PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION - 35TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTORS EDITION

The album has always been one of my favorite ELP records, it has so much power and excitement. As an 'vintage-keyboard-addict' this is cloud number nine, what a spectacular play on those knobs and wires of the Moog synthesizers and the impressive Hammond organs! Unfortunately some artists were allowed to spoil a part of the footage by integrating coloured images and cartoons. Eventually ELP was not very happy with the result but it didn't stop the record company to release it. Anno 2005 you would think that the DVD technology is able to restore it but men can go to the moon or hack the Pentagon but not bring back the original footage, what a pity! And I'm disappointed that this anniversary DVD release doesn't contain the entire 90 minute concert (including songs like "The barbarian", "Knife edge" and "Rondo" with the Keith Emerson stage antics) that is on the Japanese laser-disc. A special feature is a performance by the National Symphony Of Ukraine from Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an exhibition" but that is not really a thing I'm waiting for. Nonetheless, enjoy the pivotal and breathtaking self-endulging progrock that ELP made in 1970 delivering magnificent images from Keith Emerson (the Jimi Hendrix on the keyboards) so this dvd deserves five stars, despite my critical remarks.