I saw this in person about a half hour after a friend and I dropped acid. I saw the piano rise off the stage and start flipping and I looked at my friend and said "Do you see what I see?" True story
I just said the same to a friend. I drank a stranger's water and went on an unexpected trip. I asked everyone around me if that piano was spinning! LMAO!!
+Brad Bennett A true acid story: 2 brothers still live with parents in a Edwardian red-brick 2up/2 down terrace house that are so common in Englands cities... although modernised with an extension that held a kitchen & toilet, the outside toilet in the yard remained. Friday night and one drops a tab and goes out with his mates while his older bro goes out on the piss with his. After the pubs close the tripper is home and, due to his condition, he can't let parents talk to him like this so he waits in the outside loo for older bro to come home as he'll help camouflage & cover for him. Anyway, he's just sitting there all quiet in his own world of colours & sensations probably thinking he's been there 5 minutes when in fact it's prob been hours... So typical Friday night, other brother comes home pissed as a fart, when he starts feeling nauseus his mother has time to shout "Outside!!!" so hes like a blind whippet trying to gain the back yard hitting doorframes and fumbling with handles as he goes. Every milli-second counting! Younger brother hears the kitchen door go... then running... and doesn't have time to say 'I'm in here" as he gets the fright of his multi-coloured life as BOOM as foot meets door and BANG as it hits the wall and he's looking up open-mouthed as Brother attains his end... I was told they didn't know who got the biggest fright... True story. Not me
Imagine being at that ELP Concert. First of all you see Keith Emerson flying and doing multiple front flips with his piano and in the next moment you hear the sounds of a synthesizer for the first time. Trippy shit man.
@@davidbutler8096 I'm not saying it wasn't awesome. But flying pianos (and drumsets, I'm looking at you Tommy Lee) are inherently and incredibly ridiculous.
Keith Emerson was one of a kind. A genius keyboard player and a performer who always knew how to please the audience. He didn't want to use this flying piano stunt because it was dangerous. But he did it anyway. See the show - See the show!
I couldn't believe it then and still find it hard to watch today but he really did this in a show I was at in the late 70's. And never saw anything like it again. RIP Dude, you sure were a showman !
Saw this at the San Diego Sports Aroma! Also the flame thrower keyboard, and Hammond Organ stabbing in their first concert, with Quadrasonic towers on the floor!!!! 🤯 Greatest Show on Earth !!!🌎 Before ELP , I was fortunate enough to see Keith at the Community Concourse with his 3 man band : The Nice ! It was nice 🎹
I saw this done live in 1973, there were psychedelics involved, so I wasn't really sure that I saw it! Later I saw it on Calif jamb and I knew that I really did see what i saw!!!!
Critics in 1974 writing about breaktrhough ELP pyrotechnics: pretentious, waste of talent. Critics writing about U2, Guns, Lady Gaga’s three times more pyrotechincal and expensive concerts: remarkable! Revolutionary! Incredibile!
When he took off and started doing flips I thought I was seeing things. Yeah we were pretty high by then, but not THAT high. Nobody had done anything like that before. I just stood there, mouth open saying "holy shit!". Almost 40 years later the same sentiment comes to mind.
We all used to get stoned and watch a weekly late night show called 'In Concert' back in the late 60's, and were excited beyond belief that ELP were scheduled to appear on it. That's where we first saw the 'spinning piano'. We could not believe our eyes - talked about it for days. Such cool times, such great friends. RIP Keith.
+my2cents2u Yeah, we pretty much got to see the California Jam twice. First for the concert itself, then in 2-hr segments of each band on In Concert on PBS. :)
I was pretty lucky to assist to this event, but just today I found out none of them lost their chewing gum during the concert...man... this is something to admire,look while the piano is turning the chewing gum remains on his mouth. BEST MUSIC EVER THOUGH.
Was about 50yds from the stage on Keith's side of it. That whole day and evening was awesomeness. But then ELP came on to close out the event .. and the rest of that day just faded away. I saw them three times after this but they never topped themselves atthis event. Keiths improv was mesmerizing, Carl was absolutely amazing, and who then could outsing Greg Lake. Of all concerts attended by this old hippies in his time, these guys that night were the apex performance.
