You might expect King Crimson’s energies to be flagging a little by the time they appeared in Berkeley. After all this was the 34th gig on 40-plus series of concerts in North America. Yet if the chaps are tired they certainly don’t sound it in this fiery gig where they opened for The Eagles.
Doctor D and a frankly astonishing LTIApt1 suggest that in a parallel universe , Crimso could have been a top-notch jazz rock outfit giving the Mahavishnu Orchestra a run for their money. The section where Wetton solos is made all the more dramatic by a dark rumbling lines from Fripp that initially evoke the horror-tinged menace of Mars before they transform into some mutant brand of whacked-out rock. Bruford is on terrific form throughout. Not only do we get his trademark ability to swing like the clappers but his more abstract ruminations in the set-up to The Talking Drum demonstrates just how much he had absorbed from Jamie Muir’s short time within the band.
Right from the beginning of the show till its thunderous conclusion, the sheer drive and pace never lets up for an instant. This bootleg source tape has been given a bit of the old Mister Stormy wash and brush up, and despite the occasional dip in quality here and there, Crimson’s capacity to grab an audience by the lapels comes through loud and clear. If you’re a fan of this period Crimson there’s plenty of variation and detail to keep you happy.
