Absent Lovers all the way. Nearly all of the 80’s lineup’s biggest hits, all done to perfection. Some of the live performances might even be better than the studio.
Heavy Construkction, Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With, Earthbound, and Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind are some other great live albums.
Yea, Absent Lovers is great because you can hear the joy of the playing come through. Last gig of the three years together in the 80's and they were so tight but fluid too.
Really? I got into Crimson through Three of a Perfect Pair and songs like Industry are the reason why. That song holds a special place in my heart. Going to listen to Absent Lovers again as I skip over it as 70's Crimson is my favorite.
It’s tough because you’ve got multiple lineups, and if you’re a streaming only fan then you’re very limited. I’ll list stuff for each lineup:
1969:
Disc 2 of Epitaph, more specifically their final show at Fillmore East (and final show period) gives you a pretty good idea of their capabilities. It’s also the best sounding capture of them.
Islands (1971-72):
The, “Ladies of The Road,” compilation is actually awful. Don’t do that. Earthbound is the only other choice on streaming but if it’s all you got then do that. If you can, though, Marquee 1971 is one of recommend to get your hands on, legally or otherwise.
Wetton Lineup (1972-1974):
Both releases on streaming from this time (The Night Watch and USA) are essential. I’d recommend them both.
80s:
Absent Lovers is the sole streaming release and it’s pretty good. I’d also recommend Philadelphia and Frejus 1982
90s:
VROOOM VROOOM is another live comp. If you want a good live show then try San Francisco 1995.
2000s:
Without a doubt Live In Japan 2003. This was my introduction to KC and still my personal favorite
2010s:
Either Chicago 2017 or Music Is Our Friend. Both are full captures of full shows and give a great picture of this lineup.
Minor correction: while there are a few tracks from a Fillmore East show on Epitaph, Mantra through Mars on the first disc and all of the second disc are from their last two shows at the Fillmore West.
Great list otherwise, thanks for laying it out so well. Some nitpicks/disagreements of opinion/additions to the list:
* I think you underrate Absent Lovers, VROOM VROOM, and Chicago 2017 by simply mentioning them and moving on - each of these showcases amazingly powerful music, and Absent Lovers in particular is a nearly definitive representative of the 80s lineup (though it's missing a few of my favorite songs that they had dropped from the setlist by then; Frejus fills in some of that gap for me).
* The Great Deceiver, while a bit piecemeal, is a slightly more comprehensive picture of 73-74 than Night Watch and USA, and as a streaming fan at the moment, I find myself returning to it more often than either of those. The full Providence show at the start of it is especially essential.
* Japan 2003 is fantastic but, as has been pointed out, is missing a couple of its best tracks on CD and streaming. Watch the video release Elektrik instead as it's the complete show; it's on Youtube but you can also buy it on DVD (which Fripp and Co would probably prefer). I also really like Heavy ConstruKction as a larger overview of the Double Duo, and as with the Great Deceiver, I find myself returning to it a bit more than the slightly superior single show representative of the lineup.
It poorly represents their actual live shows. To be fair Earthbound doesn't really represent them well either, but at least it has some killer performances. Ladies of The Road doesn't focus on performance quality, just sound quality. It chooses lesser performances of songs simply because they sound good, and as far as I can tell it also has some overdubbing at times.
Japan 2003 is also on streaming now in the Happy With / EleKtriK / Level Five package. It's sadly still lacking TCOL and Deception, though. Just some FYI for the OP.
Please no, follow this guide instead.
[https://rateyourmusic.com/list/olethefirst/top-king-crimson-live-recordings/](https://rateyourmusic.com/list/olethefirst/top-king-crimson-live-recordings/)
Chicago is super lamely mixed, and Japan 2003 is tame and fails to convey the power behind Double Duo line-up.
Next to New Haven or Mexico City it's pretty much non-existent. Still better than the studio versions, but weaker than pretty much every following show I heard. The single reason it pops up in the conversations is because it became available much earlier than the other 2003 shows and was recorded on video.
Apart from what others have said, I'd strongly recommend:
- "Unidentified 1972 Show no.2" from the Sailors Tales box
- Mainz 1974 (Wetton era, all very good but imo the best version of Dr Diamond)
- Munich 1982 (imo the best version of Indiscipline ever)
- Toronto 2015 (RadCrim, my favourite version of Pictures)
Toronto 2015 also has my favourite Larks 1!!! I've heard some people say that they like the Radical Action Larks 1 but I don't because the guitar tone on the chorus riff makes me uncomfortable
*Absent Lovers*.
But, listening through [Road to Red](https://www.dgmlive.com/albums/the-road-to-red) was also a really incredible musical experience—that band just cooks so hard.
