King Crimson: Three of a Perfect Pair-Live I

The mixing is as good as possible for the time period (unlike "The Noise", which is an equally amazing video except for the sub-King-Crimson-standard mixing), and the band pulls off excellent performances of all of these songs. Most notable has to be "Sartori in Tangier" (double drum action!), "Indiscipline" (also double drum action, I laughed out loud at parts of it) and "Industry" (great performance from the soundcheck, seems like a perfect song for that).

The title of this review suggests that this is the video version of "Absent Lovers", which in many ways it might as well be. This is no complaint, since I bought it 2 years ago I haven't been able to really care about any album I purchased after "Absent Lovers" (but I digress...). Many of the concert photos in the booklet for "Absent Lovers" are taken as snapshots straight out of this video. The major difference between the two being that this performance is from Japan, whereas "Absent Lovers" is from Montreal, Canada, although they were part of the same world tour. The mixing on "Absent Lovers" is beyond anything, so despite the fact that this video has some electronic effects that could have been mixed down it still receives a perfect rating. The only setlist difference between this and "Absent Lovers" this the inclusion of "No Warning" and the exclusion of "Red", which is a welcome trade, as "No Warning" in it's live format is unavailable elsewhere. It then segues into the always intense "Larks' Tongues in Aspic Pt. III", in which Robert Fripp uncharacteristically cuts loose during the coda solo. He just about flings himself off his chair, making some nicely contorted facial experissions all the while. He then ultra-suddenly regains his composure... it's something to watch.

Apart from the actual performances, you get behind the scenes footage, some of the band members playing their instruments, some of them as tourists in Japan, and some of the guys just being goofy. It is mostly concert footage however, which is good, as that's what I bought it for.

You get four musicians pushing the boundaries of their instruments, many times all at once, giving utterly flawless performances of their signature tunes. They all use some crazy extensions of their normal instruments, and individually can play way beyond the capabilities of most bands' best instrumentalist. Very crazy, very accomplished, very electronic, very worth buying...

VERY APE.


This Band Can TEAR IT UP!   August 1, 2001
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

"Three Of A Perfect Pair - Live In Japan" displays the 1980's King Crimson at the height of its powers, in front of a respectful but enthusiastic crowd. In my opinion, this version of Crimson could hold its own with ANY band. The setlist is quite similar to the "Absent Lovers - Live in Montreal 1984" double audio CD, though the order of the songs has been shuffled, and a few different songs are performed. Having listened to that CD at length since its release, I was enthused about actually watching KC produce the "noise" that I am so fond of.

The Crims appear to be having a good time at this concert, frequently smiling at the audience and each other. Watching this video will give you a deeper appreciation for what incredible musicians these guys are. I was particularly impressed watching Tony Levin handle the Chapman Stick, bass and synth all on one song. There is a good mix of band and individual footage, as well as some scenes of the guys goofing around backstage and touring through Japan. The audio mix is good, definitely an improvement over Crimson's other 80's concert video "The Noise", in which Fripp's guitar is barely audible.

For those like me who were unable to see KC at the time, this video is the next best thing to being there. It won't likely convert non-believers, but if you're a fan of the 1980's era Crimson, I definitely recommend it. Peace!


All I can say is great   January 3, 2001
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

WOW this has to be on of the best live concerts I have seen on VHS and a must for all Crimson fans. This is the band at there best and Robert Fripps guitar playing fantastic. All the favourite songs are they and i just wonder how long it will be before i wear out this tape.


Love It!   May 22, 2000
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This video is a must for any King Crimson fan. Their performance is tight. Unlike most video concerts where the crowd is screaming through the show, you can hear a pin drop from the audience due to the band being so mezmorizing.