For those that have not yet heard, 3, the short-lived Emerson Lake & Palmer offshoot from the 1980s, who released their sole studio album To The Power Of Three in 1988, are to have a live album, Rockin’ The Ritz: Live 1988, released on vinyl for the very first time through Liberation Hall on November 17th, 2023 through Rockbeat Records (distributed by Winerworld in the UK).

The band saw Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer team up with US musician Robert Berry, after Emerson had previously worked with Greg Lake and Cozy Powell on the Emerson Lake And Powell album that was released in 1986.

Both acts only toured the US before splitting up, so UK audiences never got the chance to see them, although subsequent live recordings have appeared. In 3’s case pair of live albums were released on CD, Live Boston ‘88 (2015) and Rockin’ The Ritz: NYC 1988 (2017) — both on RockBeat Records.

CD 1:
1. Fanfare for the Common Man
2. Desde La Vida
3. Lover to Lover
4. Band Introductions
5. Hoedown
6. You Do or You Don’t
7. Talkin’ ‘Bout
8. Dream Runner

CD 2:
1. Creole Dance
2. On My Way Home
3. Standing in the Shadows of Love
4. America
5. Rondo/Carl Palmer Drum Solo/Fugue in D Minor BMV 565
6. Eight Miles High/Peter Gunn

The first disc of this quite stunningly opulent newly remastered live recording from 1988 opens on the propulsive prog rock of the ten minute Fanfare for the Common Man and then brings us the soaring, synthtastic, the ten minute Desde La Vida and the euphonious Lover to Lover.

After some short introductions, we next get the frenetic organ whirlwind that propels Hoedown and a song about a couple of rebels that grew up together but now have differing thoughts on the world, the expansive You Do or You Don’t, the rhythmic rocker Talkin’ ‘Bout and the flourishing synth prog of Dream Runner.

The second CD opens on the astonishingly ornate and dutifully sculptured Creole Dance and then brings us the colorful ambience found within On My Way Home and the simply magnificent prog AOR of the emphatic Standing in the Shadows of Love.

The live show then rounds out on the strident America
2. Rondo/Carl Palmer Drum Solo/Fugue in D Minor BMV 565, coming to a rousing, crowd enhanced finale of a rapturous Eight Miles High/Peter Gunn.

“I am happy these rare 3 recordings have finally seen the light of day,” Carl Palmer said in 2017 when the CD was released. “This group was a transition for Keith and myself that eventually got us back to Emerson, Lake & Palmer. We had formed 3 with Robert Berry, at the suggestion of Geffen Records, and I think we made some pretty innovative music. This live concert proves the energy behind our music was very much alive and it still sounds relevant today. Some might say this was a left turn in our musical journey, but, in the end, the scenery was still enjoyable.”