LIVE (DVD)

Well if you think of the end of a great artist, whose fame with ELP was interrupted by a dramatic accident which occurred to Keith Emerson in the period of "In the Hot seat" (to one of his hands as you know...), you won't believe that Greg has been able to create a new ensemble after a long tormented passage of his career, by touring all over Europe!! Of course the lead guitarist along with him is able to re-arrange "Take a Pebble" in a remarkable manner, even though for instance their version of "Pictures at an Exhibition" doesn't add anything new in comparison to the ELP version of the early nineties...but even Greg is involved into some excursions at the electric guitar and well supported by a good keyboard-player such as David Arch, so at the end- by excluding the tepid ballads like "Farewell to Arms" (except perhaps on the magic atmosphere of "I Believe in Father Christmas") or a useless blues rock entitled "Paper Blood"- the other tracks- also in the present video concert- are quite remarkable! Greg's voice is not bad, being so mature, even though not clear at all in some circumstances, never mind cause I've appreciated the choice of "Karn Evil 9" and also the ever green "21st Century Schizoid Man" so much, after all!!

So you'll forgive him as for some missing powerful ballads like "Still you turn me on!" or the solemn and imposing tune "Jerusalem", but his return on stage as a well supported "soloist" of the prog-related genre has been a true surprise during the year 2005, then becoming a fine "confirmation" in the following year, by means of the present live.

Very interesting product and almost a must-have (final evaluation: almost "4 stars", cause the tepid ballads prevent me to give this DVD-live a major score).