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LIVE FROM MANTICORE HALL (EMERSON & LAKE)

Keith Emerson

Crossover Prog


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Keith Emerson Live From Manticore Hall (Emerson & Lake) album cover
3.42 | 22 ratings | 2 reviews | 23% 5 stars

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Live, released in 2014

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. From the Beginning
2. Introduction
3. I Talk to the Wind
4. Bitches Crystal
5. The Barbarian
6. Take a Pebble
7. Tarkus
8. C'est Le Vie
9. Pirates
10. Moog Solo / Lucky Man

Line-up / Musicians

- Keith Emerson / keyboards
- Greg Lake / vocals, bass, electric & acoustic guitar

Releases information

July 14, 2014
These recordings were captured from a live show in 2010 and presented here for the first time!

Thanks to mbzr48 for the addition
and to NotAProghead for the last updates
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KEITH EMERSON Live From Manticore Hall (Emerson & Lake) ratings distribution


3.42
(22 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(23%)
23%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(18%)
18%
Good, but non-essential (45%)
45%
Collectors/fans only (14%)
14%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

KEITH EMERSON Live From Manticore Hall (Emerson & Lake) reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by AtomicCrimsonRush
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars "Live from Manticore Hall" is a live 2010 show featuring legendary Prog specialists Emerson Lake & Palmer members without the Palmer. No brilliant drums basically but this is awesome stuff and I wish I could have seen the show. Lake spells it out to the captivated audience in the intro that this is going to be a concert where they invite the crowd into their studio where they experiment and create things, looking back to the halcyon days of King Crimson and The Nice and of course ELP. The band explain many things as they explore their past glories and it is a wonderful journey they take us on.

For the first time since 1969 they perform I Talk to the Wind that appeared on that little known album "In the Court of the Crimson King". Say no more. From the Beginning is the opener and no one can complain as its one of the greatest of the many Lake ballads that surfaced over the years.

Bitches Crystal is given a classical piano treatment and it's very cool, Emerson being a master of the ivories bar none. He slams those keys with staccato glee and it jumps along with familiar melody and extended piano concerto vibes. It is sans bass and drums but still works as a compelling piece.

The Barbarian from the first ELP is a great choice, "a catchy and annoying tune, that grows on you" according to Lake. He pulls out the Hammond sound on this one, and there's drums, by some unknown muso. The piano interlude is fabulous too. This is great to hear after all these years; a genuine triumph. "Listen they're whistling it already" says Lake at the end of it.

Take a Pebble is one of my favourites so to hear this revamped version was a joyous experience. Lake's dreamy vocals carry it along beautifully. The piano is welcome and at times this sounds like old school ELP. It's an edited version at 5 minutes 20 but it's still wondrous to hear. It segues immediately into Tarkus.

Tarkus is here. Tarkus! A 17 minute version so there's plenty to indulge in here. This is so beloved you can imagine the crowd adoring this. It is a bit unrecognizable at the start with a lone grand piano instead of the bombastic wall of sound on the original masterpiece. Emerson is just enjoying himself as he strolls through this criminally complex piece of music. Lake comes in as the Mellotron strings enter with Stones of Years. It is refreshing and again it must have been extremely moving and uplifting to be in the audience as this washes over you. Emerson tinkles away with unabashed virtuoso style capturing the greatness of the epic. Lake touches the guitar at times to maintain the off kilter rhythms. The echo on his voice is effective, and overall he is sounding the same as he did all those years ago "The weaver in the web that he made!" It's interesting to hear this version of Manticore too. The track really picks up with The Battlefield, into Aquatarkus with pounding drums and squelchy synths. Emerson pulls out the electronic synth wall for this one and blazes away into full flight like he used to and I wonder if he dragged a synth out stabbed it with a knife here. This captures ELP glory and undeniably is a crowd pleased. I suspect a standing ovation followed. Brilliant to hear Tarkus played with so much dynamic energy and passion!

The melancholy C'est Le Vie is next and brings things down to a calmer level after the previous blitzkrieg. Though not one I like, the song is still sounding similar to the old version with acoustics and relaxing strings for a peaceful atmosphere. An accordion sound comes in too for a Parisian touch. "Merci Beaucoup" indeed Mr Lake.

Pirates is a surprising choice from "Works" and it certainly progs along nicely at 13 and a half minutes. Opening with narrative and ethereal keys it fires up into familiar territory along the allegorical seas of turmoil and adventure. The keys sound similar to the original version, right down to the percussive crashes and flutes. The drums are great here, but who is playing them? The whimsical melodies of sea shanties drift along nicely,

The concert closes with a Moog Solo and then into a glorious rendition of Lucky Man. Lake tells us that Keith "wanted to like it but" it as not initially received well. Is that swirling psychedelic synth solo present at the end? This is the "retro-spective" version and Keith dusts down the old Moog, the same one to produce some mind bending psyched up sounds.

Overall this is a glorious return to the prog brilliance of ELP, with smatterings of The Nice and King Crimson sprinkled over the top. At little more than 78 minutes one has to wonder what the rest of the concert was like and what was omitted on the CD release. Some research reveals that on this tour the omitted songs were Prelude to Hope, Malambo, America and Rondo. A 2 CD release might have been appropriate to include these, especially America and Rondo. This is the setlist they played in 2010 in the USA both at Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis in April, and at The Birchmere, Alexandria in May, respectively. It leaves one slavering for more as the concert cruises by so rapidly. It is a joyous concert, an intimate night out with the prog legends Emerson and Lake.

Latest members reviews

2 stars Slow and steady may win the race But some of these tunes need to pick up the pace Full Disclosure : Emerson shaped my youth with his brash, attacking style and Lake's smooth full voice filled my head with wonder, but as is life, we all have our "Time and a Place". As much as I still ... (read more)

Report this review (#1328563) | Posted by JD | Thursday, December 25, 2014 | Review Permanlink

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