The camera angles work well and the crew pans and zooms, yet primarily focuses on the players at key moments. On the rollicking "Tiger in The Spotlight," we find Emerson adjusting his synth knobs and dishing out harmonically attractive single note lines, where he often improvises around the primary themes. And Greg Lake’s majestic and full-bodied vocals shine on the ethereal ballad "Take a Pebble," as the band ventures into its song list via jazz improvisation, jazz quotes, blistering crescendos and more.
The magnum opus occurs towards the end of the program, which is a medley that includes "Fanfare for the Common Man, "Rondo," Carmina Burana" and Palmer’s mind-boggling drum solo, featuring his all-world double bass-drum prowess; Buddy Rich-like rolls and textural cymbal hits. Otherwise, the trio makes the audience work for the encore "Toccata in D Minor."
Sure enough, ELP fans should revel in delight with the advent of this flick that transfers to disc rather seamlessly. The band soared onto the scene like a cosmic big-bang and set down a prolific legacy, serving as a fertile platform for prog-rockers and creative souls along the way.
Running time: 91 minutes approx.
