Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 Blu-ray Movie Review

I discovered the music of Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer, better known as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, rather late, probably somewhere around the mid 80s. My fascination with Pink Floyd had inspired me to go through King Crimson's early albums, which naturally led to me picking up a few of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's albums. From there, I remember transitioning to the likes of Fish and Marillion, and eventually Soft Machine.

Most hardcore Emerson, Lake & Palmer fans would argue that the band’s best work came during the 70s, and I tend to agree. Even today Tarkus (1971), Pictures at an Exhibition (1971) and especially Trilogy (1972) feel like Emerson, Lake & Palmer's most inspired works. In these albums their blending of rock, classical music and jazz is particularly well done.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live at Montreux 1997 captures the band during their stop at the famous music festival in 1997, and contains works that were originally recorded between 1970 and 1977. Some of the highlights here are the inspired by Janacek's Sinfonietta “Knife Edge” and “Lucky Man” from the band’s debut album, the energetic “Hoedown” from Trilogy, and the terrific combo "Tarkus/Pictures".

Emerson, Lake & Palmer lived in Montreux for approximately six months during the recording of “Works” 1 and 2 (1977), and one can easily tell by their enthusiastic performances in Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live at Montreux 1997 that they were glad to be back. A lot of the music here oozes that special energy that can be felt only when musicians have as much fun as the audience they are performing for.

Progressive rock has evolved enormously since the 70s, and has spawned all sorts of different subgenres. Yet nowadays many of these subgenres have very little in common with what was initially considered to be "progressive" - which is, in my opinion, what makes Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live at Montreux 1997 such a fascinating show; you get to hear the type of music that started it all, performed by a band that was one of progressive rock's biggest and most effective proponents.

Like most shows at the Montreux Festival, this one has a very intimate atmosphere. The stage is quite small, with very simple lighting and decors. The audience is literally only a few feet away from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and is often seen enthusiastically applauding them.

Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends!

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i "live" transfer, Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.

This is a strong high-definition transfer. Clarity is very good and contrast levels stable throughout the entire show. Mild motion-judder is present but it is never a serious issue of concern; most viewers probably won't notice it at all. The stage lighting is very simple but effective, and there are no serious shadow issues. Occasionally mild background noise pops up here and there, but, again, it is hardly an issue of concern. The camerawork is very good. Finally, I did not see any transfer-related anomalies to report in this review. All in all, this is yet another strong release from Eagle Rock Entertainment that should please fans of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. I opted for the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons for the purpose of this review.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is good. The bass is pleasing, the rear channels not overly active but effective, and the high-frequencies not overdone. Balance, however, is somewhat problematic. Occasionally the drums feel distant and the vocals not as clear as they should be. The piano solos, however, are crisp and clear, and truly a joy to listen to. The crowd is prominent but never overwhelming. Finally, I did not detect any pops, cracks, or hissings to report in this review.

I liked the LPCM 2.0 track. During selected songs, such as "Hoewdown" and "Honky Tonk Train Blues", balance is clearly better on it. In terms of dynamics, the gap between the LPCM 2.0 track and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 isn't too big either. Experiment with it and see if you like it.

I tested only two songs with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, "Touch and Go" and "Lucky Man". Frankly, I prefer the better balance and depth of the LPCM 2.0 track.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, there are no supplemental features on this Blu-ray disc.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live At Montreux 1997 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Live at Montreux 1997 is yet another solid addition to Eagle Rock Entertainment's already very impressive catalog of music releases. I have a feeling that this show will appeal primarily to older fans of progressive rock, but I hope that some of the younger ones decide to give a try. RECOMMENDED.