To:  elp-digest@reluctant.com
      From:  Frank Sonnenberg <sonnenbe@UMDNJ.EDU>
    Subject:  ELP at the PNC Bank Art Center in Holmdel, NJ
      Date:  8/7/98 5:47 PM

     John,

     Last night I attended the ELP/Deep Purple concert at the PNC Bank Art
     Center in Holmdel, NJ.  The performances were absolutely stellar, by
     far the best of the past three years.  The sound quality was much better
     than the ELP/Jethro Tull tour from two years ago.
     The highlights of the show were:

     1. During Hoedown, Keith played one of the usual synthesizer solos on a
     harmonica.

     2. During C'est la vie, Keith came out wearing a beret and played the
     accordion parts on an actual accordion.

     3. The first complete performance of Tarkus I've seen live since 1973.

     4. Lucky Man played in the standard album version with original 
     synthesizer solo at the end, complete with subsonic bass.  That's always
     been my favorite version.

     5. The third movement of the Emerson Piano Concerto.

     6. Time and a Place - Keith said they'd never played it before. 

     7. The encore was Fanfare for the Common Man which segued into 
     Rondo/Drum Solo/more Rondo. 

     Disappointments:
     - nothing from Pictures
     - The L100 didn't make it to the show this time.  Rondo was played on 
       the Hammond with Toccata & Fuge in D-Minor played backward on the 
       midi-piano instead.  It sounded great, but I kind of miss the
       Hammond trashing.  First show I've ever seen where he didn't do it.
     - The show was way too short, just one hour of the main set, followed 
       by a half-hour encore.  I hope ELP will tour as the headliner in
       the future, even if it means smaller venues.

     Overall, it was a great but short concert.  I hope you all have a 
     chance to see it.

     - Frank