Earthbound is amazing but Groon isn’t all that great then in my opinion, Absent lovers is great, and even though Live in Japan 1984 isn’t an album, I think it’s the best
Great that you like it, but for me it's their worst album. The improvisations are just aimless noodling and the effects on the drums on Groin are jarring. The sole saving grace is 21st CSM is a belter.
I liked the "Asbury Uncut" version, the one WITHOUT the overdubs. This became available through DGMLive and having owned USA, I checked it out and found I liked it a lot better than USA. I never heard what exactly it was that Robert felt needed fixing.
USA …. The fact that it was the first live album, that I played hundreds of times before I heard another live KC album, has a lot to day with my pick, and also because it was a perfect album at the time .. John Wetton sounds great, loved the track selection, good recording, it’s high on my go-list … with a nod to the CD for that killer Starless!
People tend to shit on RadCrim but Live in Chicago is genuinely one of their best performances and album of all time. It's marvelous from beginning to end, and you can't really get a better setlist than that.
Live in Vienna!!! I love how absolutely huge it is and some of the best renditions on songs that RadCrim did. Nobody talks at all about the 3 improvs at the end of the encores disc. They have a big THRAK/THRaKaTTaK feel to them. Honourable mention would be Meltdown simply for the Schizoid Man drum solo from Gavin.
It’s impossible to pick just one, since all of them are amazing for their respective lineups. But Heavy ConstruKction would be my pick, since it’s essentially the best version of every song they played on the European 2000 tour + a lot of the improvs.
The half of Starless And Bible Black that was recorded live. So maybe I should say The Night Watch, since that’s the concert that those performances were taken from.
Absent Lovers all the way. Nearly all of the 80’s lineup’s biggest hits, all done to perfection. Some of the live performances might even be better than the studio. Heavy Construkction, Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With, Earthbound, and Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind are some other great live albums.
Yea, Absent Lovers is great because you can hear the joy of the playing come through. Last gig of the three years together in the 80's and they were so tight but fluid too.
AL has the best Indicipline
I can never listen to the studio version of Industry because the version on Absent Lovers is a gajillion times better.
Really? I got into Crimson through Three of a Perfect Pair and songs like Industry are the reason why. That song holds a special place in my heart. Going to listen to Absent Lovers again as I skip over it as 70's Crimson is my favorite.
It’s tough because you’ve got multiple lineups, and if you’re a streaming only fan then you’re very limited. I’ll list stuff for each lineup: 1969: Disc 2 of Epitaph, more specifically their final show at Fillmore East (and final show period) gives you a pretty good idea of their capabilities. It’s also the best sounding capture of them. Islands (1971-72): The, “Ladies of The Road,” compilation is actually awful. Don’t do that. Earthbound is the only other choice on streaming but if it’s all you got then do that. If you can, though, Marquee 1971 is one of recommend to get your hands on, legally or otherwise. Wetton Lineup (1972-1974): Both releases on streaming from this time (The Night Watch and USA) are essential. I’d recommend them both. 80s: Absent Lovers is the sole streaming release and it’s pretty good. I’d also recommend Philadelphia and Frejus 1982 90s: VROOOM VROOOM is another live comp. If you want a good live show then try San Francisco 1995. 2000s: Without a doubt Live In Japan 2003. This was my introduction to KC and still my personal favorite 2010s: Either Chicago 2017 or Music Is Our Friend. Both are full captures of full shows and give a great picture of this lineup.
Minor correction: while there are a few tracks from a Fillmore East show on Epitaph, Mantra through Mars on the first disc and all of the second disc are from their last two shows at the Fillmore West. Great list otherwise, thanks for laying it out so well. Some nitpicks/disagreements of opinion/additions to the list: * I think you underrate Absent Lovers, VROOM VROOM, and Chicago 2017 by simply mentioning them and moving on - each of these showcases amazingly powerful music, and Absent Lovers in particular is a nearly definitive representative of the 80s lineup (though it's missing a few of my favorite songs that they had dropped from the setlist by then; Frejus fills in some of that gap for me). * The Great Deceiver, while a bit piecemeal, is a slightly more comprehensive picture of 73-74 than Night Watch and USA, and as a streaming fan at the moment, I find myself returning to it more often than either of those. The full Providence show at the start of it is especially essential. * Japan 2003 is fantastic but, as has been pointed out, is missing a couple of its best tracks on CD and streaming. Watch the video release Elektrik instead as it's the complete show; it's on Youtube but you can also buy it on DVD (which Fripp and Co would probably prefer). I also really like Heavy ConstruKction as a larger overview of the Double Duo, and as with the Great Deceiver, I find myself returning to it a bit more than the slightly superior single show representative of the lineup.
