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July 17, 2023

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Carl Palmer brought his Return of ELP tour to Lorain Palace Theater on Saturday night.

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Obviously, Greg Lake and Keith Emerson were not there in person as both men have past away years ago.  It also wasn't a hologram on stage.  Rather it was Carl Palmer center stage with three huge screens that projected Lake and Emerson and played the live audio from a concert from 1992.

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Palmer also had two other musicians, Paul Bielatowicz on guitar and Simon Fitzpatrick on bass, with him on stage to play live when Emerson and Lake were not projected on the screens.

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It actually worked out really well.  It wasn't all video projections and there was live music being played on stage.​

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The show opened with "Karn Evil 9" that went into "Hoedown."

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Palmer came out behind the kit to thank the crowd for attending the show and to say he had the blessing of both the Lake and Emerson families for putting this show together.

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Personally, I wish he would have kept the name ELP Legacy, because that's what it really is, because Greg and Keith aren't there. 

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After "Take a Pebble" which featured Fitzpatrick on the Chapman Stick, Palmer actually sang lead on "Benny the Bouncer."

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Fan favorite, "Tarkus" was played to perfection and then Bielatowicz got to take center stage for his guitar solo.

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The highlight of the show was the video of Greg Lake playing "From the Beginning" with Carl Palmer coming out front to accompany him on the bongo's.

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The show came to a close with "Fanfare for the Common Man" which featured Keith Emerson doing an extended organ solo from that '92 concert.  It really was a site to see.

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Carl Palmer will be stopping at the Robins Theater this Friday.  If you like the music of ELP, this show is worth checking out. 

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Review and photos by Greg Drugan

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