Emerson, Lake & Palmer: 40th Anniversary Reunion Concert

Dinosaurs walk the earth once again as Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer take the stage for this July 2010 reunion concert at the High Voltage Festival in London. “Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends,” sings Lake in the opening number (an excerpt from “Karn Evil 9”), but while haters may indeed find the 90-minute performance interminable (an additional half hour is devoted to interviews with the musicians and others who made the one-off gig possible), fans of ELP's pompous prog rock will no doubt think it's entirely too short. The trio makes its way through highlights from the various albums that made them a commercial force in the 1970s, with keyboardist Emerson's classical leanings (compositions by Bartók, Janácek, and Copland, along with a full rendering of Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition,” blend with the group's own ideas) balanced by bassist-guitarist Lake's more melodic pop instincts (“Take a Pebble,” “From the Beginning,” and the still-appealing “Lucky Man”). Though all three were into their 60s at the time, they still bring serious chops to this complex, challenging music. Lake plays a more supporting role, while Emerson attacks his keyboards (including his unwieldy Moog synthesizer from days of yore) with the fierce gusto of a mad scientist, and Palmer negotiates an enormous drum kit to impressive effect. The stage show also shines, as the band that put the “bomb” in “bombast” delights a capacity festival crowd with fancy lighting effects and even a double cannon blast at the conclusion of “Pictures.” Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, this is recommended. (S. Graham)