Emerson Lake and Palmer: Works Live (2026 reissue)

Often sited by fans as a missed opportunity, the live album In Concert was extended in 1993 into a full length 90 minute CD extravaganza from what was initially a 1979 single album. By the time of that renamed Works Live release we were deep into the era of CD, hence it isn’t until now that this full Emerson Lake and Palmer concert experience, featuring performances captured in Montreal and Wheeling, West Virginia in 1977, is unleashed on vinyl. Sporting spruced up and much improved artwork and liner notes, this reissue (also available on CD) has also, most importantly, been sonically upgraded. The original album and the extended reissue were never the worst sounding recordings, but it really does have to be said that the remastering by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham brings these performances to life, and thankfully, that has also been maintained by what is a strong vinyl pressing, especially by modern standards.

The trio are magnificent throughout but it’s the inclusion of an orchestra on many of the pieces represented here that really raises the bar. Derided as prog-rock-excess at the time, and a financially disastrous decision by the band, hindsight proves what the enthusiastic and loud (but not too loud) audience on these recordings knew from the off - adding more pomp to the most pompous of progressive rock could only ever be a triumph. Side three of this pressing really highlights this aspect, “Abaddon’s Bolero� and the spectacular multi-part “Pictures At An Exhibition� (still my favourite work from the band) being utterly joyous.

Right from the opening “Introductory Fanfare� into “Peter Gunn�, the potency of attack hits hard and even through some of my own less favourite moments, such as the bouncing “Maple Leaf Rag�, the verve displayed by Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer cannot be denied. “Fanfare For The Common Man� is hammered home with such ferocity that you almost need to catch your breath come its close, although “Knife Edge� somehow maintains that level of intensity. Admittedly, “Piano Concert, Third Movement: Toccata Con Fuoco�, while expertly conveyed will never be my personal ELP of choice, but when it’s chased home by the mighty, twelve minutes-plus of the set closing “Tank�, I can forgive that and then some.

Finally arriving on vinyl full and complete, as the band originally hoped it would back in the late seventies, Works Live is up there as one of the best ways to experience Emerson Lake and Palmer. This vinyl and CD reissue does it and them proud.

Track Listing
1. Introductory Fanfare
2. Peter Gunn
3. Tiger In A Spotlight
4. C’est La Vie
5. Watching Over You
6. Maple Leaf Rag
7. The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits
8. Fanfare For The Common Man
9. Knife-Edge
10. Show Me The Way To Go Home
11. Abaddon’s Bolero
12. Pictures At An Exhibition: (
I) Promenade Part 1
(ii) The Gnome
(iii) Promenade Part 2
(v) The Curse Of Baba Yaga
(iv) The Hut Of Baba Yaga
(vii) The Great Gates Of Kiev
13. Closer To Believing
14. Piano Concerto, Third Movement: Toccata Con Fuoco
15. Tank

Added: July 20th 2026
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Emerson Lake and Palmer @ facebook
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Language: english

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