Drum Soundz

[colterphoto1]

Hey guys, well I definitely know what a rock and roll drum kit sounds like now! For the past 1 hour and 50 minutes I've been sitting about 15 feet in front of the kit of Carl Palmer of ELP. The Carl Palmer band played a little music hall about 7 minutes from my house called the Music Mill. Intimate little setting, the hall is custom designed for music, seats a few hundred, and has massive sound system and perfect acoustics.

Only about 125 people showed tonight, we'd gotten our tickets early, so were seated in the second row. When Carl came to the front mic to introduce songs he almost sweat on us!

I kept my EAR plugs in for most of the show but when they closed with Fanfare for the Common Man, I pulled em out and let the gorgeous rhythms obliterate my gray matter. Heaven man, pure heaven. Carl is clearly still on of the preeminent drummers today. It's pretty obvious that his hero was Buddy Rich.

I think the tour has only two more shows but he promises to tour USA again next summer. So be looking for this one.

Meanwhile, has anyone seen my cochlea?

Michael

[Daddy Dee]

Michael, ooooohhhh, what a lucky man you are.

[Deang]

Hee, hee, pretty good Dee. No doubt, had to be an awesome show. I saw ELP live towards the end of their last tour -- Keith Emerson started with a Magnum of wine at the beginning of the show, and it was gone 2 hours later. After he tossed the bottle into the crowd he pulled his keyboard over on himself and was -- and I'm pretty sure about this -- humping the damn thing.

[colterphoto1]

Band info etc. They had this total hotshot kid playing all of Emerson's keyboard parts on guitar.

http://www.carlpalmer.com/

[colterphoto1]

Here's a great review posted on the site, this is pretty much like I remember it. Talk about DYNAMICS!

A locomotive roared through Hamilton

Place Theatre last Wednesday conducted

by legendary percussionist Carl Palmer

with Paul Bielatowicz on lead guitar

and Stuart Clayton on bass. Simple,

yet powerful, the band delivered most of

the material from Palmers Working

Live, Volumes 1 and 2 albums that

included instrumental ELP pieces such as Barbarian, Trilogy, Tarkus

(Eruption / Aquatarkus) and Hoedown as

well as Carl Palmer pieces such as LA

Nights and Carmina Burana.

Palmer was extremely personable and

made a true effort to connect with the

audience by introducing each song and

providing some interesting and

oftentimes humourous background.

References were made to contributions and

involvement from his former band mates

Greg Lake and Keith Emerson, always

in a positive manner. This effectively

embraced the true spirit of the show

being billed as A Celebration of ELP

Music.

ELP fanatics will say that it is

impossible to do justice to any ELP

renditions without keyboards, however

last nights show adequately

demonstrated what we have known from

listening to the aforementioned Working

Live Volumes 1 and 2, that the

virtuosity of lead guitar Bielatowicz with

the bass support of Clayton would put

a very favourable spin to the music.

It is a bit of a different taste but

one that brings to mind the question of

what ELP would have been like had the

rumoured alliance with Jimi Hendrix

taken place. Likewise, the lack of

vocals was more than compensated by

Palmers drumming.

Critics of Love Beach would be

silenced with the bands performance of

Canario. Tocatta, taken from the Brain

Salad Surgery album was executed in

all its haunting splendour but the

highlight of the show was certainly

Fanfare For A Common Man that included

one of Palmers signature drum solos.

As well as explosive force and

delicate touch, the man still has the

blurring speed and dexterity to leave

the impression of multiple Palmers and

multiple sticks working his drum kit.

The only things missing were his gongs

that emblazoned with Chinese dragons

would at one time resonate throughout

the hall during his solo. Nonetheless,

the audience showed there

appreciation with a standing ovation

that continued and brought the band

onstage for a well deserved encore.

When once during the stadium filled

heyday of ELP, Carl Palmer and his

revolving drum kit would be situated

deep in the stage, this tour brings him

to the front of the stage up close and

personal with his audience. The

venues provide a unique opportunity to

experience the music and artistry of

a true legend.

Carl Palmer was simply outstanding and

after speaking with him briefly after

the show, it was evident that he had

left nothing in the Tank yet the

personable nature to the show

continued when Palmer emerged after the show

to greet his fans and sign

memorabilia. For this, he must not only be

recognized as one of the best

percussionists out there but also respected as

a consummate professional.

Doug Smith, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

[oldtimer]

You are a lucky man as the pun says Colter. I would love to be able to hear Palmer live in a setting like that. As for the magnum of wine, a friend of mine saw ELP back in the seventies and told me that emerson downed a bottle of cognac during the show.....

[colterphoto1]

Tell you guys what, we were so close that I had to strain back to try to hear the PA mains- as I was between the guitarist and Carl, all I was hearing was Marshall stacks and stage volume drumming. It was so glorious because the percussion was purely acoustical- NO COMPRESSION, no gating, no effects. It sounded REAL! Like I remember my garage bands drummer sounding (only way better[]).

I was flinging my hair around 'Jack Black style' as DrWho puts it, and was nodding to all the breaks- the guitar player and I made eye contact more than a few times, he knew I knew all the music inside and out.

Carl was in exeptional shape, and when he'd come to the mic, he'd kind of start a conversation with the audience. 'we're going to do a song of the White Album next, no not the Beatles, I wish!' Then he'd try to egg us on to guess which song they'd be playing from it. Even joked about his least fave ELP album 'Love Beach'- 'What was that- (and he'd strike the pose from the cover), 'they even gave me a PERM for that one', but then they launched into Canario and it was incredible.

