ADRIAN BELEW POWER TRIO
VENUE SellerSville TheaTer 1894, SellerSville, Pa DATE 23/08/2019
Whether it’s his time with King crimson, Frank Zappa or david Bowie, his myriad other collaborations or his abundant solo work, adrian Belew’s expansive voice and proficient yet zany guitarwork make him a singular artist. every ounce of that creativity is on display here tonight, as Belew — alongside bassist Julie slick, drummer Jordan perlson and vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist saul Zonana — happily gives an overview of his career in a cosily intimate setting.
Belew pulls out a few selections from his latest lp, pop-sided, in the forms of the soothing everybody’s sitting and Wait To Worry. other recent inclusions include the atmospheric Back in The day, the vibrantly frenzied instrumental b and the playfully hip incompetence indifference. in addition, the crowd hang on every moment of his sombre and introspective recent tribute to david Bowie, You never Know, as well as the Talking Heads-esque Fish Head, both parts of What do You Know and the upbeat and catchy Big Blue sun. cumulatively, this survey of his lone work portrays precisely how eclectic he is.
That said, fans are also waiting eagerly for some non-solo material, and Belew doesn’t disappoint. The Bears’ sleek superboy obviously delights, while their take on Frank Zappa’s city of Tiny lights is idiosyncratic yet faithful. undoubtedly, the highlight of the night is the amount of attention paid to his stint in King crimson. specifically, Belew starts the evening with Matte Kudasai and later journeys into Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With. as the show concludes, he launches into a jolting suite of Three of a perfect pair, Frame By Frame and sleepless.
Belew often stops to say a few humble and humorous words between songs, such as anecdotes about being kicked out of King crimson, how he needs to relax more, and what it was like working with david Bowie. His bandmates stay quiet, but they’re full of smiles and energy.
Whether released under his own name or alongside a formal group, Belew’s material is strikingly sundry, expertly mixing accessible songwriting and quirky musicianship. likewise, slick, perlson, and Zonana cleverly flesh out the tunes. Belew remains a master of his craft and an invaluable attraction in concert.