Guitar legend Steve Vai, who is currently touring with former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin, and Tool drummer Danny Carey under the Beat moniker, has shared the following message:

"When the opportunity to do this gig was presented to me, I saw myself on the stage in my minds-eye and I knew it would be good, but the way it is turning out for me has surpassed my expectations. I’ve come to discover a passion that the audience has for this music that is palpable. Every night, the enthusiasm and support from the audience is remarkable and more and more, I feel so comfortable being on this stage playing this absolutely superb music and being a part of something that offers the fans of this music an opportunity to hear it live after over 40 years of its release.

It usually takes a week or so on tour to gel, but the band is coming together beautifully, and playing with these musicians is a delight every night. Once you are on tour and living in a bus together, there’s no secrets at sea and you really get to know and bond with the people you are with. And I’m happy to report that these gentlemen are stellar individuals. Just wonderful, considerate, funny and warm people.

I watch Danny’s solo every night and am completely drawn into his inspired connection with his drums. I sometimes find myself stumbling to get to my next part after being dazzled by experiencing his mastery. And what a wonderful man he is. All that you can ever hope for in a touring bandmate.

And Tony Levin… forget about it! I’m falling madly in love with this man. A total and complete gentleman with an amazingly warm disposition and sense of humor, and forever present camera enthusiasts that is constantly documenting this tour from the inside. Every night, the huge round sound of his bass fills our inner ear monitors like a warm comfortable bed we all get to lay our souls on. His playing is magical and his intro solos to some of these songs is uniquely different and inspired every night. It’s so fulfilling to see and hear.

I always respected and marveled at Adrian Belew’s contributions through the years, but having the opportunity to work closely with another guitarist reveals things that distant admiration is unaware of, and as such, I have discovered a truly bright star. Nobody is like anybody else, but Adrian Belew is the one alone. I have never heard anyone even in his neighborhood when it comes to his creative mastery of guitartronics. I watch and listen to him take solos and find myself giggling in disbelief. I hear that warm zephyr like quality in his voice still after over 40 years that he laid his original voice down on these tracks and it fills my ears and heart with delight. And the songs themselves… I have no words to express how brilliant these songs are to me, and the fans!

He is also an excellent guitar buddy to mangle a whammy bar with. And his quick wit sense of humor has me throwing my head back and laughing out loud a lot! Adrian has been our dutiful leader and with his co-producer, Angelo “Scrote” Bundini, they have created this entire exotic adventure.

My deep appreciation to them and all who have been involved in getting and keeping this mighty BEAT train rolling. And I must admit what I call the Vai advantage in all this, and that has been the support, wisdom and guidance I have received from Father Robert Fripp.

I was a fan before I was a teenager, but my innocent and naive ears had no real idea what was going on under the hood of his legacy. But once I started to look under the hood and attempt to learn his guitar parts, it became very clear to me that this man is a monolith of discipline, innovation and creative insight.

For me, Robert Fripp is the Father of Prog music. He ushered it in in the late 60s and reinvented the genre in the 80’s with KC. My instincts tell me that in a distant future, Father Robert’s contribution will be studied and celebrated for the quiet, yet colossal magnitude that it is. His musical mind and unique approach to his guitar craft makes him one of our industry’s most precious geniuses. And I cannot feel more honored that he has supported me in all this and offered vital guidance in the heavy lift I have had in attempting to traverse the gauntlet of translating his mind and finger melting guitar parts through my own gifts and limitations.

And I want to thank the fans for being so warm to me in all this. I can feel the support at the shows and this means everything to me. It was the one missing element in my thoughts on doing this gig being that Robert’s playing style is such an integral part of the music and so deeply beloved by the fans. It’s impossible to conceive of 'replacing' Father Robert, but it has been a completely fulfilling and satisfying journey for me in representing and honoring his brilliant notes within my wheelhouse.

In other words, I’m reeeeeeealy diggin’ this gig!"

Fan-filmed video of Beat's entire kick-off show in San Jose on September 12 can be viewed below.

Setlist

Set 1:
"Neurotica"
"Neal and Jack and Me"
"Heartbeat"
"Sartori in Tangier"
"Dig Me"
"Model Man"
"Man with an Open Heart"
"Industry"
"Larks Tongues in Aspic, Pt. III"

Set 2:
"Waiting Man"
"The Sheltering Sky"
"Sleepless"
"Frame By Frame"
"Matte Kudasai"
"Elephant Talk"
"Three of a Perfect Pair"
"Indiscipline"

Encore
"Red"
"Thela Hun Ginjeet"

From the moment Beat went on-sale, tickets flew out of box offices across North America. Tour producer Angelo “Scrote” Bundini shares, “Due to overwhelming demand, Adrian, Steve, Tony and Danny have decided to extend the Beat tour with an additional 21 shows in order to perform these incredible King Crimson albums for even more fans. We are adding many additional cities alongside second and even third appearances in various regions. Sixty five dates in total! The audience has spoken loudly so Beat is responding in kind.”  

Visit BEAT-tour.com for tickets.

Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin band together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and explosive Tool drummer Danny Carey for the first time to create Beat, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums - Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair.

