Larry Jaques wrote in message . ..

I saw Keith Emerson spinning and playing 8' off the stage
wilst strapped to a piano bench and an electric grand piano
(or was that the MOOG?) at the Cal Jam. THE Cal Jam, not some
second string later concert. We were close enough to center
of the infield that the QUAD sound system worked.
/dating myself

Ahem. First of all, it's bad form to date yourself, but I guess if
no one else will do it. As for ELP, I saw them play in what I'm
guessing was the same tour (around the time of the release of Brain
Salad Surgery). Quad sound and Emerson was playing what looked like a
cross between a giant B-3 and something from Phantom of the Opera.
(Or was that the drugs?)

They were right in the middle of Take A Pebble (and it's about a 12
minute song on the album, and much longer live) when the cops pulled
the plug and turned all the lights on. It seems they were trying to
enforce a no-smoking ban and some of the crowd wasn't cooperating.
*cough*

While the law officer was waddling offstage, Emerson started into
something that sounded strangely like keystone cops music. He then
proceeded to re-start Take A Pebble from the beginning and this time
there were no interruptions.

IIRC, they closed the show with Karn Evil ("come see the show",
etc.) and he ended it with the effects on the quad system going
full-tilt-boogie from corner to corner of the auditorium while the
synthesizer went up in smoke. (Or was that the drugs?)

A couple of years ago I dug out a bunch of old ELP stuff, and when
I put it on I was struck by how pretentious, overbearing and pompous
it was. In other words, it sounded as good as ever.


Chuck Vance
Just say (tmPL) God, those were the days. (Or was that the
drugs?)