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THE ROAD REPORT |
CARL PALMER BAND GUITARIST, PAUL BIELATOWICZ, ONSTAGE FOR IMPROMPTU JAM!!
MORE FAN RESPONSES FROM CARL'S TOUR
Carl Palmer BandLaunches TriumphantNorth American Tour!Fri June 9, 2006: Legendary Rock Drummer Carl Palmer and his band,
began a 32 city tour of Canada and the United States before an enthusiastic
crowd of 700 fans at the Hamilton Place Performing Arts Center in Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada, Wed May 24th. Thus far, the group has played 14 of
the 32 shows on the tour including stops in Toronto, Montreal, Boston, New
Haven, Philadelphia,
Long Island, Pittsburgh, and New York City.
Backed by Paul Bielatowicz on guitar and Stuart Clayton on bass,
Palmer blazed through an energetic 2 hour all-instrumental set, that has been
titled: “Carl Palmer celebrates The Music Of Emerson Lake & Palmer.” From “Fanfare For The Common Man” through
“Hoedown,” to classics such as “Tarkus” and
“Peter Gunn,”
Palmer and his band have left audiences standing on their feet, cheering and
hoping for more encores.
In addition to hearing a wide variety of rock songs,
ELP originals, and Palmer’s own arrangements of classical music standards
re-charted for a three piece power rock trio. Fans have been often surprised
but very receptive to the new electric guitar-driven arrangements of the ELP
material that had been previously spearheaded by Keith Emerson’s keyboard
playing.
There have been several sell outs thus
far on the tour, including the Intermedia Arts Center in Long Island (which had
sold its last set of tickets nearly a
month before the concert took place); The Rams Head On Tour venue in Annapolis,
Maryland; and the famed BB King’s Club & Grill, where Palmer had
sold out a month prior and packed the venue with over
650 patrons, many of which had taken SRO tickets just to get in. In addition to the ELP classics, fans
have been given an intimate look at Palmer’s legendary drumming and show
theatrics. Both Bielatowicz
and Clayton were featured with extensive solos in the show. The response by fans, has been nothing short of overwhelming.
In several cities, fans stood in line for close to two hours to say hello and
get an autograph from
Palmer and the band, who have decided to come out in theater lobbies each night
to meet the audience after
the show. To read more reports from the road about
the Carl Palmer Band 2006 North American tour, please check back at this
website again soon. Don’t Take OurWord For It…. Here is what the fans are saying so far…. _______________________ I had no idea what to expect. I took my 14 year old nephew who will be
turning 15 in August and who has been drumming since he was 11. He is not familiar with the music of
ELP. I am very familiar with the music of
ELP. Changing/arranging the music of ELP to
drums, bass and guitar had me a bit concerned…. Both of us were totally blown
away. I have no idea where Mr. Palmer
found these two musicians, but they were all awesome and of the same caliber in
musicianship which is quite astonishing as the guitarist and bassist where
probably half Mr. Palmer’s age. My nephew got autographed sticks, but
I wish he could’ve got to talk drumming with Mr. Palmer. I hope Carl does a drum clinic in the Philly
area sometime instead of New York. Awesome. Brian F. McElroy I just had to write a note of
thanks. My wife had gotten me tickets
for last night’s concert as a birthday present. It and you and the rest of the band were incredible. I have been a fan since the first time I
heard Tank. I was sixteen and in a
music store and just happened to be standing in the right spot as the sounds
went from speaker to speaker. It was my first true experience of stereo. I bought a stereo and those speakers on the
spot. Yours was the first album I
played on it. I then spent the next four
years going back and forth to college and every time I reassembled the stereo
it was always the first to play. I have
since replaced the album with a CD but till this day, it is the first to play
on any new device I get, including my new iPod. Again, thanks for a concert that my wife and I will never forget. Joe and Jackie Gordon thank you for a phenomenal show at the
regent theater in Arlington Massachusetts. please come back again!!!!! Lou Leo (ELP fan forever) louleo@comcast.net Your drumming was the reason I
started. I got really wrapped into rudimental drumming adn went to drum corps
for 6 years. I cold go on and on, on how you influenced me but my real reason
for writing. I have always wanted to see you in a clinic but most of your
clinics are done in UK. I have seen you play with ELP and three and loved it.
