King Crimson

Recorded in 1969 “In The Court Of The Crimson King” stands as one of the defining albums of British rock music & one of the finest debut albums of all time. Described at the time as “an uncanny masterpiece” by Pete Townshend, the album has achieved legendary status over the years. Fifty years on, the album is one of the most beloved & revered in the rock music canon. 

The 50th anniversary edition features:

Few iconic bands who have been a group for fifty years truly play with the vigor and focus of their heyday. Not that there’s anything erroneous regarding nostalgia, but for the seminal group King Crimson there’s historically been little looking back. Denying the moniker of progressive rock (reasonably so, as they predate the subgenre) the group’s core founding member Robert Fripp (guitars, keyboards, mellotron) generally led a charge towards new material every tour and an evolving methodology on arrangements.

With the classic rock world poised this fall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the seminal King Crimson debut In the Court of the Crimson King, a dominant creative personality on that genre-defining album is simultaneously celebrating the most recent benchmark in his distinguished career with the release of his newly collectible vinyl recording.

Back in 1969, King Crimson made its reputation as a live band – initially with the hipsters, scene setters & other musicians who frequented the likes of the Speakeasy & The Marquee in London, then, more broadly, with a breakthrough gig to a vast mainstream audience as guests on the bill with The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park in July of that year. So it’s appropriate that the current incarnation of King Crimson was to be found just opposite the entrance to Hyde Park at the end of June 2019 almost 50 years on from that concert, playing a trio of packed gigs at the Royal Albert Hall.

On a gorgeous summer Sunday evening, July 28th, a small army of Prog Rock legends played the final concert of their Royal Affair Tour at the Saratoga Mountain Winery. The venue is an intimate amphitheater which sits on top of a mountain offering a spectacular view of the valley below. Surrounded by a vineyard, the location is drenched in California winemaking history. The Mountain Winery, formerly known as the Paul Masson Mountain Winery, is a fully functioning winery in Saratoga, California.

Available as a pre-order now, the 2019 tour box will be available for general purchase at the end of June, as well as all of the 50 King Crimson live shows this year. The popular 2CD set covers all era of King Crimson with extracts from rehearsals, new live recordings, elements from studio recordings, full tracks, alternate takes & finished recordings from 1969-2018, many of which make their first appearance on CD. 

Pre-order link 

The Pineapple Thief will be heading out on an eagerly anticipated tour of North America in November 2019. The band now complete with full-time drummer Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree) will be heading to the USA, Mexico and Canada for the first time ever.

Adrian Belew is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer and guitar guru. Belew has released 20 critically acclaimed solo records and was the frontman, singer, co-writer and guitarist for progressive rock powerhouse King Crimson for 30 years. He also played alongside musicians such as David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Paul Simon, Nine Inch Nails, Tom Tom Club and Talking Heads.

In celebration of 50 years, King Crimson announces 50 Concerts for 2019. The current eight musician line-up will perform 50 concerts across three continents as part of their 2019 Celebration tour.

As part of a series of events and releases for their 50th anniversary, King Crimson's 2019 tour will include special concerts across three continents, including both festivals and headline shows.

Since the band's return to live performance in 2014, with critically acclaimed sell-out shows all over the world including two defining shows at the Roman amphitheatre in Pompeii, previously home to Pink Floyd, the audience has been reinvented, as much as the band itself:

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