Posted on: January 29, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

The “Live At The Royal Albert Hall” DVD captures an ELP concert from 1992; this concert immediately followed the release of their “Black Moon” album, which marked the end of a 14-year break up. Where possibly interested viewers may think that the three members of ELP would be rusty after all the time spent apart, the first full track – “Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression – Part 2” – will show these naysayers that the act still has “it”. The concert ends at a perfect point – an hour and a half in – ensuring that fans get more than they could ever dream for, but also not be burnt out by the end of the disc. There is a blend of new and old tracks to be had at “Live At the Royal Albert Hall”: their first single “Lucky Man” is present just as 1992’s “Black Moon” is showcased through their performance of “Paper Blood”.

However, the most impressive performance would have to be the entirety of Tarkus, which showcases a band effortlessly recreating the three parts that made the studio version of the track so impressive when it was first released. The footage itself is surprisingly strong given the fact that it is 17 years old; couple that with stellar sound and what viewers have is a great experience that parallels actually being at the show. There may not have been a studio released by ELP since 1994’s “In The Hot Seat”, but “Live At The Royal Albert Hall” should get the chatter going again.

Sure, there have been countless live recordings (8 since 1994, if I recall correctly), but the tightness and ability shown by each of the three members of this supergroup has not been showcased in a studio form since then. Hopefully, the sales of this title should be enough to kick Emerson, Lake, and Palmer into gear – if all goes well, an album could be released before the end of the oughts. If that is not a possibility, Shout Factory can just continue to release footage of ELP; if the quality of the other footage would even be a half of what it was on “Live At The Royal Albert Hal”, fans of all ages would be able to fully enjoy themselves.

Rating: 7.7/10

Emerson Lake & Palmer – Live At the Royal Albert Hall / 2009 Shout Factory / 88 Minutes / http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com / http://www.shoutfactory.com

Leave a Comment