What about FLorida or Georgia. I could drive there. I am seriously thinking
about the NYC show on June 3rd. But have to what and see. Air fares my stop me
on this one. But I am working on it. Carl just got in from the Hamilton
show, I hope you are alright, they way you limped off stage did not look good. What a fine show! your band was tight
and incredible. I've been a fan since the begining
(NPI) I remember that nite when I believe in father Xmas premiered on Don
Kirshner's RC. Never had the priveledge of seeing ELP
live, until tonite, and I really think I prefer stratocaster to moog synth. Your young guitarist reminded me of
Stevie Vai who I will be catching with the Zappa plays Zappa tour in June. Even harry your sound guy did a fine
job, the sound was crisp, well mixed and even. Again fabulous show Carl! You are
still one of the finest drummers out there! and hey "The Nut rocker" !!! good luck with the rest of the tour! thanks for a merorable nite! Phil Hi there Mr. Palmer. I loved listening to your music with ELP as
a teen, and I was treated to your raw drumming energy tonight in Hamilton,
Ontario. Thankyou for pouring yourself
into this performance, I sat in amasement with the effort and finesse you put
into your music. Thankyou for a
wonderful, ear-shattering performance!
You shook the place so much stuff came down frome the ceiling! I noted that at the end of the encore
you seemed to be in some distress, you had gave it your all, and you looked
hurt to the point you couldn't get up at first! The crowd in front of me was congratulating the bass player,
catching my eye, then when I looked back you had dropped down behind your
drums, I thought you were picking something up at first, but I became concerned
when you stayed down. I was glad when,
finally- the roady, came to your assistance and you hobbled your way offstage.
Thanks for the little wave to say you were alright, but you definitely didn't
look quite alright... I wish you much success on your tour,
just be careful. As an accident survivor, I can appreciate the aches and pains
life throws at you. and I've had to
learn to gauge myself, I definitely know NOT to lift things a certain way, I'll
pay for it for weeks! None of us are
teens anymore. I hope your trouble is
just temporary, you put so much into your music, I hope it was just a little crick in the back or something. I noticed you played the last set with a
towel around your neck, the slight adjustment to keep those towel ends from
getting in the way of the drumsicks as you play, couldn't that throw things
off? It would be wonderful if it is so
simple a thing to fix... A lot of
people want to see you play, but I hope they mostly feel as I do, that you
deserve happyness for giving us your part in ELP and Asia, and giving so many
people a feeling that comes, a rememberance of our younger years when we hear
your music. If your sets have to be a
little shortened, let the other players play, or whatever other adjustments made,
we like your smile on stage, we enjoy your presence, but I'm thinking that most
of us hurt to see you hurt, eh? Oh another thing, just so you know...
My only complaints on the evening would be about some of the guitar work,
though virtuoso it often sounded unclear, maybe due to the mixing and where I
was sitting. I also had difficulty
hearing your base player sometimes, and
upon hearing his solos I knew that I was sure missing a lot during the rest of
the concert!.. If this was your
intended sound, my appologies... :-) -- Sincerely, Cam THE CARL PALMER BAND Hamilton Place Theatre Wednesday, May 24, 2006 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 Palmer’s 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 Palmer’s drumming. Critics of Love Beach would be
silenced with the band’s 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 Palmer’s 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 Just a quick note to thank you again
for a great show in Belleville May 25, I am looking forward to listening to your
new stuff. I hope you received the
maple syrup and enjoy it. Best wishes
Carl, Paul and Stuart. Enjoy your
summer as best you can. The sound and
was GREAT!!!!!!! Gord Allison Hey Carl, The show last Wednesday at Hamilton
Place was great. I have been a ELP fan "from the beginning" and still
play all the early albums often. Some feedback from the show, your
guitar player is amazing however without keyboards you loose the whole effect.
I wouldn't go to a show again unless the synths were added. thx rich Hi Carl, Many thanks for the great show in
Montreal. I think that those two amazing kids (being a 43 old fart) are helping
to keep your performance very fresh and topical. I truly think that your
arrangements of the classics were very up-to-date with modern tastes. After
having seen you perform about 9 times (ELP, Asia and Three), I truly felt that
you are at the top of your art. Congratulations and hope to see you again soon.
