DVD Review: Emerson, Lake & Palmer — Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Released (or more accurately, repackaged and re-released) in 2009, this is actually a live performance of Emerson, Lake and Palmer dating from 1992. As such, it’s dated in a number of ways. The opening makes use of late 80s/early 90s visual effects familiar to anyone who watched MTV during that era. And both Greg Lake and Carl Palmer sport the popular hairstyles of the era (in fact, Palmer rocks a near-mullet).
The show does feature the welcome sight of Emerson’s bank of keyboards: mostly analog but with some concessions to digital modernity. The trademark mammoth modular Moog is present, but serves here more as a prop/backdrop than a practical instrument.
The camerawork and editing are all professional, but the sound quality is seriously sub-par; vocals are poorly mixed (most notably on Lake’s solo “From the Beginning”) and the overall mix is flat and lifeless. That’s particularly frustrating and shocking in light of ELP’s full-scale sonic assault.
Musicianship is, as expected, peerless. The members of the trio — especially Emerson — were still at or near the top of their game as musicians. Distressingly, however, Lake is shown following a TelePrompTer for the song lyrics.
The song selection covers the hits, and includes a couple of numbers form the group’s then-current “reunion” disc Black Moon. That disc’s “Romeo and Juliet” marks a musical return to form, and an excerpt from it is used as the audio backing for the (very basic) DVD menu. ELP was such a groundbreaking act that by 1992, they really had nowhere left to go musically. With its reliance on pre-recorded female backing vocals, “Paper Blood” feels more like post-Waters era Pink Floyd.
Emerson is, as always, the master showman. When he brings out the portable ribbon controller on the last movement of “Tarkus,” it’s impressive yet oddly perfunctory, as if to suggest “let’s get this out of the way right up front.” For the encore, Emerson pulls a few Nice-era numbers out, and — as expected — brings out the knives. The stage spins to reveal a poor hapless Hammond spinet organ; Emerson proceeds to abuse the instrument within inches of destruction. When he pins himself under the organ and plays it (this, after spray-painting an ELP logo graffiti-style on a faux brick wall), one can’t help think of Spinal Tap. But it’s worth remembering that Emerson originated this sort of shtick back in the 60s when he played with the Nice.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.