Adrian Belew reflects: “The 1981 through 1984 King Crimson created a music all its own. Timeless. Beautiful. Complex. Fierce. For the fans who lived through it then, and the ones who never got to witness it, our aim is to bring it to life again. A monumental task but we’re going for it!  There are not enough exclamation points to express my excitement!”

Steve Vai states: “Being a part of this ensemble is an extraordinary privilege and opportunity to perform some of the most beloved, timeless, and monumental music of the 80’s (and beyond) with truly inspired musicians. This music resonates deeply with me. Adrian, Tony and Danny are unique musicians with an otherworldly insight into presenting rich musical complexities in a very accessible way, and I am looking forward to searching each other’s musical minds in real time on stage. I’m sure sparks will fly.” He continues, “Father Robert Fripp is one of our historical geniuses. His highly specific and exceptionally brilliant guitar technique is studied and revered. His contribution to the quality of my musical life, and so many others is supreme. I can assure the fans of KC that I will be putting my best foot forward to respect this great music with the care and intensity it deserves. Did I say ‘sparks will fly?’”

Tony Levin offers: “This is going to be quite a tour. Revisiting some of my favorite music is a treat in itself, but in company of this stellar lineup, I expect to have my musical butt kicked! And it’s also great that we’re not just playing a few shows, we’re hitting it hard. So, Road Dogs are coming to your area soon.”

Danny Carey shares: “I am very excited to share the stage with three of my favorite musicians on the planet. Tony, Steve and Adrian have always been a source of inspiration for me since the beginning of my career, and now to be able to share a bit of my musical journey with them is a dream come true. There’s nothing better to make some sparks fly and light a fire under your ass than getting out of your musical comfort zone, and I can’t think of any other three guys I’d rather do this with.  I think I can speak for all of us when I say I hope all of our fans are as excited as we are about this tour.”

The vision for this undertaking emanated from initial dialogue between Angelo Bundini aka Scrote and Adrian Belew. Tour Producer Bundini recalls, “When Adrian called me to help bring his idea to fruition, I immediately thought it best to focus on the 80s albums: Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. These three records famously marked Adrian and Tony's entry into King Crimson. Their fluid, melodic virtuosity, and Fripp's and Bruford's dramatic precision created a totally unique, dynamic push and pull that would influence nearly every rock musician and/or band going forward for years, if not decades, to come.”  

Both a meet & greet and a VIP tour package are available for purchase. The M&G includes one premium ticket in the first five rows, early entry, pre-show meet & greet, personal photograph captured, limited edition autographed poster, Beat challenge coin, tote bag, an exclusive merch item, and an official laminate and lanyard. There is limited availability with pricing set at $200.00. For the VIP tour package, buyers will receive one premium reserved seat in the first 15 rows, a limited edition Beat tour poster autographed, the challenge coin, an exclusive tour merch item, and a commemorative laminate and lanyard. Availability is limited at a cost basis of $100.00. For all new appearances being announced today, a third VIP option has been made available. For $300.00, fans will receive the complete package detailed above, with front row seating guaranteed.

Tour dates:

September
22 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre (Sold Out)
24 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern (Sold Out)
26 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - The Parker (Sold Out)
27 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
28 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
29 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall

October
1 - Charlotte, NC - Knight Theater (Sold Out)
2 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre of Durham / Fletcher Hall (Sold Out)
4 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre (Sold Out)
5 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
6 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre (Sold Out)
8 - Richmond, VA - Carpenter Theater in Dominion Energy Center
9 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Center (Sold Out)
11 - Boston, MA - Shubert Theatre (Sold Out)
12 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (Sold Out)
14 - Halifax, NS - Rebecca Cohen Auditorium (Sold Out)
15 - Moncton, NB - Casino New Brunswick
17 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Maisonneuve (Sold Out)
18 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall (Sold Out)
19 - Rochester, NY - Kodak Center (Sold Out)
21 - Albany, NY - The Egg (Sold Out)
22 - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theatre (Sold Out)
23 - Reading, PA - Santander Performing Arts Center
25 - Cleveland, OH  - Agora Theatre
26 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre (Sold Out)
27 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
28 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
30 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre

November
1 - Chicago, IL - Copernicus Center (Sold Out)
2 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre
3 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater
4 - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
6 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre (Sold Out)
8 - Las Vegas, NV - The Theater at Virgin Hotels
9 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s Concerts
10 - Los Angeles, CA - The United Theater on Broadway

NEW DATES:

November
18 - Thousand Oaks, CA - B of A PAC
20 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
21 - Reno, NV - Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
22 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium
23 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
25 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre
26 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
30 - Hammond, IN - The Venue at Horseshoe

December
2 - Buffalo, NY - UB Center For The Arts
3 - Hartford, CT - Mortensen Hall at the Bushnell Center
4 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - F.M. Kirby Center
6 - Lynn, MA - Lynn Auditorium
7 - Atlantic City, NJ - Tropicana Showroom
8 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
10 - Louisville, KY - Brown Theatre
11 - St. Louis, MO - The Factory
13 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion
14 - San Antonio, TX - Majestic Theatre
16 - Albuquerque, NM - Revel
17 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
18 - Highland, CA - Yaamava’ Theater