ELP’s Keith Emerson and Greg Lake played the Granada Theater in Dallas, Texas on Friday – and let’s just say that they didn’t win over the skeptics.
Critic Darryl Smyers writes:
The progressive rock floodgates opened and nothing could stop the onslaught of overindulgence.
Lengthy cuts followed from ELP’s disastrous sophomore album Tarkus, an album that has a cover nearly as ugly as the music contained within the grooves.
The show became all about Emerson’s monstrosity of a keyboard set up. Taking up over half the stage, this relic of technology past looked more like a hideous prop than a functioning instrument.
For a state that claims “Everything’s bigger in Texas” – you think that they’d be OK with an onslaught of overindulgence – and at a prog concert, of all places!
If you made it to the Dallas show – let us know what you thought about the show in the comments!
Image: John Cornicello
The bottom line is that Dallas sucks. Really. Any legitimate scene died there back in the mid-80's when Deep Ellum became overrun with yuppies. If you pick up the local papers, you'll see that they often give high marks to drivel like Miley Cyrus while bashing legitimate music. To get bashed by the brain dead pricks that lack enough soul to call that city a home is actually a compliment.
The bottom line is that Dallas sucks. Really. Any legitimate scene died there back in the mid-80's when Deep Ellum became overrun with yuppies. If you pick up the local papers, you'll see that they often give high marks to drivel like Miley Cyrus while bashing legitimate music. To get bashed by the brain dead pricks that lack enough soul to call that city a home is actually a compliment.
The bottom line is that Dallas sucks. Really. Any legitimate scene died there back in the mid-80's when Deep Ellum became overrun with yuppies. If you pick up the local papers, you'll see that they often give high marks to drivel like Miley Cyrus while bashing legitimate music. To get bashed by the brain dead pricks that lack enough soul to call that city a home is actually a compliment.
Please don't start it – if Emerson and Lake came to Dallas, there are obviously enough of those who would appreciate their music and stage presence.
I was at Kith Emerson Band's concert in Moscow a couple of years ago and they seriously rocked. Big modular Moog smoking with dry ice heavily added to the atmosphere.
Please don't start it – if Emerson and Lake came to Dallas, there are obviously enough of those who would appreciate their music and stage presence.
I was at Kith Emerson Band's concert in Moscow a couple of years ago and they seriously rocked. Big modular Moog smoking with dry ice heavily added to the atmosphere.
Please don't start it – if Emerson and Lake came to Dallas, there are obviously enough of those who would appreciate their music and stage presence.
I was at Kith Emerson Band's concert in Moscow a couple of years ago and they seriously rocked. Big modular Moog smoking with dry ice heavily added to the atmosphere.
Same tired old crap, from another wanna be, self important music critic, who doesn't know anything beyond Waylon Jennings. You'd think in 30 years they'd find some new lie to say.
And I'm still glad Lester Bangs is dead! Yippie!
Same tired old crap, from another wanna be, self important music critic, who doesn't know anything beyond Waylon Jennings. You'd think in 30 years they'd find some new lie to say.
And I'm still glad Lester Bangs is dead! Yippie!
Same tired old crap, from another wanna be, self important music critic, who doesn't know anything beyond Waylon Jennings. You'd think in 30 years they'd find some new lie to say.
And I'm still glad Lester Bangs is dead! Yippie!
No one grows up wanting to be being a music critic.
Huge keyboards? Long periods of over-indulgence? EL but no P? Wow! PROGTASTIC!
I saw the show in Mass and it was excellent.
Set List …
From the Beginning
I Talk to the Wind
Witches Crystal
Take A Pebble
Tarkus
C'est La Vie
Emerson Solo
Rondo à la Turk
Pirates
Lucky Man
Keith and Greg were very engaging and rocked out. Keith's solo was outstanding.
It's prog rock and you get what's listed on the tin! So wear your robes and be transported. You won't regret it.
I saw the show in Mass and it was excellent.
Set List …
From the Beginning
I Talk to the Wind
Witches Crystal
Take A Pebble
Tarkus
C'est La Vie
Emerson Solo
Rondo à la Turk
Pirates
Lucky Man
Keith and Greg were very engaging and rocked out. Keith's solo was outstanding.
It's prog rock and you get what's listed on the tin! So wear your robes and be transported. You won't regret it.
I saw the show in Mass and it was excellent.
Set List …
From the Beginning
I Talk to the Wind
Witches Crystal
Take A Pebble
Tarkus
C'est La Vie
Emerson Solo
Rondo à la Turk
Pirates
Lucky Man
Keith and Greg were very engaging and rocked out. Keith's solo was outstanding.
It's prog rock and you get what's listed on the tin! So wear your robes and be transported. You won't regret it.
I'd cheerfully pay to hear Emerson play the whole of 'Pictures at an Exhibition' on an ocarina accompanied by Lake on banjo provided Keith stuck knives in one of them (your choice).
Or, better still, 'Brain Salad Surgery' on a Korg Monotron!
Exactly!
Complaining about long Moog solos by Keith Emerson?
Sounds like Emerson's giving fans what they want, doesn't it?
Clueless reviewer!
Sounds like Emerson's giving fans what they want, doesn't it?
Clueless reviewer!
I'd cheerfully pay to hear Emerson play the whole of 'Pictures at an Exhibition' on an ocarina accompanied by Lake on banjo provided Keith stuck knives in one of them (your choice).