Sylvie had asked me to stick around for the autograph session, but since I
value performance over anything and that writing to thank you for the music was
sufficient, which I have now done. Cheers and all the best, James Hatch Hello Bruce, I went to the Sherbrooke show
yesterday evening. It was great. I had heard the band on CD and I wasn't too sure
about a guitarist playing Keith's parts but now I'm convinced. It is to Carl's
credit that he gave a chance to two talented youngsters. More than that,
he gives them plenty of space during the show. It was also fantastic to have such an
intimate concert (after having attended ELP concerts in arenas). We
were sitting at a table right in front of the stage. We weren't supposed to take pictures.
I had left my camera in my bag most of the show. However, I noticed that
several people were using their cameras so I did too toward the end of the
concert. Here they are. Finally, I didn't need to use your
email to get a pic with Carl and an autograph as there was a "meet
and greet" held after the concert. Also attached are a couple of pics
from the meet and greet. Thanks again. I just hope Carl will
come back here. Jean-Pierre Nadeau Hi Just saw you guys play last night in
Sherbrooke... At first I was somewhat surprised that such an improbable band
was going to come down to our relatively small town!! I couldn't have missed it
for the world. The show was a real treat, everyone looked happy and sounded
great. The guitar arrangements for the keyboard parts really worked well and
gave a new twist to a familiar sound. The setlist was awesome too!! Tarkus is probably
one of my favorites, so when I heard both Tarkus and Tank, I was in heaven!! I'm really glad you guys took the time
to come by our little neck of the woods. There is one thing I wanted to tell Mr
Palmer personally but I'm not sure it came across in the mayhem... After the
show I ran out to my rehersal studio to fetch my Ludwig snare, I barely had
time to run back at the Granada and got last in line for autographs... I did
get my drum signed in a rush between a CD and a poster I think. I wanted to thank
you again for it. I already loved that drum to death, but that just tops it off
perfectly!! Thanks for everything and have a nice
tour!! Karl Schmitz Carl, I took my 14 yr old son whom is
in his first year of drum lessons to the Bellevillle show and experienced an
"incredible visual and musical explosion of classical funk rock".Many
thanks and best of luck on your tour.
Belleville is better for having you perform here. Regards Chris Finkle and Adam Subj:
[ELP-DISC] Carl Palmer Band Concert Review - Day 2, Belleville Ontario
May 25, 2006 Date: Friday, May 26, 2006 4:40:34 PM From: edgecroft@yahoo.ca To: ELP-DISC@yahoogroups.com I went to see Carl Palmer last night
at the Empire Theatre in Belleville, Ontario, Canada on the
second night of his North American tour.
It was a great show and a magical night. The crowd absolutley loved Carl, I think he got 3 or 4 semi
standing ovations and 3 complete standing ovations. Carl was in top form all night and the
band was blistering. And LOUD. They did Peter Gunn, Barbarian,
Hoedown, L.A. Nights, Bullfrog, Tank, Romeo and Juliet, Trilogy, a guitar
medley (that included the theme fromWallace and Gromit), a jazz improv
and then a bass medley, Tocatta, Canario, Tarkus, Fanfare and
Carmina Burana as an encore. Not necessarily in that order. The guitarist, Paul Bielatowicz, was
amazing. He's only tiny, my wife thought that he looked 12 years
old. She actually went and told him that after the show. He was having a
blast all night. The bassist was great too. Both of the were getting amazing sounds out of their instruments. The best part of the night for me were
Carl's little chats. After every piece he'd get up from his kit
and stand at the front of the stage and tell stories and joke around
with the audience. He's got such a winning manner and charming
presence that it made the show that much more special. I'm just guessing but I'd say there
were maybe 350 people there (?), which is way more than I expected
since Belleville isn't that big of a town and it's right in the middle of
nowhere. Luckilly it's near me though. Listen, this is the best
recommendation I can give you. My wife doesn't really know ELP but she thinks
that she hates them. She likes pop songs, especially disco
songs. She hates instrumental
music. She hates drum solos. She hates loud guitars (and this concert was
LOUD). She was dreading this concert but I
dragged her along anyway. Everytime I looked over at here she
was tapping her foot, clapping her hands and laughing at Carl's
stories. She thought they were all amazing musicians and that the
guitarist was the cutest thing ever. She had a great time! If you are anywhere near any of Carl's
upcoming shows, I urge you to get out to see him. And don't be afraid to bring your spouse. Here's a list of upcoming tour dates: http://www.carlpalmer.com/tourdates.html ELP Discs wow.
