Customer Reviews

Live in Poland

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was very hesitant to purchase this recording, because so many of the tracks duplicated ones on ELP's recent "Then & Now" Live double CD, but this CD's cover photo convinced me to give it a try. Let me tell you, ELP fans...this CD is well worth it! The CD booklet is actually a mini-tour program, much like the ones you'd pay big bucks for at the concerts. There are over two dozen colorful, professionally taken photographs that range from closeups of each player (including a montage of Emerson's "organ surfing" routine), to distant shots that beautifully capture the tastefully done light shows of their recent tours. It really puts the booklets from "Royal Albert Hall" and "Then & Now" to shame. There is also a discography of each individual, and one of the band's catalogue. Musically, the performances differ entirely from the samples on "Then & Now," with some songs lengthened and others shortened from that CD set. For example, "Touch and Go" is much more like the ELPowell studio version, while Emerson's piano solo includes a lengthened version of "Creole Dance" and an abbreviated, yet rapid-paced version of "Honky Tonk Train Blues." Lake's singing voice is in good form, as he hits more high notes than he did on other recent live recordings. You will notice alot of crowd noise from the enthusiastic Polish audience, but overall, this CD works well because it was recorded entirely at one show, so there are no audience/song fadeouts and only a couple of the show's songs are removed.

It begins to get boring. Every time ELP launches a new record (or at least every time new material on the band is released) this humble die-hard fan takes a few minutes to praise ELP's everlasting quality. I am pretty sure ELP survived not only as a band, but also as a concept. A concept related essencialy with musichanship, audacity, exceptional musical habilities from ALL de components of the band and, above all, the unlimited capacity to push the envelope of music till its further limits. The reason ELP is not a success any more is simple. With the honorable exception of a few old timers like me, no one is intersted in serching for the above qualities in music. Everybody is looking for easy to dance, easy to hear, music. I recommend this CD for those engaged in a search for music of quality, music without labels, music sometimes so different, noisy and aggressive it will require a good measure of patience. I promisse ELP will keep its promisse with much dividends and show you a new (and yet old) kind of beauty.

This CD crackles with energy and power. A huge full sound on this live recording captures the incredible musicianship of this trio. (The production work makes the same year "Then and Now" recordings seem somewhat thin by comparison.) Greg Lake's voice hasn't sounded this good since his work with Emerson, Lake & Powell in 1986. Acoustic piano abounds from Keith Emerson. And Carl Palmer's drumming continues to dazzle. The titles are familiar, but the takes are fresh and creative, with the band pouring its heart and soul into every track. They cook. (If you think you've heard these songs before, wait 'till you hear this CD.) Absolutely makes you wish you were there. Worth every bit of the extra Import price. If this is to be the trio's final recording, then they are going out at the top of their game. Get your copy today.

Having been a fan of Emerson (while he was playing with the "Nice"), and having heard ELP in concert many times, this recording beings back the joyful memories of those times when the energy was addictive and each new track was a discovery. As much as I like ELP's studio recordings, there is a magic that is only available in a concert setting. This CD captures that feeling of energy and mob euphoria as the group presents you with their best efforts. ELP's two signature pieces: Take a Pebble, and Rondo are so beautifully done in this concert that they alone are worth the purchase price. This CD is as good as it gets!

This is a good chance to hear some live ELP from the late 90's. There aren't many official releases of live ELP from this stage in the band's history. The sound quality is good, and the band plays some of the usual hits, along with the ever-changing 20 minute medley they seem to reinvent for each tour. Some live albums can sound over-produced, almost like a studio album, but this one doesn't. Listening to it, it feels like you're there in the concert hall. Carl Palmer has a cool drum solo too, and Keith Emerson is the usual Man-Of-A-Thousand-Sounds. They don't have quite the exuberance they did in the 70's, but they still have a lot of energy and they're fun to listen to.

Being the last CD of the band (till now), that broke up about 2 years ago, that album is a classic live album (unlike "Then and Now", that brings us material from many shows). Comparing to the other live CD's of the band i rate it higher then the weak "Works live", the medium "Then and Now" and the good (but the too long sometimes) "Welcome back my friends" and equaly to the very good "Royal Albert Hall". True, Lake's voice is not what it used to be, but everything here sounds great, and the band does'nt give us any clue for its near end. "Tarkus" is done here fantasticly (Emerson used more piano and less Hammond in the part "Stones of years" and made it a real jewel) and the link to the "Great gates of Kiev" of "Pictures at an exhibition" is wonderfull. Yes, we have to listen again to "Rondo", "The knife edge", "Karn Evil 2" and "Fanfare", but this time i forgive them. Everything sounds here so good and happy! Buy it and enjoy an old and wise but also alive band.

The recorded live show from June 1997 in Katowice, Poland, has had a trio of releases; as a bootleg in 1997, an official release in Austria in 2001 and a wider release in 2003. But no matter the format it is a remarkable display of the incredible artistry of the progressive rock icons.

Relying heavily on older material - along with a pair of cuts from the offshoot group; Emerson, Lake & Powell - this is not simply a band revisiting past glory by rumbling through a familiar set of songs....there are re-arrangements that are subtle and impressive, while bringing new power and freshness to the music. And there is solo space for each artist to add impressive brush strokes to the colorful canvas that has added touches from an appreciative audience.

This is an impressive performance that shows the trio remained on top of their game and striving to deliver excellence, while bringing renewed relevance to the inclusion of key elements of classical music into rock.

I bought this for a lark; just because I'd never heard it anywhere. I have over a dozen ELP albums, so what could be new? The audio, for one. Through either headphones or speakers, your ears will thank you. Every note is clear and crisp. They are each and all spot on. Greg's voice is back and strong; Keith wails on the keyboards like old times; Carl beats the hell out of his kit. This is one of those later concerts with all the drive and mayhem of the early ones. The liner notes suck; skip them. Just listen. This is one every fan must own.

Siempre admire mucho a estos señores, creci con ellos oyendo hasta el hastìo canciones como Lucky Man, Jerusalem etc, junto con Yes han sido los grupos que mas he escuchado y mientras durò la era del rock arte lucharon estos dos por la cumbre, sin embargo a diferencia de Yes, estos señores fueron poco a poco apagandose y saliendo de la escena musical, algunos consideran que estan gastados y viejos y casi lo creì asì con el ultimo album, que salio en el 94 y que no es muy bueno, pero al oir este disco me di cuenta que a pesar de los años guardan aùn la calidad que siempre los caracterizò, sin tocar canciones muy largas o sin abusar de los solos, todo medido a la perfeccion, para no aburrir a la concurrencia, por lo que cada una de las canciones es un viaje al pasado a mi adolescencia, cuando pasaba horas y horas oyendo a este gran grupo, estoy seguro que a pesar que algunos se consideran sucesores de estos maestros, sin entrar en detalles de nombres, JAMAS podràn ser superados, asi que bienvenidos de regreso amigos al SHOW QUE NUNCA TERMINA, señoras y señores EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER POR SIEMPRE GRANDES.