In Concert

For a concert recording of ELP, this is it. This double CD set, derived from two shows on separate tours during the 1970s, effectively makes the official Welcome Back My Friends live set superfluous. The group were caught in their early-'70s prime, doing the best numbers off of Brain Salad Surgery when they were fresh and challenging; additionally, the group was in excellent form on both shows that are represented, so the listener gets the trio doing their best work at their tightest. "Karn Evil Nine" is done complete on disc two, all three parts clocking in at over 30 minutes, and comes off twice as urgent and effective as the studio version; the rest is just as well executed. The sound is also superior to the audio quality on Welcome Back My Friends. As a bonus, those with the proper equipment can utilize the CD-ROM portion of disc two, a concert documentary on the trio that includes footage from across their history. ~ Bruce Eder|

For a concert recording of ELP, this is it. This double CD set, derived from two shows on separate tours during the 1970s, effectively makes the official Welcome Back My Friends live set superfluous. The group were caught in their early-'70s prime, doing the best numbers off of Brain Salad Surgery when they were fresh and challenging; additionally, the group was in excellent form on both shows that are represented, so the listener gets the trio doing their best work at their tightest. "Karn Evil Nine" is done complete on disc two, all three parts clocking in at over 30 minutes, and comes off twice as urgent and effective as the studio version; the rest is just as well executed. The sound is also superior to the audio quality on Welcome Back My Friends. As a bonus, those with the proper equipment can utilize the CD-ROM portion of disc two, a concert documentary on the trio that includes footage from across their history. ~ Bruce Eder