i am the slightly drunken fella that told you you and your friends
played the music of the gods. i meant
it. never been more impressed in my
life and i'm not elp guy or nothing just LOVED what i saw in Troy, NY
tonight. Thank you so much i wish i
could see it again. Carl - We where in the second row at
Hamilton Place and we had a great time. The music was awesome, picked up the new
CD and I am enjoying very much. Good
Luck on the tour and hope you get back are way soon. There is a nice 1500 seat
Venue at the Fallsway Casino in Niagara Falls - the acoustics are excellent.
There are a lot of bigger acts making there way in there now. All kind of Music
from Tony Bennett to George Thorogood….Your Band would sound great in
there….Again Good Luck on the tour and thanks for an excellent night… Last Time
I saw you was with ELP in Buffalo if memory serves….Brian Rohe Brian Rohe Hello
I am just writing to you to tell
you that working with you all was a real charm. your whole team is some of the
nicest people we have met and what a show we have got. I hope that all was perfect for you as
well and I wish you all the best for the rest of the tour. We hope to have The Carl Palmer Band
in Montreal very soon Thank you for your trust in Unicorn
Digital and I hope to hear from you soon All the best Michel Michel St-Pere Hi Carl and friends. My friend and I saw you in Troy last
night and I have to say that you guys are amazing. My friend and I are in a band together and we were both
influenced by the works of ELP, and we both agreed that the Carl Palmer Band
captures the essence of what was important in ELP. The energy, the fun and the talent...oh..the talent! That young guitar player is amazing! And Carl is still POUNDING on those
drums....wow! Thank you for coming to Troy, NY. We'll be seeing you guys in NYC next week. Peace Paul Maceli Acoustic Trauma Acoustic t@aol.com From: Steve Andersen
<andersen@herridge.ca> To: ELP-DISC@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, 30 May 2006 19:25:12 -0400 Subject: [ELP-DISC] THE CARL PALMER BAND
THE CARL PALMER BAND I attended the Carl Palmer show at
Lee's Palace last Friday evening (May 26th). The band played to a 200+
standing room only crowd (insofar as Lee' Palace has no seating to speak
of). The show started at 11:30 and went on until a little after 1:00 AM
without intermission. There was nothing new in the repertoire. The
Carl Palmer Band performs a timbral, and to a lesser extent structural,
re-working of the Emerson, Lake and Palmer repertoire. Although still a
three-piece project, gone are keyboard and vocals, replaced by lead
guitar. The show opened with Peter Gunn and
came to a halt two bars later as guitarist Paul Bielatowicz was having
sound problems. After a short fix, the show started up again and segued
from Peter Gunn into the Barbarian. Other tunes included Tank, Scythian
Suite, Hoedown, Trilogy, Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev), Eruption,
Aquatarkus, Toccata and Fanfare for the common man with Carmina Burana for the
encore. Surprisingly, Tank had no drum solo to speak of. This was saved
for the end of the show. Tank also came in at what sounded like 200 beats
per minute, as compared to the 170 BPM on the first ELP album. This
was speed for it's own sake, adding nothing musically redeeming. Trilogy
was a remarkable effort, given that ELP were not known to perform that
number live in their heyday. The music generally shines, however all
songs were played with an overpowering, muscular intensity that
sometimes overshadows some of the subtleties in the progressive rock
that they play. The band was also needlessly loud. I noticed a number of audience members were wearing earplugs. The problem with extreme
volume is that, after a period of time, the listener loses sensitivity
to pitch. As well, undesirable overtones manifest. The three musicians played very, very
well. Guitarist Paul Bielatowicz is a 20 something wunderkind. He has
pretty much mastered the melodic lines of the repertoire. My only
reservation was that I thought the individual notes could have been
brought out more cleanly and locked in more tightly with the rhythm section.