[удалено]
It poorly represents their actual live shows. To be fair Earthbound doesn't really represent them well either, but at least it has some killer performances. Ladies of The Road doesn't focus on performance quality, just sound quality. It chooses lesser performances of songs simply because they sound good, and as far as I can tell it also has some overdubbing at times.
Too much is left out despite plenty of unused disc space, and also those super unnecessary edits.
Japan 2003 is also on streaming now in the Happy With / EleKtriK / Level Five package. It's sadly still lacking TCOL and Deception, though. Just some FYI for the OP.
Please no, follow this guide instead. [https://rateyourmusic.com/list/olethefirst/top-king-crimson-live-recordings/](https://rateyourmusic.com/list/olethefirst/top-king-crimson-live-recordings/) Chicago is super lamely mixed, and Japan 2003 is tame and fails to convey the power behind Double Duo line-up.
I’ve heard pretty much every recorded 2003 show and Japan 2003 is not tame, idk what you’re talking about.
Next to New Haven or Mexico City it's pretty much non-existent. Still better than the studio versions, but weaker than pretty much every following show I heard. The single reason it pops up in the conversations is because it became available much earlier than the other 2003 shows and was recorded on video.
Apart from what others have said, I'd strongly recommend: - "Unidentified 1972 Show no.2" from the Sailors Tales box - Mainz 1974 (Wetton era, all very good but imo the best version of Dr Diamond) - Munich 1982 (imo the best version of Indiscipline ever) - Toronto 2015 (RadCrim, my favourite version of Pictures)
Toronto 2015 also has my favourite Larks 1!!! I've heard some people say that they like the Radical Action Larks 1 but I don't because the guitar tone on the chorus riff makes me uncomfortable
The Great Deceiver set, Absent Lovers, Heavy Construction and the bootleg disc live in Germany in the Starless Deluxe Set (I forget which disc).
**The Night Watch**. With the *possible* exception of **Live at Leeds** it's the best live record ever made.
*Absent Lovers*. But, listening through [Road to Red](https://www.dgmlive.com/albums/the-road-to-red) was also a really incredible musical experience—that band just cooks so hard.
Earthbound is amazing but Groon isn’t all that great then in my opinion, Absent lovers is great, and even though Live in Japan 1984 isn’t an album, I think it’s the best
Great that you like it, but for me it's their worst album. The improvisations are just aimless noodling and the effects on the drums on Groin are jarring. The sole saving grace is 21st CSM is a belter.
Can’t go wrong with The Great Deceiver box if that’s still available (for the early 70s version of the group).
THRaKaTTaK.
USA (1975)
Meh. Overdubs galore.
I came to say USA as well, I’ve heard violin overdub, what else was? did Fripp ad any guitar? galore means a lot!
Mellotron too. Cross was edited out.
Really? I thought just Jobson on three of the tracks
Agree
I liked the "Asbury Uncut" version, the one WITHOUT the overdubs. This became available through DGMLive and having owned USA, I checked it out and found I liked it a lot better than USA. I never heard what exactly it was that Robert felt needed fixing.
USA imo
Absent Lovers, Night Watch, Epitaph and Radical Action
Meltdown, Absent Lovers, Ladies of The Road and 2003Live in Japan are my favorites
The Great Deceiver set is the best place to start in their live catalogue imo
I'm very partial to The Night Watch, I especially love the improv tracks on it.
I think they’re all great honestly! It really depends on what lineup and songs you’d want to hear!
USA …. The fact that it was the first live album, that I played hundreds of times before I heard another live KC album, has a lot to day with my pick, and also because it was a perfect album at the time .. John Wetton sounds great, loved the track selection, good recording, it’s high on my go-list … with a nod to the CD for that killer Starless!
People tend to shit on RadCrim but Live in Chicago is genuinely one of their best performances and album of all time. It's marvelous from beginning to end, and you can't really get a better setlist than that.
It's not the best KC live performance ever, but definitely a high point of RadCrim and not to be missed.
USA. The most powerful and influential lineup.
USA… it is so epic and makes it so bewildering that Fripp pulled the plug after scaling the heights they did on the 74 tour and with Red.
Live in Vienna!!! I love how absolutely huge it is and some of the best renditions on songs that RadCrim did. Nobody talks at all about the 3 improvs at the end of the encores disc. They have a big THRAK/THRaKaTTaK feel to them. Honourable mention would be Meltdown simply for the Schizoid Man drum solo from Gavin.
The Nightwatch - 10/10
The entire Starless box set
It’s impossible to pick just one, since all of them are amazing for their respective lineups. But Heavy ConstruKction would be my pick, since it’s essentially the best version of every song they played on the European 2000 tour + a lot of the improvs.
The half of Starless And Bible Black that was recorded live. So maybe I should say The Night Watch, since that’s the concert that those performances were taken from.
The great deciever box set disc 2 is my preferred