The second date on their first American tour of the year and Crimson have hit the ground running. The Great Deceiver detonates like an airburst above the heads of Philadelphia’s assembled hippies. True, the audio quality of this audience recording leaves a lot to be desired, even after the tender ministrations of Mr. Stormy, but as is often the case, there's gold in this here murk if your ears can sift through it.
Starless And Bible Black had only just been released at this point and the first two pieces of this gig mirror the opening selection of the album and it makes a powerful combination.
After a solid Exiles and a somewhat aggressive Easy Money, the Crims unveil Starless. Having played it on the European tour during March, this majestic piece gets its second outing in the States, and even in such reduced sonic circumstances, you can hear how extraordinary it is and its impact upon the crowd.
Preceded by Frampton’s Camel, King Crimson was supporting The Kinks. Apparently, in the dressing room prior to the show there was talk from some members of the group about doing a show that would end up ’destroying’ The Kinks.
Whether or not the run of Starless, The Talking Drum, Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part Two, and a pin-sharp version of 21st Century Schizoid Man succeeded in demolishing the veteran British act in question isn’t known. What is clear, however, is that the cumulative effect of those numbers, even after all this time is pretty astounding.
