Eleven months, two weeks and three days after King Crimson had last played in the UK, the band stepped on stage at Aylesbury for a friends and family show. Traditionally, this pre-tour gig is an opportunity to iron out any on-stage technical settings and bring individual focus to bear on any snuggling parts before a supportive audience. With Jeremy Stacey joining the group while Bill Rieflin was on sabbatical, dealing with health issues, new additions to an already expansive setlist that includes Cirkus for the first time since 1972 and the formidable Fracture, not heard on stage since 1974, this show represents the Crimson beast in the act of getting properly warmed up for the tour ahead. Even though it might not be at full roar here, it’s a reliable pointer to where it would be heading in the coming days.