Legendary former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin banded together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and explosive Tool drummer Danny Carey to create the band BEAT, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums – “Discipline”, “Beat”, and “Three Of A Perfect Pair“. In 2024, the ensemble staged 65 shows in North America, before following it with an expansive run in Mexico and South America in 2025. On the 26th September 2025, in partnership with InsideOutMusic/SonyMusic, the ‘Live’ audio/visual package will be released, with a sold-out show in Los Angeles as its focal point.
Originally the opening track from Crimson’s 1981 album “Discipline“, which introduced a new-look band to audiences in a new decade, the new live clip is taken from the upcoming live release, “Beat Live” subtitled ‘Neon Heat Disease’ – which has just been released on Blu-ray, vinyl and CD through InsideOutMusic/Sony.
Onetime King Crimson compatriots guitarist/vocalist Adrian Belew and bassist Tony Levin had an itch to scratch, so they went out and recruited guitar god Steve Vai and muscular drumming marvel Danny Carey to see if they could bring prime 1980s Crimson material back to life in the modern day — and thus, with head Crim Robert Fripp’s blessing, BEAT was born.
The chops-for-days quartet played 65 shows in North America throughout 2024 (followed by briefer runs in Mexico and South America in early 2025), and they captured one of the tour’s best outings at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles on November 14, 2024, for the 3LP black vinyl edition of (all caps required, please) BEAT LIVE.
On “Beat Live”, the fearsome foursome uplifted complex KC material like the polymetric street dustup of “Thela Hun Ginjeet” (LP3, Side Two, Track 2), the electronic drum showcase “Larks Tongues in Aspic, Part III” (LP2, Side One, Track 1), the slide balladry of “Matte Kudasai” (LP3, Side One, Track 2), and the expressive art narrative of “Indiscipline” (LP3, Side Two, Track 1; “I like it!”) — not to mention ’80s KC songs never before played live like the metallic robotics of “Dig Me” (LP1, Side Two, Track 2) and pleading tones of “Model Man” (LP1, Side Two, Track 1) — with aplomb and panache. The band recently confirmed they’ll be returning to the road next summer (albeit Euro-centric dates only, at least for now), but in the meantime, “Beat Live” deserves your rapt repeat-spinning attention.
The band celebrated the album’s release earlier this month with a one-off show at Tokyo’s famed Budokan Hall. “In the eighties Robert Fripp made the observation the King Crimson quartet was perhaps the best live band in the world at the time. Tony, Steve, Danny and I are committed to honouring this legacy with each and every performance staged,” Belew has stated.
Available in 3 different formats, the Los Angeles show is mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and is available as a Special Edition 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak, a Limited Deluxe 3LP Triple Gatefold & Digitally. A limited deluxe 3CD +Blu-ray Artbook edition will also be available, including extensive photos plus an additional 12-track ‘Live in North America’ CD. The blu-ray features the full Los Angeles show in 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo, as well as bonus interview content with the band.
Beat have previously released live versions of “Frame By Frame”, “Neal And Jack And Me” and “Thela Hun Ginjeet”.
Adrian Belew, Danny Carey, Tony Levin and Steve Vai have just released “Beat Live”
The Fat Angel Sings 