Supergroup BEAT immerses Sofia in the sound of 1980s King Crimson

🎸 Adrian Belew, former vocalist and guitarist of King Crimson, is behind the idea for the BEAT project – a supergroup assembled from four influential musicians to recreate the sound of early 80s King Crimson. He, Tony Levin, Steve Vai and Danny Carey will stand before a Bulgarian audience for the first time on July 9 at Hall 1 of NDK.

🕰️ The tour is dedicated to three of King Crimson's most influential albums – "Discipline" (1981), "Beat" (1982) and "Three of a Perfect Pair" (1984), with which the band expanded the boundaries of progressive rock during that period.

💡 Belew's idea originated before the pandemic. Initially, he approached King Crimson co-founder Robert Fripp for participation, but Fripp, committed to other engagements, declined – though he gave his blessing for the project to proceed and even suggested the name BEAT as a gesture of continuity with the spirit of the original music.

🎻 To replace Fripp, Belew turned to Steve Vai, who admits that King Crimson's music impressed him as early as age 21. Along with the band's long-time bassist Tony Levin, drummer Danny Carey of Tool later joined the lineup, known for his unconventional, jazz-inspired and geometry-influenced style of playing.

🌍 All four musicians have remarkable careers outside of BEAT. Belew has worked with Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie and Frank Zappa – it was Zappa who discovered him while Belew was playing with the band Sweetheart. Levin has played with Peter Gabriel, Yes and Liquid Tension Experiment and is one of the most recognizable performers on the Chapman Stick. Vai, a three-time Grammy winner, also went through Frank Zappa's school, and later played with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth and Whitesnake.

🎤 The musicians send a special greeting to the Bulgarian audience, promising a great show in the summer of 2026. Tickets for the July 9 concert are available via Ticket Station, with exclusive VIP packages including a meet-and-greet with the band, autographs and special merchandise.

📅 View date and tickets in the calendar