LIVE AT HIGH VOLTAGE 2010

Emerson, Lake and Palmer performed at High Voltage 2010, 25 July in Victoria Park London. It was mostly sunny and mostly warm, there was no rain. There were tens of thousands of classic and prog rock fans, in a field.

So, anyone here heard of Emerson (Keith), Lake (Greg) and Palmer (Carl)? They were quite well known and popular during the 70s.They made one or two popular albums documented ably at ProgArchives. Having not played all together for a few years, they turned up for a 40th anniversary concert. Having promised, in the press, to play a spectacular selection of crowd pleasing favourites, hopes were raised. Well, let's see, we'd need Karn Evil 9, Tarkus and Pictures - maybe Lucky Man and Farewell to Arms, perhaps a Fanfare, rotating drum kits and cannons, destruction of venerable keyboard instruments - and a carpet. They have a hell of a back catalogue of pleasing crowds, so a long list and a tall order.

This is the live CD from ConcertLive, purchased on the day.

Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part 2: Welcome back my friends -.What can I say? You've gotta see this show? We'll forgive the guys a few timing issues early on, they soon hit their stride.

The Barbarian: Pompous organ workout. Lovely

Bitches Crystal: (once someone put the cable back in) was splendid. Greg's still got a fine voice and his bass playing ain't bad either.

Knife Edge: was suitably grand, stately and threatening. Good "waterfall" organ. Nice surprising reprise intro at 4:24

From The Beginning: Nice job Greg, even if Keith got a big cheer just for turning to the modular synth.

Touch and Go: Nice remake. Fabulous bass synth work. Even if the synth-brass is authentically ELP- ishly dodgy, we love it.

Just Take Pebble: Almost exactly as I always remember it. Nice work Keith, that synth piano has some good bass realism to it. It was a live gig with festival tech folks that they didn't particularly know, so we'll forgive a few feedback squeals and the odd foldback level issue. But Greg fought through the stage monitor issues and came out triumphant.

Tarkus Medley: Just a snippet but a good snippet. Fabulous buzzy synth tone in the march, sounds like some sort of armadillo-tank chimera might sound - Carl gets a big cheer for the gong/cymbal.

Farewell To Arms: Close your eyes, sway, and agree with the sentiment.

Lucky Man: Greg's tour de force.

Pictures: An abridged 16 minute short tour played with some abandon. An impressionist work featuring an epic siren, a positively 1812-ian Great Gate of Kiev - and cannons,

Fanfare For The Common Man: Majestic, expanded 12 minute version with the obligatory drum solo.

Visuals (not included on the CD) included Carl's rotating plinth. and Keith stabbing his organ (eyes water) for that ultimate sustain, swinging the cabinet for a slow vibrato effect, then chucking it onto its side.

"Clear the battlefield and let me see all the profit from our victory." Describes the queue for the live CD afterwards - well worth missing the last train home.

So how much of the list did we get? I make it 10 out of 10. Not bad lads. Don't stay away so long, this gig could be the beginning of a fine career.

5 stars if you were there. 4 stars for posterity