Come & See the Show: Best of Emerson Lake Palmer

Emerson Lake & Palmer | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 8, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shout Factory
• ASIN: B0014BEC9E
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,275 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Formed in 1969 by members of King Crimson, The Nice, and Atomic Rooster, Emerson Lake & Palmer was progressive rock's first supergroup. Starting with the amazing success of their very first album, ELP took prog from London and brought it to America and the rest of the world. Come And See The Show: The Best Of Emerson Lake & Palmer features the trio's biggest hits and fan favorites and explains why ELP defined the musical tastes of a generation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ironic Title...just another Greatest Hits compilation, May 28, 2009

By 

JESSE R. MC Glown "derosierjr" (Enterprise, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Come & See the Show: Best of Emerson Lake Palmer (Audio CD)

The first time I saw this, my heart rate jumped a bit...then dropped back down, realizing that this is yet another greatest hits collection. It is indeed ironic, given the title for this effort, that there are at least two complete 1977 Works Tour concerts accessible at Wolfgang's Vault, yet currently unavailable as even a legal download! You can listen to the streaming audio free ( and if you happen to have a recording device with analog inputs... ). I just don't understand these guys: ELP released two massive sets ( The Manticore Vaults ) of generally horrendous quality bootleg shows; bad recordings and a few embarrassing moments for the band, performance-wise! Yet they ( or their label ) continue to sit on pristine, well-recorded, STRONG performances from 1977...?? What gives, guys?

This album isn't a bad set by any means; it's just that there's nothing new here. It's the same old portrait with yet a new frame! ELP fans deserve better than this reconstituted pan of old beans.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a good compilation., May 16, 2008

By 

Wolfmaster "Wolfmaster" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Come & See the Show: Best of Emerson Lake Palmer (Audio CD)

This says "best of" but with a band as great as this, you really can't pick a best of.

The entire "Tarkus" album (1971) is a must-listen for any fan of progressive rock, yet there's not even one song from this album. Also, "Black Moon" (1992) is one of their better songs and one of their more popular, and that isn't here either.

"Pictures at an Exhibition", "Brain Salad Surgery" and their self-titled are all great albums as well. And even their least-accepted albums have a few songs you should definitely check out. "Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman" from "Love Beach" (1978) and "Hand of Truth" from "In the Hot Seat" (1994).

If I were to pick a best of, I would include at least one song from each album, something this compilation fails to do. There are no songs from Tarkus (Their best album, in my opinion) and nothing from their post-1977 work. Do your research if you want a best of compilation.

Or, just go pick up every album, there are only 9 studio albums (10 counting Pictures At An Exhibition Live), and they are all fantastic and unique.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent, May 16, 2008

By 

Johnny Boy "The Record Collector" (Hockessin, DE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Come & See the Show: Best of Emerson Lake Palmer (Audio CD)

I agree with the first reviewer. 'Come And See The Show' provides a decent look at ELP's lengthy career, and it even includes 'I Believe In Father Christmas' from the 'Works, Vol. 2' album (extra pointers for that!). And the American radio hits are here too. 'Lucky Man,' and 'Karn Evil 9: First Impression, Pt. 2' and 'Toccata' all appear on this set. And Shout! Factory did a good job remastering this. The sound quality is superb!

But I have a question: Why didn't Shout! Factory include the entire 'Karn Evil 9 Suite' or maybe even a song like 'Brain Salad Surgery' or 'Tarkus.'

Bottom line: If you're going to make an ELP collection, PLEASE MAKE IT TWO DISCS. It is impossible to summarize ELP on a single disc, although another disc with the same title (minus the 'Come And See The Show') does the best job representing the band through one disc.

Overall, unless you are a very casual ELP fan or a collector that has to have everything ELP ever released, than get this. It's got great sound quality and most of the American hits, but if you want the BEST of ELP, check out 'The Essential Emerson Lake & Palmer.'

Recommended, but only for casual fans. But it's still a solid comp.