EMERSON LAKE & PALMER IN CONCERT

In Concert documents both the orchestral and ELP only legs of the Works tour offering a very clear view into what this much discussed, controversial and often criticised final ELP tour of the 70's. It features songs from Work's Vol 1 + 2 performed with and without orchestra. As well as songs stretching back to the very start of the ELP saga.

The album opens with 'Introductory Fanfare' a piece consisting of Emerson playing several synths which leads into the cover of Peter Gunn Theme which has only been played live. This opening duo is played without Orchestra and shows that even though they were criticised at this time they could still produce energetic live music as a three-piece. This is followed by an underwhelming performance of Tiger In The Spotlight, once again performed without orchestra, this is an entertaining song but this version lacks any energy or conviction.

Then orchestral section of the album begins with one of the highlights of the album, a very nicely performed and atmospheric version of C'est La Vie, with Strings backing Greg Lake in the final verse. Next Carl Palmer's piece The Enemy God is very well performed here and once again shows the band still had the ability to produce lots of energy and fantastic music.

Then some of the classic ELP pieces appear, performed with Orchestra and very well arranged, Knife Edge and an absolutely fantastic arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition, seperated by an abridged and slightly out of place edition of Keith Emerson Piano Concerto.

Overall this album could easily be very entertaining and one of the finest Live outputs from the band. But it is really let down by the quality of the recording and mixing. The crowd is completely absent during each track and just appears cheering at the end of each song, which for a live album just sounds fabricated, or like a Radio broadcast recorded straight out of the soundboard without any mixing done to it.

Had this been remastered properly at any point, (which it hasn't the remaster sounds exactly the same but just has more tracks on it) then this could be a must-hear document of the Works tour. But with the sound and often lacklustre performance this is for Collectors only.