Emerson, Lake, And Palmer Original Bootleg Series From Manticore Vaults, Vol. 2 CD

Another batch of cleaned-up bootlegs chronicles some of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's finest shows. This eight-CD box set includes four complete concerts, each taking up two discs. In all, the two-volume Original Bootleg Series is comprised of eight shows covering 15 discs. Listeners should expect a lo-fi experience. The set is priced accordingly, about 45 dollars per volume. To be fair, the sound quality is for the most part decent to good. The first show in this collection was recorded at Hammersmith Odean in London on November 26, 1972. Subtitled "A Right Cordial Shocker," it runs 100 minutes. ELP had returned triumphantly to their home turf after touring the world behind Trilogy. The group still relied on old favorites: "Take a Pebble," "Pictures at an Exhibition," and "Tarkus" (the latter work was performed at all eight concerts available in the two volumes). ELP hit the stage running and never flagged. Keith Emerson's solo piano workout at the beginning of disc two is exceptional, as is the segue into jazz interplay with Carl Palmer and Greg Lake. "Pictures" is amazingly intense. One major plus: the night's quieter moments are easily heard on this tape, due primarily to the attentive London audience. Similar moments at the American venues are occasionally marred by howls and impatient noises (and in a couple of concerts, a conversation between two fellows taping the show). The second show in this chronological set moves forward to March 26, 1974, at Henry Lewit Arena in Wichita, KS. Subtitled "Waiting for the Corduroy Purpose," this show took place following the release of Brain Salad Surgery, considered by some fans to be ELP's best album, all of which is present here. By now, the show had become almost as important as the music; ELP had the wildest, most technologically advanced stage spectacle anywhere. The shows were longer, as the band now had five-albums worth of material. This one runs just short of two hours. "Tarkus" is a highlight; it exceeds half an hour, as Emerson takes a lengthy, restrained synthesizer solo that puts melody ahead of raw noise. One major complaint comes to mind during a piano solo by Emerson and some of Lake's softer, acoustic numbers: Why do audience members insist on talking during performances, particularly the quieter moments? As mentioned above, the European audience listened intently during these passages, allowing the performers some semblance of subtlety. The American shows feature in-song yapping plus the inevitable person trying to help but making matters worse by repeatedly yelling "Shut up!" at the top of his lungs. On a positive note, this tour introduced the "Karn Evil 9" showstopper. ELP no doubt viewed it as an important work and they don't hold anything back. The performance is fresh and invigorating. The trio obviously enjoyed performing this piece. The third show, subtitled "My Darling Nemesis/The Illuminati," was held at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, NY, on July 26, 1974. It features almost an identical song lineup as the Wichita concert, but clocks in at two hours and seven minutes. The fidelity is quite good. For this reason, "Tarkus" in its entirety shines more than other versions. The ballad "Still...You Turn Me On" is another highlight. The entire show is first-rate except for the "Pictures at an Exhibition" finale, which is filled with non-musical synthesizer twaddle. Maybe it sounded far out in the massive stadium setting with wild visuals. The Original Bootleg Series From Manticore Vaults, Vol. 2 concludes with a gig from the New Haven Civic Center. The show, subtitled "Strangely Beneficient," was held November 30, 1977, during the Works tour. Works, Vol. 2 had actually been released the day before, according to Emerson. Running time is 88 minutes. The set list was largely revamped from earlier tours. For a band known as an original, ELP incorporated a large amount of covers into the act. This show

The Original Bootleg Series From The Manticore Vaults Vol. 2.UK digitally