Bassist Stuart Clayton plays a five string bass and does a lot more
playing that Greg Lake did on the same tunes. (Greg, of course, also had
to sing). Clayton's bass lights up with a row of green LED's, a rather
colourful touch. Palmer played furiously throughout the show and gave
fans what they wanted. Shouts of "Welcome Back Carl" were
heard throughout the evening. The audience gave him a standing ovation (all night long
apparently, insofar as Lee' Palace has no seating to speak of). The performance provides intellectual
and artistic stimulus for the audience and in this it succeeds. This
is not, however, a show suitable for introducing the repertoire of ELP
to neophytes. Because the pieces were originally written for keyboard,
bass and drums, the presentation was harmonically thin. This is a
structural problem, not a limitation in the player's abilities. Both Guitarist
Paul Bielatowicz and bassist. Stuart Clayton have superb control of
their instruments and the melodic responsibilities for the guitarist are
formidable. There are limits however and two hands on two keyboards
at once can communicate more musical information than two hands on
one guitar. So be it. Lee's Palace concert bar does not do justice
to an act like this. The lighting is sub-par (no pun intended)
and it seems that Lee's policy is to have the headline act go on as late
as possible in order to sell more liquor. This may simply be part of tour economics. Having said that, I found the band to be under-dressed for
the occasion, to say the least. Bielatowicz and Clayton were dressed
about as casually as audience members. We are all good comrades
here, no one better than anyone else right? Wrong! You are stars. Dress the
part. Carl looks very sharp on his promo poster in a black vest
leaving arms free to work the drum magic. For some strange reason
however, he felt compelled to model two wardrobe pieces from his Salvation
Army bin collection. Stretch polyester top and hand me down blue public
school pants with flare at the bottom are not hip! Thankfully, he
kept his shirt on throughout the show. Fans might argue that the music
is all that matters but, as one well-dressed bass player likes to
quip, "the audience hears with its eyes". We go to see a band as
well as hear them. A master percussionist and legendary progressive rock artist
merits better and so does the audience. Carl's re-working and
performance of the ELP repertoire is a gift to fans, one that deserves nice
wrapping. After the show, the master took a
well-deserved 15-minute break after which, looking as though he had had
enough, still graciously autographed CD's and posters for the fans. Regards Steve Andersen Seven Virgins & A Mule - Canada's
only Emerson, Lake & Palmer Tribute. www.sevenvirgins.ca Dear Mr. Palmer, I was at your incredible performance
last night in revolution hall in Troy NY.
I came away with a feeling of awe and respect for you and your band. Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for the show. Respectfully, Tom Nowak Hi! i just saw your show in montreal
and it's my 6 show's in 2 month's and i can say that was my best one yet.I
realy enjoyed it ,you're band was super good i like emerson lake and palmer
,but seeing you and the 2 new young player that you had with you realy blew my
mind.Thank's again for the old memories and the new one Upgrade your email with
1000's of emoticon icons and happy touring!! thanks Anissa palmer (no relation) Carl, I didn't know what to expect as I have
never heard ELP music done on guitar. Paul is absolutely amazing on
the guitar, my wife thought the bass player was incredible and You
just amaze as always. All I can say is WOW!! Blown away. Thanks again Sincerely, Brian Steller Hi:
We went to the May 24 concert at Hamilton Place and really enjoyed
it!! Of course Carl was excellent, but
the 2 guitarists were exceptional, as well.