Or, better still, 'Brain Salad Surgery' on a Korg Monotron!
I'd cheerfully pay to hear Emerson play the whole of 'Pictures at an Exhibition' on an ocarina accompanied by Lake on banjo provided Keith stuck knives in one of them (your choice).
Or, better still, 'Brain Salad Surgery' on a Korg Monotron!
I'd cheerfully pay to hear Emerson play the whole of 'Pictures at an Exhibition' on an ocarina accompanied by Lake on banjo provided Keith stuck knives in one of them (your choice).
Or, better still, 'Brain Salad Surgery' on a Korg Monotron!
As a fan of ELP for 40 years, I chose to purchase four front rows seats, drive from Cincinnati Ohio to Lufkin Texas, grab some high school buddies and treat them to the show in Dallas. We were not disappointed in the least.
The performance was awesome, the stage presence of both Keith and Greg was on cue and even 'Carl in a Box' behaved very well. As two members of a Power Trio group, they were simply amazing and by using modern mixing technologies, the Sound Engineer, Keith, was able to recreate the sounds of the entire trio when needed, as this was billed as an "Intimate Show' with Emerson and Lake and that is just what it was.
We stayed to meet the guys afterward and got an opportunity to each ask a question of the duo who took the time to thoroughly answer it for us I personally thought the show was very well put together and the sold-out audience seemed to enjoy it immensely. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Which is why I put no faith in music critics, who for the most part are just loud, obnoxious, sophomoric children thinking this gig will get them the notoriety they need because in all reality they are just 'dumb-as-rocks' failures in life's endeavors.
I have read the same style reviews from the same style music critics concerning other artists – Hank III and Shooter Jennings come to mind – and I am beginning to think these critics have two left feet, can't carry a tune and need all the ego and attention they can muster up – and do so by writing sh*t like this. Go back to school and learn a real trade skippy.
Jeff from Cincinnati
As a fan of ELP for 40 years, I chose to purchase four front rows seats, drive from Cincinnati Ohio to Lufkin Texas, grab some high school buddies and treat them to the show in Dallas. We were not disappointed in the least.
The performance was awesome, the stage presence of both Keith and Greg was on cue and even 'Carl in a Box' behaved very well. As two members of a Power Trio group, they were simply amazing and by using modern mixing technologies, the Sound Engineer, Keith, was able to recreate the sounds of the entire trio when needed, as this was billed as an "Intimate Show' with Emerson and Lake and that is just what it was.
We stayed to meet the guys afterward and got an opportunity to each ask a question of the duo who took the time to thoroughly answer it for us I personally thought the show was very well put together and the sold-out audience seemed to enjoy it immensely. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Which is why I put no faith in music critics, who for the most part are just loud, obnoxious, sophomoric children thinking this gig will get them the notoriety they need because in all reality they are just 'dumb-as-rocks' failures in life's endeavors.
I have read the same style reviews from the same style music critics concerning other artists – Hank III and Shooter Jennings come to mind – and I am beginning to think these critics have two left feet, can't carry a tune and need all the ego and attention they can muster up – and do so by writing sh*t like this. Go back to school and learn a real trade skippy.
Jeff from Cincinnati
As a fan of ELP for 40 years, I chose to purchase four front rows seats, drive from Cincinnati Ohio to Lufkin Texas, grab some high school buddies and treat them to the show in Dallas. We were not disappointed in the least.
The performance was awesome, the stage presence of both Keith and Greg was on cue and even 'Carl in a Box' behaved very well. As two members of a Power Trio group, they were simply amazing and by using modern mixing technologies, the Sound Engineer, Keith, was able to recreate the sounds of the entire trio when needed, as this was billed as an "Intimate Show' with Emerson and Lake and that is just what it was.
We stayed to meet the guys afterward and got an opportunity to each ask a question of the duo who took the time to thoroughly answer it for us I personally thought the show was very well put together and the sold-out audience seemed to enjoy it immensely. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Which is why I put no faith in music critics, who for the most part are just loud, obnoxious, sophomoric children thinking this gig will get them the notoriety they need because in all reality they are just 'dumb-as-rocks' failures in life's endeavors.
I have read the same style reviews from the same style music critics concerning other artists – Hank III and Shooter Jennings come to mind – and I am beginning to think these critics have two left feet, can't carry a tune and need all the ego and attention they can muster up – and do so by writing sh*t like this. Go back to school and learn a real trade skippy.
Jeff from Cincinnati
I drove quite a ways to, to attend both nights of the Dallas concerts, after driving to Colorado Springs a few days before, only to have the concert cancelled due to Greg's illness. Meeting fellow ELP fans anywhere is worth the trip though, and then the Dallas shows were both definitely excellent. I got the m&g and front row on Friday night, and E&L were very hospitable and engaging, hanging out with the fans afterwards outside and really having fun.
I second the request for the knives in the ocarinas. 🙂
Louis from Oklahoma City
The review is the worst piece of journalism I have ever read. It should be thrown out along with the reviewer. The review is an embarassment to the music world. Dallas did not hate E&P. One unqualified reviewer who probably never heard EL&P before does not constitute a quorum. What a joke!
Would have loved to have seen this performance, having been delighted many times by ELP…for a little variety this time, perhaps Keith could have stuck knives in the reviewer instead of his Hammond…I’ll bet the audience would have been entertained.
This guy clearly knows fuck all about Emerson Lake and Palmer…better getting him back to sweeping the streets,cos a “critic” he aint