Customer Reviews

The Nightwatch: Live at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw 1973

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Fans of the legendary King Crimson should be thankful that co-founder and mainstay Robert Fripp has such an obsessive pattern of archiving the Crims' various live performances. This late 1973 gig at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam features the most hailed Crimson line-up of Fripp (guitars), John Wetton (bass/vocals), David Cross (violins, etc) and Bill Bruford (percussion), in a furry of musical bliss from the frightening to the beautiful, from the ominous textures to the shadowy lines, from the words of anger to the words of mourning.
"The Night Watch" is, simply put, one of the greatest rock concerts ever caught on tape. Today, live albums have become stop-gap releases more than ever, available mostly through TV offers, with a tacky keychain or poster thrown in. And unfortunately, since this performance was released over twenty years after it happened, it will probably only be seen by many as a nostalgia release. But we know better.
King Crimson blew fans away with their studio albums, but as a live entity they were an unmovable mountain. Despite all its mind-boggling complexity (and Fripp's own criticism, evident in his extensive liner notes), this band invaded whatever venue they were scheduled and produced a sound that could fill a stadium yet still possess enough grace to fit in a concert hall. Selections such as 'Easy Money,' 'Lament,' and '21st Century Schizoid Man,' would have made a stadium audience stamp their feet and hold lighters high in the air, while 'The Night Watch,' 'Trio,' and 'Fracture' mesmerized those in the more intimate venues.
If you only buy one live album by King Crimson (there are many), "The Night Watch" is perfect. Around 26 minutes of these exact recordings were supposedly used for the "Starless and Bible Black" album (after overdubbs and studio polishing), but nonetheless, "The Night Watch" is a moving piece of history from these musical heroes.

One track of this recording, "Trio", was released on "The Young Person's Guide to King Crimson", with Bill Bruford credited with "admirable restraint" (he didn't play a note). That's the only restraint you'll hear in this incredible, pounding concert. Based on the liner notes, it seems they had no idea that King Crimson, one of the greatest live bands in the history of rock, was recording one of its greatest concerts.

King Crimson has always been better, braver as a live band than as a studio band. This album is a single extraordinary statement of that power, of the sheer guts to put their chins in the wind and play for keeps. It's the best single concert recording of the Starless-era band that i've heard, and a fabulous introduction to their live strength.

In my opinion, you couldn't find a better introduction to KC's famous '73/early-'74s line-up than this double-disc set which manages to gather some of the best pieces from "Larks' tongues" and "Starless.." and to present them in better audio quality and more engaging performances than on the studio albums. The remastered editions of "Larks' tongues" and "Starless.." are not yet available in Germany and the early CD issues suffer from an appalling mix and low dynamic range, so I decided to buy "TNW" instead. With the exception of "The great deceiver", all the key tracks are here, including more rock-tinged songs like "Easy money" and long, unsettling improvisations like "Fracture" and "Trio". I favor all of the pieces on "TNW" to their studio counterparts, mainly due to Fripp's guitar playing being more promiment in the mix and Wetton's vocals, which have often come in for criticism, being more discernible and self-confident. KC's live sound has always been somewhat different to their recorded output; they didn't exactly try to reproduce what was on the studio albums instead of coming up with previously unheard material and many improvisations. The decision not to include older songs - apart from "Schizoid man" - is quite typical for KC and can be interpreted as a matter of artistic pride and the refusal to rest on past glories. "TNW" does also signal another new phase in the band's work, moving into a full embrace of hard guitar riffs and angst-ridden lyrics which would find full flower on the subsequent album "Red". Disc 1 opens with three relatively straightforward prog-rock pieces, "Easy money", "Lament", and "Book of Saturday", providing some of KC's more accessible moments and displaying a power onstage which I have seldom seen from other prog-rock bands. At the end of "Book.." you can hear an announcement where they say that the show was being recorded for "Starless and bible black", an album where KC used the music from the concert as a starting point for adding guitar overdubs and vocals in the studio. The second half of disc 1 slows down the manic tendencies of the first three cuts and focuses on long improvisations. The 11 1/2-minute "Fracture" offers glimpses of the guitar arpeggios that would propel KC throughout the '80s, but the 9 1/4-minute "Starless" occassionally borders on annoying with its shrill feedback and aimless excursions. The title cut, however, is an almost romantic and friendly song which lives up to its title and perfectly captures the image of nighttime urban landscapes. Disc 2 starts with the intriguing "Improv:Trio", a beatless detour into eerie mellotron soundscapes which are evocative of Tangerine Dream's mid-'70s output ("Ricochet", "Stratosfear"). It's musically quite different from the rest of this double-disc set. The version of "Exiles" is a vast improvement upon the album cut, beginning with ominous "mello-drones" and bringing the track to a thunderous finale. "Improv:The fright watch", again, offers clear echoes of Tangerine Dream's cosmos and flows seamlessly into "The talking drum", an improvisation which had already appeared on the "Larks' tongues" album. Two decidedly rocky and aggressive tracks finish "TNW": the much-praised "Larks' tongues part II" and a 10 1/2-minute version of "21 century..". The latter one is augmented with a long middle section which is used as a showcase for solos and improvisations of the individual band members. It has to be said though, this album is a varied bag. The structure of the improvisations is overall too similar; some of the pieces simply don't have the transcendental quality they're striving for and remain uninteresting for the most part. At best, "TNW" shows a rock band which can veer between total overdrive and complete restraint, drawing the listener in by gradually revealing the secrets and undercurrents of their songs. This album also features a very beautiful 20-page color booklet with many information about the concert and some funny statements like, "Excited drummers sometimes hit their microphones with drumsticks" or "Tuning a mellotron doesn't". Along with this booklet and the enhaced CD section, the content of "TNW" is very good and may convince skeptics that King Crimson's box sets indeed have a lot to offer.