One thing we were wondering though, what happened at the end of the
concert?? After the encore, it seemed
that Carl was helped off stage, and we were wondering what happened. It seemed like an unusual way for the
concert to end--no one came out for bows, and the audience just filed out of
the concert hall. We were hoping that
Carl is OK, and were looking for some news as to why it ended this way. Is there anything you can tell me?? Thanks JUDY VAN POPPEL Hi there, Caught the show in Hamilton last week
and have to say it was by far the best percussion I have ever seen. This I was expecting but to my suprise your guitarist was also
amazing. I just wanted to know if you have recovered from your injury at the
end of the show on the 24th, I am guessing it was a calf musscle? hopefully just a cramp? Hope all is well, Really hope to see
the show again....Since I am guessing I won't see ya back in this
country in a long time sounds like a good excuse to see some
realitives/you in England. Slainte' Kyle Dear Carl, You are a special man and what you are doing with the schoolchildren is an
inspiration to all. Your show was also tremendous and you sound better
than ever. Keep on being yourself and having fun! Again, many thanks! hugs, Carla
H (Boston) I rarely add anything,but felt compelled to after last night's performance and what a performance it
was. I was expecting it to be good,after all Palmer is a world class
drummer. The show was spectacular and exceeded all my
expectations. We all know the set list stuff and I'm
not one for lists anyway. Suffice to say it was a great cross
section of his career and he performed some material that never
really got a big airing in the first place such as Toccatta. The man is a powerhouse with a great
sense of humility and self affacing. He would be doing great
complicated pieces and all of a sudden look out and remark "It's
easy." This type of thing is what made the show special. He lent alot of
personality and warmth to the show which added tremendously. The music was stupendous. The bassist
and guitarist greatly complimented his drumming. He was very
gracious making sure to point out that it was the Carl Palmer
"Band." At one point he was doing some improv with the bassist that was
technically great and also humorous as they played off each
other. I've seen ELP a million times and
maybe it might be that factor that didn't have me missing the keyboards.
At this point I like seeing artists take chances and experiment.
In this case the experiment is a resounding success. The show was high energy all the way
and when Palmer let loose it was a sight to behold and hear as
well. I have no idea how long te show went for,but it went all too
quick. Anyway. An awesome time. Send him back
soon. Dave Carl Great show in arlington MA this
week. I was looking on your web site for some information on the
guitar player and could not find any info on the band. Can you guys post some info about the guitar
and bass player there? The kid was amazing. Thanks Pete I am sending this review in support of
the Carl Palmer Band from a lady's perspective. I recommend that
if you have a chance, don't hesitate to see the show. You will not be disappointed ! The Carl Palmer Band Lee's Palace Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 26 2006 I attended the Carl Palmer Band show
at Lee's Palace in Toronto and I found it to be electrifying ! The show
started around 11:30pm, perking up the patrons, right from the first
beat of the drums. ..... Starting with Peter Gunn was fantastic, loved
it ! Everyone liked it so much that several
people were asking if it was recorded on any of the CD's being sold
at the merchandise table. Lee's Palace being a small venue made
the show intimate and personable. Due to the fact Carl
introduced every song, as well as giving a little history on some songs,
was a nice touch. The crowd was mesmerized by the music,
not believing a guitar could replace an organ in some of the ELP
songs. However, they were most impressed by Carl himself, how fast
and agile he is. He did not disappoint his fans for a second. They
quite enjoyed the new renditions of Tocatta, Tank and
Tarkus. Due to the late start time, the show
did seem a bit rushed, however at the end of the show, after 5 minutes
of thunderous clapping and cheering from the crowd, the band came
back on stage, delighting everyone with an encore. All customers purchasing merchandise
were advised that Carl would be available for autographs after the
show. Once again Carl did not disappoint anyone, signing his last
autograph around 1:30am. I spoke to Carl, I found him to be
very down to earth and personable. What a wonderful way to end a perfect
evening. I truly hope I get another opportunity
in the future to see this band. I could never get tired of their sound
! Linda, Toronto, Ontario, Canada I had no idea what to expect. I took my 14 year old nephew who will be
turning 15 in August and who has been drumming since he was 11. He is not familiar with the music of
ELP. I am very familiar with the music of
ELP. Changing/arranging the music of ELP to
drums, bass and guitar had me a bit concerned…. Both of us were totally blown
away. I have no idea where Mr. Palmer
found these two musicians, but they were all awesome and of the same caliber in
musicianship which is quite astonishing as the guitarist and bassist where
