Emerson, Lake & Palmer Album: “Live at the Royal Albert Hall [DVD]”

Yes, I was a big ELP fan back in the 70's, and I was excited to get this DVD in the hope of bringing back memories of when I saw them in person decades ago. Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by this disc.

Although never extraordinary in terms of stage presence, I must say that the band members exhibited some pretty tight playing at this performance, which took place in 1996 at the Royal Albert Hall (London). They did an especially good job with "Welcome Back" and "Pirates," and I was pleasantly surprised by their rendition of the classic theme from Prokofiev's "Romeo & Juliet." Although I consider "Tarkus" (one of my all-time favorite LP's) and "Pictures at an Exhibition" to be absolute masterpieces, this show presents only excerpted versions of both. Typical of live performances, yes; however, I'm always left a little disappointed. One major blemish to the show was Keith Emerson's theatrics of pounding, jumping on, then tipping over, one of his keyboards near the end (sooo 70's). Lots of noise. Maybe he hung out with Keith Moon when he was younger, but I wasn't impressed. Besides, this wasted valuable time that could have been used for another song or two.

What weighed most heavily in my rating was my total annoyance with the poor camera direction in this production. For example, Emerson was true to form with his trademark arms-apart keyboard stance between stacks of synthesizers. Why then was there so much close-up filming of just his face? I mean, REALLY close-up! Same with Carl Palmer: too many camera views angling between cymbal stands or over tom-toms, with only his head in view. Somehow, the director failed to understand that watching a keyboardist or drummer means focusing on the hands and arms. Too bad. I felt cheated out of some incredible drumming. Also, see how many OTHER cameramen you can count sneaking around between the amps.

Bottom line: it's an acceptable performance, but I wouldn't recommend this disc to anyone but a serious ELP fan.

I miss Emerson, Lake & Palmer very much and was disappointed they did not produce one last concept CD before they went their different ways. I don't know what it was about them that excited my blood, and still does. Sure there was the music, the lyrics, the showmanship. I was lucky enough to see the BSS tour and have seen ELP live four different times since, sharing the last concert with my 11 y.o. son. This DVD captures the remarkable talent of the trio. Their incredible unique ELP sound! This DVD is the next best thing to being at the Royal Albert Hall, front row. Sadly enough Black Moon was cut from the show for this DVD. Why do they do that????? Thank you Keith, Greg, and Carl for all you have given over the years on stage and disc. I wanted MORE. But that's how it goes, C'est La Vie. Alas, the Show That Never Ends lives on on this DVD.

This DVD captures the expansive career of this supergroup trio in one concert. All three performers live up to their resumes and give it their all. Carl Palmer is impeccable and precise, proving why he is tops on many drummer's "favorite" lists. Keith Emerson delivers all the goods that made him the legend he is. Unfortunately, you can see how his carpal tunnel syndrome acts up on occasion as he frantically shakes his left hand to bring back the feeling to it (As a fellow sufferer, it happened to stick out to me). Greg Lake is adequate in his role (although you can catch Carl making irritated faces at Greg when he doesn't pick up on a tempo or drive the beat as Carl wants it).

As a DVD, the camera work and sound is perfectly fine. I might want to hear the vocals out front a bit but, lately, most live mixes that I've heard for ANY genre can't provide that so it's no surprise that it came out the way it did. Crisp visuals and some nice virtuoso hand shots when Keith or Carl are doing some inhuman things.

Pick this up if you're a long time fan like me or if you're a novice who just wants to see what all the fuss was about.

I saw this tour performed at the always wonderful theatre in the wood,Wolf Trap,in Virginia and was very pleased to see this performance pressed into CD so imagine my added delight to see it released as a DVD.

BTW: They played Wolf Trap again!!! a few summers ago and their performances were even better that time.

Greg Lake must have quit smoking because he went for and hit notes he obviously could NOT reach ( and knew it) with this 1992 tour.

All that said this is "the" DVD to have and to appreciate. I'm having a blast introducing younger friends to ELP's level of virtuosity which, they are all the 1st to agree, is sadly "absent" anything passing for musicianship today ( Dave Mathews & Pat Metheny Group accepted). Anyone who witnessed any of ELP's mega-performances in their prime will wince like I did wondering out loud why oh why ELP, at the height of their craftsman talents and virtuosity, "failed" to have professionally produced and filmed a Concert Hall performance with full symphony orchestra ( the way Martin Scorsesse brilliantly directed "The Last Waltz") instead of the fiasco "Works" tour with orchestra that fell apart halfway through the tour and damn near bankrupted the band.

With that in mind true ELP afficiandoes will also wince at the

" in-the-moment" random camera scramble shooting gallery style which the editor had to make some structure out of. Those who know the pieces by heart will ALL want to just scream at the tube " No, you bloody twits, camera 2,camera 2

on Emerson's hands. Not the close-up of Lake who's playing is not the featuree here. You're fired!!!"

I mean I can forgive the 1st Brit twits on bad acid whom have absolutely ruined, for all time, the original document of ELP debuting "Pictures at an Exhibition" live, but you'd think a 1992 Royal Albert Hall performance would've been more expertly handled. Shame on the Brit-twit production crew for their apparent slip-shoddiness of the shoot and editing. No excuse this time lads. Now there may never be another oppurtunity lads. It would have been nice to finally see some actual professional film "production" at work in the 1990's, but there it is.

Past my rant over what might've been I'm glad for the truly grand document of "Lucky Man" ( with the original Moog epilogue" ) "Pirates" and the Emerson solo of "Creole Dance" alone made the DVD worth it. The "Pictures at an Exhibition" medley deserved to be done, but a far more classy choice would've been alive performance of "Hoedown", the full 1st Impression of "Karn Eval 9" segueing directly into the actual original song "Brain Salad Surgery" that could then sugue into the SciFi-story of the 3rd Impression. Add a full symphony orchestra to all that and that would've been "the" Last word definition of an ELP "Tour de Force" for one of the MOST instrumentally innovative band of craftsman virtuosity.

I'd often imagined how much more an ELP concert would take flight if they had an equally craftsman guitar virtuoso... say a Steve Howe , Steve Hacket , of even a Pat Metheny. Unfortunately a concert we will never get, but for now there's atleast a solid record of what was always there to begin with.... that talent of pure craftsman musicianship not seen or heard since.

Oh well, perhaps there will be some young muscians who will want more than just Blimp Bisquit,Britney, and already played out & exhausted rap and pick up challenge of where bands such as ELP pioneered and take us into a 21st century rennaissance of new musician

I live for that day.

Having been an ELP fan since around 1973, I enjoyed this DVD "for the show" but I must warn you that the sound quality was, in my opinion, very poor. Much like what was written in another review, I had a very hard time picking up Greg Lake's vocals - his voice was literally drowned out by the instruments. Granted, he's lost a bit of the luster in his range but I still would have liked to heard him better. They're still a blast to watch!!