King Crimson was always better live than in the studio, a fact the band realized when they released "Starless And Bible Black". 26 minutes of that album were from this concert, so you can get the context of some of the pieces better when listening to the full gig.
It's kind of poigniant when you think about what was happening as this concert was being performed: the band was playing to a somwhat unreceptive audience in a symphony hall; the musicians themselves were worn out and tired; and the equipment was substandard (in fact, Cross' mellotron completely burns out in the middle of "Nightwatch"). But the band rises above these obstacles to create some amazing music.
The best part of the CD comes in near the end: the awesome 18-minute-long medley of Improv/Talking Drum/Lark's Pt. 2. The improv is one of Crimson's most disturbing; the best moment happens near the end when the mellotron/bass duet breaks into a chaotic interplay: 'tron shoots up into the stratosphere while bass plunges into an abyss. Then the drums come in with the groove for "Talking Drum", which has always been a favorite of mine. Fripp really lets go on this one; I'm surprised he didn't break any strings or blow his amp.
After the end of "21st Century" as the band walks off stage you can hear a classic Fripp sound: the middle of "Heavenly Music Corporation", from Fripp's improv session with Eno in 1972. A very nice touch at the end of a stellar concert. I wish I could have been there.

I'm a huge Prog fan and a huge King Crimson fan, and this was my favorite lineup of my favorite Prog band, recorded live at the peak of their powers, complete with some facinating and revelatory liner notes. Ain't no way you're going to find me saying one bad thing about this fantastic 2-CD document of the band's November 3rd, 1973 concert in Amsterdam.

This is the show that served as the basis for the Starless & Bible Black album, without overdubs and with crowd noise. Even with technical malfunctions, this is one of the best live albums I've ever heard. You think the mighty Crim was going to let a little mellotron meltdown dilute their power? Think again.

Buy this CD. Cue up "The Talking Drum" and let the CD play through to the end. Now scrape yourself up off the floor and put on the best-ever version of "Exiles." Then listen to the whole thing. Marvel at the way KC could go from the raw power of "Fracture" to the delicate and beautiful "Trio." Thrill to the brilliant interplay of 4 insanely talented musicians with a taste for daring improvisation. Shake your head in disbelief at how astoundingly good KC was during this period.

Essential, powerful, gutsy and timeless are just four of the words that come to mind when I think of The Nightwatch. Here's two more: Highly Recommended.