probably half Mr. Palmer’s age. My nephew got autographed sticks, but
I wish he could’ve got to talk drumming with Mr. Palmer. I hope Carl does a drum clinic in the Philly
area sometime instead of New York. Awesome. Brian F. McElroy bmcelroy@hanovereng.com Dear Carl, I am a huge fan of yours
since 1970 and was so glad to have finally met you personally at the
Beachmont School in Revere, Mass. Thank you for signing my t-shirt. My brother
Tom Maffucci is the director and your biggest biggest fan in the whole
world. He has played your music since he was 11 and has been following in your
footsteps since. He has dedicated his life to playing your music to his
students so that they learn only the best. You know the last time I saw one of
your performances with ELP was at Radio City Music Hall back in the beginning
of 1999 and it was magnificant. I was lucky enough to have a backstage
pass. Thank you for the most excellent music you have brought me in my life
and I will always treasure it as a huge and awesome part of my music
collection. Thank you also for the great performance at the Regent in
Arlington, Massachusetts. Have a great
show tonight at B.B. Kings and stay as
great and awesome as you are. I live and work in New York and know that the
people and the venues are just great. Take care Carl and thank you again for
all the years of beautiful music and God bless. Tina Maffucci
Mr. Palmer:
I had the opportunity to see you perform for the first time this week in
a solo context. I was absolutely amazed
not only by the virtuosity displayed by you and your trio, but by the
arrangements of the ELP material, and the uncanny rapport between the players
onstage. I am extremely thankful you've elected to tour the States. I do hope
you'll make Philadelphia a regular future tour staple. The show was a
transcendant experience for me as a spectator, a drummer, and a music
lover. My friend Rob who accompanied me to the show was blown away as well. I
think the level of performance shown definitely rated the standing ovations
you and the band recieved between songs.
On a separate note, I have a question to ask you as a drummer and a martial artist. I have studied Chinese
& Israeli forms separately over the past decade, and have been a drummer
for about 25 years now. Recently, during a Krav Maga sparring session, I
fractured the scaphoid bone in my right wrist. I was told surgery
(specifically, a bone graft & a screw) was my option here, and that I might not
regain full range of motion even with this operation. I am curious to know
if your martial arts experience over the years saw you with any injuries
similar to mine, what effect it had on your touring schedule, and what type
of activites you might suggest to optimally return to "fighting
shape" not only as a drummer, but a martial artist.
I appreciate your advice and insight
John Martin
Philaldelphia, PA USA Dear Carl: I just wanted to tell you how much I
enjoyed meeting you last evening and seeing your show. It took me 35 years but I finally got to see
you live and you didn’t disappoint! You all are extremely talented and the
music was very powerful, and magical … my husband a long-time Country-Western
afficianado, was even impressed and wants to see you again when you next come
to New York! We were both totally blown
away! Thank you for putting on such a great
show. I also have a message for you from
someone who we sat with at the show … her name was Pam Petrone and she said to
say hi and sorry she couldn’t wait to see you after the show as she had to get
her bus to New Jersey. Sincerely, Stephanie Gabris Brooklyn, NY Stephanie.Gabris@Sherry-Lehmann.com Carl, The performance last night was
phenomenal, exceeded my expectations. I bought both CDs,, but did not wait
around long enough to get them signed. I hope you release a recording with
your new trio. WOW they are super!! I have been a fan since the 70’s and
love your musical work. Cheers !! James Garcia WE SAW YOUR SHOW AT BB KINGS TUES JUNE
6 LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS UNBELIVABLE. THE BAND IS OUTSTANDING THANK YOU Dear Mr. Palmer, I had the pleasure of hearing you on June 2 at the IMAC Theatre in
Huntington, N.Y. Both you and your bandmates were out of this world! A few years ago, I ended my teaching
tenure at the Long Island Drum Center of Plainview and opened my own drum
school. Much like my most important teacher, the late Al Miller, I'm always
looking to expose my students to the upper crust of musicianship. One of the
ways I achieve this is to have a website for the school on which I have a Links
section. From there, my students can explore drumming the likes of which they
would never be privy to if left to their own devices, or the sources of popular
music they listen to regulary. Therefore, the mission behind this
email is to request that I may include a link on my site that would lead to
yours. I would be honored by a reponse in the affirmative. In addition, if
there are sites that you feel would also benefit my strdents, I would
appreciate you steering into that direction, as well. Thank you, in advance, for your time
and consideration. Andrew E Rykowski aka Dee Ri Owner/Primary Instructor- The Dee Ri Institute of Drums and
Percussion _______________________________
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