BEAT LIVE: Belew, Levin, Vai & Carey Capture King Crimson’s ’80s Era on New Album

by Kevin Johnson Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

Beat Live Cover

Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai, and Danny Carey put on one of the most electrifying tours over the past year as BEAT by celebrating the ’80s era of King Crimson. While the shows have tapered off (there’s still one in Japan set for September), fans will be able to relive the glory in a new live album.

BEAT LIVE was captured during their 2024 concert at the United Theater in Los Angeles, California. “[It] will be available as a Special Edition 2CD+Blu-ray, Deluxe 3LP triple gatefold, as well as a Limited Deluxe 3CD+Blu-ray Artbook including additional ‘Live in North America’ CD & 36-page booklet,” InsideOutMusic explains.

Their set lists featured songs from King Crimson’s Beat, Discipline, and Three of a Perfect Pair albums, all of which featured Belew and Levin. When we spoke to Levin ahead of the initial tour dates, he told us about preparing to revisit his old catalog.

“I wasn’t thinking it would be easy, but I forgot the number of pieces with counter rhythms on the top of the stick and on the bass side in different time signatures. And then sometimes, singing harmony with Adrian at the same time in a third time signature or out of time,” he said in our interview. “Technically, to do that, you’ve kind of got to just have it under your fingers so you don’t pay attention to the seven and six that you’re singing. Concentrating on singing in tune is always the best idea.”

Check out his Chapman stick skills on the first release from BEAT LIVE: “Neal and Jack and Me”.

BEAT LIVE will be available on September 26th and is open to pre-order.

BEAT LIVE Track List:

Neurotica
Neal and Jack and Me
Sartori in Tangier
Model Man
Dig Me
Man with an Open Heart
Industry
Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Part III
Waiting Man
The Sheltering Sky
Sleepless
Frame by Frame
Matte Kudasai
Elephant Talk
Three of a Perfect Pair
Indiscipline
Red
Thela Hun Ginjeet

In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.