This is my favorite version of King Crimson with John Wetton on bass and vocals, Bill Bruford on drums and David Cross on violin, viola and mellotron along with the ever present Robert Fripp on guitar and mellotron. King Crimson has always been more adventurous in concert than in the studio so when I found out this 2 cd "The Nightwatch" was available I had to get a copy. I was not disappointed! The set features material recorded in 1973. It is a shame that Jamie Muir had already left the band at the time of this recording. Bruford perhaps the best progressive rock drummer ever is astounding on the live versions of "The Talking Drum", "Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part II) and "21st Century Schizoid Man". John Wetton an excellent instrumentalist in his own right favors an attack like that of players such as Jack Bruce, John Entwistle and Jack Casady in which the bass at time becomes a lead instrument. In my opinion his playing was never better than in King Crimson. His vocals are reminiscent of Greg Lake's. Fripp's guitar playing is never less than excellent. The unsung hero is perhaps the violinist David Cross. Fripp states in the liner notes that the loud playing of Wetton, Bruford and himself perhaps led to the departure of Cross who struggled to be heard above the other three members. His contribtuions during the quieter segments provide added color and flesh out the sound. It would have been interesting if saxophonist/flutist Mel Collins would have remained in this line up with Cross. Tracks like "Easy Money", "Lament" and "Starless And Bible Black" prove why this version of King Crimson is held in such high esteem. Some of the material from this concert appeared in edited and/or overdubbed form on the "Starless and Bible Black" album but the songs appear here in their original live form. Fripp has stated that this version of Crimson was his heavy metal version of the band. The power and high muscianship of the band is evident on this recording and my only regret is that the concert was not longer! Progressive rock at its finest. If you enjoy this particular version of King Crimson I highly recommend the 4 cd set "The Great Deceiver" which contains more live material from this version of the band.

King Crimson is an intimidating band on many different levels.

First, whereas other bands might have personnel changes, King Crimson changed their entire band almost annually in the 1970's. Which is the "real" King Crimson? The Greg Lake-Ian McDonald "21st Century Schizoid Man" line-up?? The Gorden Haskell "Lizard"? The Bill Bruford-John Wetton "Larks Tongues in Aspic"?

Secondly is the intimidating public posturing of "King" Crimso Robert Fripp, the prog-rock philosopher. He takes as much time railing against the record industry as he does writing songs.

However, Fripp's and King Crimson's genius and sheer talent at creating a mood are unsurpassed by any group in the "rock and roll" era (as it were). The Night Watch, a live recording in the middle of the "Larks" era is simply a must have for any fan of the genre. Over the duration of the two discs, the band create an aural tapestry that is simply breathtaking, leaving the listener enthralled.

More than anything, this recording is one of the only effective uses of the violin in rock music. Listening to "Trio", "Exiles", and even "Talking Drum", you gain a great appreciation for the talents of David Cross.

This is probably the most famous KC concert ever, with many bootlegs released. The band, in the "Larks' Tongues" tour, already without Muir, only showed their true potential on stage. Fripp used to say that KC on record is a "love letter", whereas on stage, "a hot date". 26 minutes of this performance have been used in the next album "Starless and Bible Black", of course with some overdubs, so some of it you may already have. The visual aspect of this CD is incredible: a very detailed booklet with lots of pictures and EXTENSIVE liner notes by Fripp. This double album contains most of the material from "Larks Tongues" and "Starless and Bible Black", an unreleased improv (the sinister "The Fright Watch") and an stroundous and powerful version of "21st Century Schizoid Man". Those versions are radically different from the originals (like "Lament"), except for "Fracture", "Trio", the title track" and the beginning of "The Night Watch" (the group had to record again the rest of the song because David Cross' mellotron breaks down in the middle, something you can actually hear in the recording). The sound quality is great, as expected. Recommended for all fans of this lineup, especially for those who don't own the Great Deceiver box (and those who have it, probably already have it anyhow).

Robert Fripp has turned the King Crimson archives into a cottage industry, releasing countless live recordings through his label, Discipline Global Mobile, and the "King Crimson Collector's Club." At this point, live King Crimson albums outnumber their studio recordings. You really need a scorecard to keep track of live Crimson.

