... along comes this astonishing set. I'm privileged enough to have seen line-up 8.x twice, different each time and always mind-blowing, but nothing prepared me for this. My undying love for The ProjeKcts and the Double Duo aside, I have to agree with Fripp's liner notes when he refers to this as the fourth definitive version of King Crimson. And this is by far the best of the discs they've released so far. Even though it ostensibly features fewer 'new' songs than the beyond-brilliant Radical Action set, there's something about the way the 'old' material is approached that almost makes Radical Action look like a cheap Greatest Hits cash-in. Not only are we hearing 40-plus-year-old material King Crimson played live for the first time (Fallen Angel is simply astounding), alongside material written specifically by and for this band and radical new interpretations of songs played to death by other line-ups (Indiscipline - specifically designed to be different every time it was played - has never sounded as different as it does here, and it's a wondrous thing), it's also apparent now that the songs this line-up have already been playing for the past few years are stubbornly refusing to become tired or stale. Whether it's the simple addition of permanent keyboards or the increasing coherence of the eight players I don't know, but this version of King Crimson somehow manages to be stunningly precise and incredibly powerful while still retaining a raw, experimental edge. I thought by now I'd heard all the live versions of Easy Money I ever wanted to hear, but this set has proven me wrong. Larks and Starless also refuse to rest, with new sounds and startlingly altered solos appearing when you least expect them. This band isn't simply revisiting old songs - it's taking those songs and evolving them to the next level, seemingly capable of knitting together every era, every line-up into one. They utterly OWN the music they play and I can't describe the utter joy I feel knowing that, as the Crimson King approaches His fiftieth year, He is finally finding a way to make Himself complete.

I don't even know where to start. There's so much "new" stuff here that sounds absolutely amazing, and everything familiar is presented definitively. The new arrangements of Neurotica and Indiscipline feature some really impressive drumming, and the addition of saxophone really fills out the songs and transforms them into something fresh. The Errors is a great blend of Jakszyk's jazzy/bluesy tendencies with the interlocking guitars (and now drums) that are now such a hallmark of the group. The Lizard material is performed so well that even I, somebody who doesn't favor the album, find it compelling and beautiful. Fallen Angel and Islands are genuine tearjerkers, changing just enough to make these performances feel unique, but not changing so much that they become unrecognizable. As for the tried and true material, oh boy. We have definitive recordings of LTIA1 and Level Five alongside a haunting rendition of Easy Money and what may be my favorite version of 21st Century Schizoid Man. The soloing and improving is a huge step up from other performances from this incarnation in my opinion, Fripp and Collins in particular sound like they're making more of an effort to add to the whole piece rather than just play what comes to mind. I also really have to commend the drummers for going out on a limb more often on this recording, as other performances have been tight as hell but lacking in the improvisational spirit that separate Crimson drummer(s) from the rest. Honestly, my one and only complaint is that Live in Toronto feels largely obsolete because of this. What Bill adds to songs like Pictures of a City and Construkction of Light makes a night and day difference, you can tell that "fairy dusting" is really keeping the rest of the band on their toes. There's a wonderful moment in the beginning section of Easy Money where he plays a silly melody that jars horribly with the rest of the band and it had me laughing out loud, in a good way. Radical Action still has its place as a virtual studio recording, but honestly this blows all other live shows out of the water. If you're new to the band, buy this. If you're a fan of the band, you've already bought this.

This has astonishingly good quality for a bootleg! The gig starts off nicely but gets better and better even during the first song. The band seem to be enjoying themselves. Sometimes to the point of coming close to losing it, as in "Thela" at around 6:40 and in "Neal ... " at around 4 minutes mark. It has a fun version of "Red", "The Sheltering Sky" features some magnificent soloing, there is a very good "Manhattan", a lovey "Frame by Frame". "Elephant Talk" is very energetic, with excited Belew solos and great interplay. "Indiscipline" again features ferocious guitar, followed by an outstanding "Sartori" (again with an improv intro). The set closes with a great "Larks' II" with some more wild soloing. Extraordinary.

Unfortunately, the sound quality on this is a little worse than on the first show of that day (more hiss, louder audience, hence the 4-star rating; the sound gets better after the first half of "Discipline"). Otherwise, like the other three New York gigs of 5th and 6th November 1981, this is a superb concert. I was originally looking for "out of this world" shows occasionally referred to by Robert Fripp in his diaries/interviews at the time. The four New York shows must be the same shows that in a 1982 interview with John McLaughlin Fripp referred to as "... two shows for two nights, one after the other and all of them were out of this world." (originally transcribed for Elephant Talk and recently republished on https://www.dgmlive.com/news/Fripp%20interviews%20McLaughlin) ... Like the other NY gigs, this has plenty of extra inspired guitar and it feels like the band are plaing at a faster pace than during other gigs. My highlights: "Discipline" starts out musically tight and fresh-sounding. "Thela Hun Ginjeet" features a ferocious Belew. "The Sheltering Sky" has some great and inspired playing. "Neal and Jack and Me" has some uneven-sounding bits but is very good. "Frame by Frame" once again features nice deviations from the interlocking guitar patterns, very energetic. "Manhattan" is very powerful. "Elephant Talk" grooves energetically along with the guitarists having lots of fun. There is a lovely "Sartori" starting out with some 2 minutes of improvised intro.

While I greatly prefer non-audience recordings, this has an ok sound quality (hence the four star rating). "Discipline" starts out great, "Thela Hun Ginjeet" is very good, "The Sheltering Sky" absolutely magnificent. "Neil and Jack and Me" feels a bit uneven in places but has lots of energy. "Frame by Frame" sports some variations on the interlocking parts and great playing. "Manhattan/Neurotica" is very good and energetic, much like "Elephant Talk" and a very very good "Sartori". Overall, an amazing gig where the band seem to be at ease, having fun, with two guitarists brimming with ideas to try!

I first listened to this as part of the "Starless" 40th Anniversary Box. As most of the box's gigs, this has very good audio quality (apparently, it originates from one of the fabled Blue Tapes). A very enjoyable gig. Energetic, fresh-sounding with an outstanding rendition of the song "Starless". Recommended!