The Carl Palmer Band

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:53 am

I saw them last night at the same place I saw The Syn. Carl proved once and for all why he is the best rock drummer in all the land. I was about 15' away from him so I really got to see how hard he worked yet he made it look easy. They did a bunch of ELP songs and lots of newer original music and great covers of classical music. The guitartist, Paul Bielatowicz, could put Steve Vai and Joe Satriani to shame, and he looked like a kid, maybe early 20s at best. The bassist, Stuart Clayton, whom I know of from his writings in the UK Bass Guitar Magazine, is every bit as amazing as, say, Victor Wooten!

Go see these guys if you can, whatever the ticket price, as it will be well worth it.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:30 am

Jeff, isn't he also touring with Asia later this summer? Always liked Carl Palmer. One of the few drummers who could play in a progressive band yet keep a R&R vibe.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:14 pm

You know what they say, if it ain't rock n roll, it ain't rock n roll.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:26 pm

Yeah, he will back in Cleveland mid Sept. with Asia at the House Of Blues. I saw Asia the first time they toured.

He was a great front person and was very humourous and told some great stories. He was setting up the song Canario from Love Beach, which he said he wasn't too proud of with the exception of that song, that he loves to play, when someone in the audience held that album up for him to see. He looked over at him and said: "Sorry, no refunds!"

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:57 am

Palmer's a great drummer, to be sure, with a very deep bag of tricks...I never could take his breakneck disregard for meter, however. There's no 'First Prize' for the band member who gets to the next 'one' ahead of everyone else...

Hopefully, he's graduated from the asinine habit of wearing sweatbands to play in...it looked as silly on him as it did on Springsteen, Newton-John and Easton...work out on your own time, that's what I say...

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:43 pm

No sweat bands in sight! And his meter was good; the band was extremely tight that night.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 9:57 am

That's good to know, Jeff...Rotating, levitating rig, or just the standard 'cocktail' kit? He's gonna be playing at The Walnut Room here, which is not far from my 'hood...I'm considering going to check it out as research for my impending Prog Revival Project, but me and the missuz are savin' our nickels to see Manu Chao in August...

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:02 pm

Go see the show, both the guitarist and bassist are worth the price of admission even without CP.

His set didn't fly around the room! He had a double bass kit with one snare, two rack toms, two floor toms, two hi-hats and a few cymbals. Oh yeah, there was the gong behind him, also.

winston · Post by **winston** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:11 pm

Ah the one hit gong (you gotta love the old stainless kit). So much hardware to pack for one effect. I loved the guy when he was in Emerson Lake and Palmer.

We booked them into Vancouver at the Pacific Coliseum oh so many years ago. Rush was their opening act. Those were the days eh?.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:11 pm

They'll be here in Scottsdale on the 27th. Thanks for the good words, Jeff! I'll go see them.