended and happy hunting with the dozens of live captures of this neurotic fabulous band.

This is one of those King Crimson Collector's Club releases which happens not because the recording itself is particularly good - it isn't, it's a cassette bootleg, probably from an audience member, and it sounds like one - but because of the historical importance of the show itself, with this being the final stop on King Crimson's 1974 US tour. After this, David Cross would be out, the sessions for Red would commence, and the original 1969-1974 run of King Crimson would be brought to an end.

The thing is, if you're enough of a Crimson fan that hearing this gig is that important to you, despite the very evident audio problems here, then you're probably going to want to get the Road to Red boxed set anyway, which includes this concert and a bunch of others of vastly superior audio quality.