An article from an English newspaper (can't say which one)- dated December 2, 1972.

'Kop'-type roars for ELP

Watching ELP live for the first time on Wednesday at the Liverpool Top Rank, it was possible to see why charges of their being technically perfect abound. They laid themselves open to that by the way they determinedly milked every melodic, harmonic and rhythmic approach out of each piece of music. But such a charge is only valid if the music is unsubstantial. And I don't think it is.

They opened with 'Hoedown' with its fusion of screaming electronics and traditional four-square rhythms, that made it sound like a space-age country jig. Then after a brief break to adjust Carl's drum kit, they moved into the lengthy 'Take a Pebble'. What a powerful piece. It majestically goes through many changes. A deep classical feel, with Greg (resplendent in white suit) singing over his Bach-like bass riffs. Suddenly, a fast-moving organ figuerato from Keith and they were back into a rock passage. At one point, Keith, who was wearing a snazzy 21st century Turtle skin suit, picked up the rifle-shaped ribbon synthesiser and 'machine-gunned' the audience with it. meanwhile Carl was lashing and failing on all sides of his huge kit.

The audience loved it - and rightly so. As each piece finished, a rich roar, nor far off 'Kop' dimensions, erupted from the tight-packed mass of hot sweaty bodies. All the favourite pieces were there. 'Pictures at an Exhibition', 'The Sheriff', 'Rondo', 'Nut Rocker' and even a touch of Alan Freeman's old 'Pick of the Pops' theme tune.

And while they gave their utmost musically, ELP backed it up with an incredible model of the Tarkus, that belched acrid smoke and showered the audience with polystyrene pellets during the act.

Keith's keyboard playing, though losing a little in clarity, benefits enormously in the excitement stakes from being live. The violence he metes out to the keys is reaped by the audience, and considering he has his back to Carl and Greg for most of the performance, the cueing and interplay is really remarkably intuitive.

Martin Neil