"The Night Watch" is among the best: a double live CD recorded at Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw in November 1973. This features arguably Crimson's (and progressive rock's) greatest lineup ever: Fripp on guitar, John Wetton on bass and vocals, Bill Bruford on drums & percussion, and violinist David Cross. The concert is noteworthy for producing about half of the "Starless and Bible Black" sessions, which were recorded live and later polished for inclusion on that record. (If you already own "Starless and Bible Black," don't hesitate to pick this up as well.)

The live set covers an admittedly narrow portion of Crimson's career; 10 of the 12 tracks appear on either "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" (1973) or "Starless and Bible Black" (1974), with the unreleased improvisation "The Fright Watch" and a relatively rote version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" thrown in. What the disc lacks in diversity, it makes up for in intensity and live energy. "Easy Money" and "Lament" rock harder and faster than their studio versions. The live setting magnifies the epic grandeur of "Exiles." And the hypnotic, dynamic rendition of the "Talking Drum/Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part II" medley achieves new levels of aural euphoria.

King Crimson always excelled in the studio, but they really come into their own on stage. "The Night Watch" illustrates this as well as any other Crimson live album. If you aren't familiar with the mid-1970's incarnation of King Crimson, this is a great place to start. If you're already a diehard Crimson fan, this set will become an indispensable addition to your collection.

If I were to choose one sole album that completely shocked me, it would have to be "The Night Watch." At first glance, I figured that the improvs would be weak, long, boring, and trivial. Boy, was I wrong! Indeed, the improvs are the strongest point of "The Night Watch," and furthermore, seem to be the right balance between the popular tunes and little known ones. It's impossible to tell the tight and intense atmosphere that King Crimson was living under at the time of this recording, since each song is performed to perfection, without any minor flaw whatsoever. I find "Easy Money" to be an excellent pick for a lead off song, and King Crimson bursts onto the stage with this masterpiece! It's undeniably an enjoyable listen, and can really make you forget the bad day you just had, with its humorous lyrics, and surprisingly soothing tone. There are not enough words in the English language to express the brilliance and talent put into one of the best King Crimson songs, "Lament." The song seems to be four times as good when performed live, and refuses to be out done. "Book of Saturday" is a song that one may ponder on why King Crimson chose to perform, when knowing the performance was being recorded for a live album. However, once the person listens to the track carefully and precisely, there is no way to deny the uniqueness and splendidness of the song. It makes the perfect intro for the song, "Fracture." Many of us have heard and even talked about how much we like and enjoy listening to "Fracture." But it isn't until we actually hear the song live, without any takes or rehearsal, that we finally realize just how awesome of a song "Fracture" really is. There's no mystery on why "The Night Watch" was chosen as the title for this album. Although literally identical on paper, once it is performed and listened to, the makeup is entirely different and better than any original version. How King Crimson can do this is still a mystery to us all, but one thing is for sure, it is the key to their success. Then comes the first improv of "Starless and Bible Black." I thought, when hearing the original version of the song, no live performance for anyone could possibly go farther then "Starless and Bible Black." But, this improv does just that. As a matter of fact, it does more than that, it captivates everything King Crimson strived to create and do, and has already done. One mystery that confuses many is why it was decided to put this album on two separate discs. After the awesome improv of "Starless and Bible Black," you either have to get up and switch CDs, or patiently wait for the second disc to kick in. Either one of these occurrences can turn out to be the biggest annoyance of "The Night Watch," and for good reason. With only twelve tracks total, it would not have been a difficult task to simply put all the tracks on one entire disc. Why this did not happen I do not know. The first track on disc 2, another improv, this time of "Trio," again is amazing and makes one wonder how King Crimson can do this as they go along. I love the song "Exiles." It was one of the driving reasons why I originally bought this album, and believe me, this song did not disappoint. Then the last of the improvs, entitled "The Fright Watch." Obviously a takeoff from the title song, but not altogether a mockery or funny tune. I judge it to be no better than any of the other improvs, and is considerably good, considering the situation the band was in. "The Talking Drum," although not completely impressive at first listen, does find its appropriate spot on the album, and fits in rather nicely. What can possibly be said about "Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part II?" All that I can say is that is wonderful song knows no limits or boundaries, and can be performed, any time or any place. After this surprising yet courageous structure of songs for the set list, King Crimson jumps into an almost nostalgic return to their known form with "21st Century Schizoid Man." We all love this song, and no one's opinion can be changed after listening to this live version.