King Crimson: Music Is Our Friend (3LP)

Named after the tour from which these recordings were taken, "Music Is Our Friend" is an official bootleg featuring King Crimson's complete final performance of the North American tour in Washington in September 2021. The recordings are now offered as a limited edition 3LP set, re-sequenced from the current CD to ensure the complete release, including the four tracks from the first concert of the second leg of the tour in Albany. Taken together, these tracks represent both the beginning and the end of a tour that took place despite almost insurmountable problems. Originally scheduled for 2020, the tour was postponed for an entire year due to the pandemic. The tour began in July in Florida during the last Covid wave, from where the band traveled across the country in their tour bus. After a two-week break caused by scheduling conflicts, the band resumed their tour and performed one day after the Zappa Band. Further concerts had to be postponed due to extreme weather conditions. One hall was flooded the day before the concert, an open-air concert in New York was moved to the more familiar Beacon Theatre and a band member had to be flown to hospital by helicopter. King Crimson had to deal with a number of challenges. Fortunately, the band member made a full recovery and no show had to be canceled despite all the setbacks and obstacles. By the time King Crimson arrived in Washington, the band was in fierce shape with a high-energy set that included revamped arrangements that differed from previous tours. A middle section of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part One" not played since 1973 was added, Tony Levin gave the song "Neurotica" an extra swing on upright bass, and "Starless" and a tremendously powerful version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" provided the emotional conclusion to the encore. King Crimson ended their tour in their usual style and to the acclaim of fans and critics alike. As Robert Fripp writes in his diary entry, which can be found in the booklet: "David (Singleton, KC manager / producer) pointed out that the very first song KC played in the US at Godard College, Montpelier, Vermont on October 29, 1969 was the same song KC stopped playing 52 years later - 21CSM". In contrast to the Washington show, the four performances of the Friends and Family concerts in late August 2021 at The Egg in Albany, which kicked off the second leg of the tour, have a more intimate feel. The band kicked off their US tour at the same venue in 2014. Adapted to the conditions of a smaller room with many invited guests, material could be heard here that was not possible in Washington due to time restrictions. David Singleton, who also prepared all the sound for this release, considered it one of the best sets the band has played on this or previous tours.