The dynamics were so cool, that during his solo he went round the kit, playing the rims, the stands, domes of cymbals etc. It got so quiet that I had to take out my earplugs to hear anything at all.

Then I just left them out the remaining 20 minutes of the show and let the thunder roll in. It was pure musical bliss.

Thanks to my buddy David for turning me on to this show and getting the tix, David is an old High School buddy and avid collector of Gold Records and autographed Rock and Roll collectibles, his company is http://www.worldwidememorabilia.com/

Michael

[jorjen]

OMFG Michael! I would have been all over this show, it had to be UNBELIEVABLE! Would have given anything to be there with you. I get goosebumps every time I hear "Fanfare". And, "Hoedown" done live never fails to set my attitude straight.

I was known as the ELP Freak of my High School back in the day. Forget about having anything to do with me if ELP was on "In Concert" or they were in the new issue of "Circus" magazine. "Brain Salad Surgery" is still one of my all time favs, a masterpiece of E & P imho. Lake was good, but never in the same league. One of my twelve year old sons favorite albums is "Tarkus". Hopefully he will carry on.

[colterphoto1]

Jorden,

My buddy stayed after the show with about a half dozen pieces of ELP memorabilia to have signed by Carl. Some of those might be available for sale.

If you're an ELP freak, there'd be nothing like having an autographed Gold Record Award hanging in your listening room or office.

Me, I have Zeppelins Physical Graffiti Gold Record and Deep Purples Perfect Strangers Platinum in my office. Looking at them right now. SUper COOL! [H]

Michael

[colterphoto1]

How about Works Vol 1 Gold Record Award?

http://www.worldwidememorabilia.com/photo/ELPWorks.html

[colterphoto1]

Or just a drum head signed by all three band members!

http://www.worldwidememorabilia.com/photo/elp_signed_drumhead.html

[meagain]

Why would you wear earplugs to a concert and ruin the sound?

[Marvel]

Why would you wear earplugs to a concert and ruin the sound?

So you could hear the rest of your life?

Depends on the earplugs...

[colterphoto1]

Bruce is correct. I always wear earplugs at concerts. Consider that I spent my youth in garage bands, installing PA's, working a the airport, then in construction. It's a wonder I can hear at all. I don't fire up any power tool (ok, outside of drill or sander) or lawn tool without EAR tapered plugs in. They reduce the sound by about 30 db. Yes it shaves off some of the high notes, but at concert volumes there's still plenty there.

Another trick I do sometimes is just wear one, then swap at mid show. It offers me 50% protection against noise hangover and buzzing, but allows some of the unadulterated sound to get through. The brain is wonderful at forgetting the muted sound and after a couple of minutes I'm comfortable and enjoying the sound.

It is critical to install them correctly. Gently squeeze and roll the plugs (don't twist) and insert fully in the ear canal. Hold with fingertip while they expand to block the sound. I see people all the time with the plugs loosly wedged into their outer ears and they aren't doing any good.

I've heard that Klipsch may get an audiologist testing unit, so I'd like to take part in that exercise and see exactly what my hearing capability is.

Anyone who does not wear ear protection at modern concerts is a FOOL.

Michael

[colterphoto1]

E-A-R TaperFit 2

Constructed with a slightly tapered body, these foam

plugs have excellent balance in blocking out disturbing noises. They can

be bought in bags of 25 individual pairs, as well as boxes of 200 pair.

NRR 32

I buy the industrial boxes of 200 pair. Take em to racing events, keep em in the car and toolboxes. They are comfortable and with my hair, no one can even tell I'm wearing them!

[meagain]

I guess I would want to protect my hearing FOR concerts. Not FROM them or do anything that will dampen the experience. I'd never do it myself. If that means not properly hearing the nurse who tells me she's going to give me an enema when I'm in a nursing home later in life - so be it.

[colterphoto1]

Meagain, have you ever experienced that dizzy, buzzing sound the next morning after a show? That is permanent damage occuring. It doen'st wait for you to get old. Once the sensitive parts of the inner ear are destroyed, that's it for your treble. Age and other health factors do gradually increase the HF rolloff, but high decible concerts cause hearing loss. Check out the OSHA guidelines for exposure. It's time and volume based. You have both going against you at a concert. It's LOUD, and for an extended period of time with no breaks. That spells DANGER.

Get smart, wear hearing protection so you can enjoy this hobby longer. Seriously.

M

[gonzp]

I guess I would want to protect my hearing FOR concerts. Not FROM them or do anything that will dampen the experience. I'd never do it myself. If that means not properly hearing the nurse who tells me she's going to give me an enema when I'm in a nursing home later in life - so be it.

rotflmao[][][][][]

[meagain]

I stand by my words. I might as well roll over and die if I were to wear earplugs at a concert. One of life's great enjoyments. I likely won't be going to concerts when I'm very old, so why hamper my life when I can enjoy it? I just can't fathom this concept. Would be like going to see fireworks and putting a blindfold on.

[Klipschfoot]

"Huh?" Get used to saying that over and over. Try different inflections for variety. "What?" "Excuse me?" "Come again?" "I'm sorry, my mind was elsewhere. Could you repeat that?" You may come up with a few of your own. Anyway you try to hide it, your hearing range is gone, gone, gone. And it doesn't have to be rock. Classical musicians suffer from the same problems.