Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Beyond the Beginning
(Sanctuary)
First Appeared in The Music Box, September 2005, Volume 12, #9
Written by John Metzger
If there are any lingering doubts that Emerson Lake & Palmer (ELP) was the
most pretentious outfit to emerge from the progressive rock movement of the
’70s, the double-DVD set Beyond the Beginning ought to remove them. Sure,
even in its formative years, the ensemble employed a mixture of glittery outfits
and cannon fire, but when it incorporated a talking computer that spread its
wings and emitted a cloud of smoke during the finale of Karn Evil 9, 3rd
Impression, it quickly became apparent that the collective was determined to
push the boundaries of its stage show to the point of preposterous insanity —
which it surely did by utilizing everything from spinning drum platforms (Carl
Palmer’s solo rendition of Toccata) to a terrified tiger (Tiger in a
Spotlight) to the massive symphony orchestra that it lugged along on its
1977 tour (Pirates). Fusing together a jumble of television appearances,
live performances, and promotional spots that span the band’s career, the first
portion of Beyond the Beginning highlights the group’s increasingly
garish and egocentric behavior, while the latter half includes an honest and
informative, hour-long documentary as well as a pieced-together replication of
its 1974 concert at California Jam. All of it would be laughable, of course,
except for the fact that the trio of Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer
actually were incredibly talented musicians who were capable of transforming an
oddball mixture of classical, folk, blues, and jazz styles into a rather
inspired bit of rock ’n‘ roll. It’s not surprising, then, that the most
revealing moments on the set come when the theatrics are kept to a minimum.
Indeed, ELP’s explosive romp through Aaron Copeland’s Hoedown, Emerson’s
playful duel with legendary pianist Oscar Peterson on a rousing whirl through Honky Tonk Train, and the jazz-fusion jam that erupts from the staid
classicism of Take a Pebble accentuate the notion that behind the amusing
pomp and circumstance lay a rather formidable group. Although the visuals are
sometimes murky, the audio is occasionally flat, and abrupt segues abound —
these recordings, after all, were never meant for commercial release — Beyond
the Beginning surely will please fans of both Emerson Lake & Palmer as well
as its more recent doppelganger Medeski Martin and Wood. 
Beyond the Beginning is available from
Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005 The Music Box