From: ezucker@pica.army.mil (AED-PD)
Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead
Subject: ELP/Bonham review-very little ODC
Date: 29 Jul 92 13:06:22 GMT
Reply-To: ezucker@pica.army.mil
Organization: The Internet

Hello all.  Yes, I'm still alive!
I caught the Emerson, Lake & Palmer/Bonham show at the Garden state
Arts Center in Holmdale, NJ last Sunday night.

"Bonham", featuring Jason Bonham, the drummer son of Zep's late John Bonham
opened the show with a 40 minute set.  Jason isn't a bad drummer...
"Bonham" as a band were pretty lame.  They reminded me of yer typical
NJ Shore LedZep-wannabee bar band with big hair.    As far as I'm
concerned, they had no business opening for ELP!  I was not impressed
even though I usually consider myself to be musically openminded...

At 9:00pm, the black canopies covering ELP's equipment were removed to the
thunderous applause of the fans.  ELP fans crack me up.  They all seem
to be scientists and engineers who go gaga over electronic toys ;-)
I cheered!!! ;-)

At 9:09pm, ELP came onstage!  Other than seeing "Three" and "EL & Powell",
It's been 14 years since I last saw ELP together.  They looked 14 years 
older!!!  I guess I did too....

Nonetheless, here's the setlist:
Karn Evil #9 (1st impression) -only a few minutes of it!  They were
obligated to play it, so they just did the big "Welcome back my friends..."
part and got it over with.

Tarkus>-Played the entire progression with the exception of Aquatarkus.
Knife Edge
Paper Blood-from the new album
Black Moon-The title cut off the new album, the one that gets the most
           radio airplay.
Keith Emerson: Piano Solo entitled "Trail of Dots" ???
               Different Piano Solo
Greg Lake: From The Beginning
           Affairs of the Heart-From the new album

Romeo & Juliet-From the new album
Pirates (Palmer kicking ASS on the skins!!!)
Lucky Man
Pictures At An Exhibition>
Carl Palmer Drum Solo>-The guy's got 10 arms, I swear!
Pictures At An Exhibition

10:35pm
E: Fanfare for the Common Man (including "Amerika" & "Rondo" during
                            Emerson's Hammond B-3 wrestling shtick)
10:51pm

Overall comments:  I was simply thrilled to see ELP again after all these
years.  Ever since I was 13, I was an ELP freak.   (While most normal kids
were playing on Little League, I was playing "Brain Salad Surgery" for the
10,000th time on a piece of shit phonograph with my mother shrieking in
the background....  At 13, I *knew* I was going to be a bizzarre kid ;-)

The show was *AWESOME*... GO SEE IT!

Carl Palmer gets the MVP award for the evening.  To me, the concert
should've been billed "The Carl Palmer Show".  Jeez, that guy is a
freakin' machine!  He did the typical Palmer solo....revolving platform,
gongs, stickflipping, cybal solo, tamborine/audience clap routine.....
AND THE QUICKEST 10 ARMS I'VE EVER SEEN!!

Greg Lake gets new respect from me.  In the past few years, I've started
dabbling in Bass guitar (inspired by Phil, of course).  Lake's bass playing
is right up there with the best of 'em, but his talents are often
overshadowed by the more visually exciting Palmer & Emerson.  Lake's
voice was fine as ever.  He's not as portly as his recent facial pictures
suggest ;-)

Keith Emerson actually disappointed me somewhat.  Although he had many fine
moments, he seemed to be the one who hadn't kept his incredible skills
honed over the years.   His little "jams" seemed to be unusually lame
compared to what I remember in the past.  Perhaps he had an off night.
Perhaps the years of non-touring had something to do with it.  Perhaps
my expectations were unrealistically skewed by my fond childhood memories.
His Piano Solos were worth the price of admission alone though!

All in all, I was very psyched to see this band in action again.  They
really looked like they were happy to be back touring again.
I actually can't wait to see 'em again at the Waterloo Village concert on
Friday!   I'll be there, Grey Blazer/BBQ/etc./etc....
                          EDDIE