100 Concerts / Concert #15

Headline Act: 3

Touring Album: To The Power Of Three

Opening Act: none

Date: May 21, 1988

Venue: City Limits, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Ticket price: $15.00

"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. 

We're so glad you could attend. Come inside! Come inside!"

"Karn Evil 9" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were one of the discoveries of my college years. I was familiar with FM radio staples like "Lucky Man", "From The Beginning" and "Karn Evil 9", but together with my buddies Dave and Mike, we discovered the entire catalog of ELP's music through albums like "Brain Salad Surgery" and "Pictures At An Exhibition". These became frequent rotations for our late-night dorm room hangouts. ELP's musicianship and inventiveness burst out of the cassette player's speakers.

"Brain Salad Surgery", one of the best album covers ever

Like their fellow progressive rock peers (Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, The Moody Blues, et al.), ELP was considered pretentious by rock critics while simultaneously building a loyal audience. Unlike some of those groups, they didn't stick around long enough for us to see the original trio perform in concert.  After a string of 7 original albums, ELP disbanded in 1978. In 1985, Keith Emerson (keyboards) and Greg Lake (bass/guitar) formed a new ELP trio (Emerson, Lake, and Powell) with former Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell. He replaced Carl Palmer who had become a member of the band Asia. The new E-L-Powell scored a minor hit with "Touch And Go" which drew heavily on their distinctive '70s prog-rock sounds.

"Come inside, the show's about to start. Guaranteed to blow your head apart. Rest assured you'll get your money's worth, The greatest show in Heaven, Hell or Earth. You've got to see the show, it's a dynamo. You've got to see the show, it's rock and roll."

The musical chairs continued a couple years later. In 1988, Palmer returned to replace Powell, while Lake was replaced by Robert Berry. Instead of calling the new trio Emerson, Berry & Palmer, they simply went with "3".

"Performing on a stool we've a sight to make you drool. Seven virgins and a mule, keep it cool, keep it cool."

Years earlier, the dynamic Keith Emerson was playing keyboards in front of sold-out arena crowds around the world. But on this Saturday night in 1988, he entertained a modest gathering of a couple hundred fans in Ft. Lauderdale. The venue was City Limits, a night club best known as a meat market / discotheque. It wasn't exactly the Royal Albert Hall.

"We would like it to be known the exhibits that were shown were exclusively our own,
All our own. All our own."

As concerts go, 3 was not a 10. To be honest, it was enjoyable but not particularly memorable. Given a chance to see some great musicians from one of my favorite underrated bands, I just couldn't say no. As Meat Loaf once sang, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

"Come and see the show! Come and see the show! Come and see the show! See the show!"

The original ELP has since reunited for an album and several concerts. In 2010, they performed a 40th anniversary show in London where they were the headline act of the High Voltage Festival. I'm guessing there were more slightly more people there than the capacity of City Limits.

Welcome back, my friends.

Unofficial setlist: Fanfare For The Common Man, Deste La Vita, Lover To Lover, Hoedown, You Do Or You Don't, Talkin' About, Creole Dance, On My Way Home, Runaway, Standing In The Shadows, America, Rondo, Tocatta / Drum Solo, Flight Of The Bumblebee, Encore: Eight Miles High