I first saw this on ABC's Friday Night Videos, and I was telling some friends about this and they thought I was joking, so I am happy that you posted this!
keith emerson what a legend.! You have got to like heights to something like that.! Totally self-indulgence progessive rock at its best r.i.p keith.from shaz in the uk.
Remembering Keith Emerson born on November 2, 1944. was an English keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He played keyboards in a number of bands before finding his first commercial success with the Nice in the late 1960's. After leaving the Nice in 1970, he was a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), one of the early progressive rock supergroups. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were commercially successful through much of the 1970's, becoming one of the best-known progressive rock groups of the era. Following ELP's break-up at the end of the 1970's, Emerson pursued a solo career, composed several film soundtracks, and formed the bands Emerson, Lake & Powell and 3 to carry on in the style of ELP. - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Emerson
@esaunders916 I was there, too! I was 18 but it wasn't my first concert. I don't remember it being only $10. I forgot about that. I was also at Cal Jam 2. I miss those days.
His Hair did Move by that time I made my way to the Front about 8 feet from the chain link fence Protecting the stage the sound was defining. But I am still looking for a vid of the water bottles being thrown in the air an awesome sight
It's not lame, 'cause I'm an older lady as well. I saw them, Stones, Bowie, Zeppelin, Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, James Gang, and the list just goes on. Sparks. My dear, I am impressed. Let's hear it for age before beauty and bein' a rocker girl in the early 70s, on up. We are the shit.
I watched this live when it happened. Looks like they've trimmed it so that you don't have to endure the parts where he strapped himself in. Rock and roll posers today think they're hot poop, but these guys headlined (!) the California Jam even though the Eagles and others were playing.
Thank god this video is NOT from the hideous "California Jam Fan Club." Therefore I like it to the hilt! Btw, I did the SOUND at California Jam and I can unequivocally state it's bigger than Classic rock if anyone wants to change you're gonna need to change.
This was not a 'magic trick' as some guessed. He did actually play while spinning end over end; in other performances he actually spun faster and longer. My mother, a concert pianist and instructor, thought it quite novel, but I was damn sure impressed. #woot
Empty piano, music played in the background, Still very impressive as a performance, didn’t look too comfortable and apparently he hurt his nose and fingers several times on it while spinning
Verissimo on the Emerson Upright ...The park kept it,now its outside the mens bathroom,i don't think you'll be flipping it though,but Keith i got a chance and played the brandenburg (my version) on it then i did Copland your style...out side under the bridge but no spinning..Good Show!..That was Emerson piano on Front St Cincinnati..RDD(Chip)
In San Bernardino? I was at the Swing Auditorium and saw ELP. It was the tour with the orchestra but they had already let the orchestra go because of the expense. I went to every concert at the swing from 74 to 78.
I saw this in person about a half hour after a friend and I dropped acid. I saw the piano rise off the stage and start flipping and I looked at my friend and said "Do you see what I see?" True story
I just said the same to a friend. I drank a stranger's water and went on an unexpected trip. I asked everyone around me if that piano was spinning! LMAO!!
That's hilarious!
+Brad Bennett
A true acid story: 2 brothers still live with parents in a Edwardian red-brick 2up/2 down terrace house that are so common in Englands cities... although modernised with an extension that held a kitchen & toilet, the outside toilet in the yard remained.
Friday night and one drops a tab and goes out with his mates while his older bro goes out on the piss with his. After the pubs close the tripper is home and, due to his condition, he can't let parents talk to him like this so he waits in the outside loo for older bro to come home as he'll help camouflage & cover for him. Anyway, he's just sitting there all quiet in his own world of colours & sensations probably thinking he's been there 5 minutes when in fact it's prob been hours...
So typical Friday night, other brother comes home pissed as a fart, when he starts feeling nauseus his mother has time to shout "Outside!!!" so hes like a blind whippet trying to gain the back yard hitting doorframes and fumbling with handles as he goes. Every milli-second counting!
Younger brother hears the kitchen door go... then running... and doesn't have time to say 'I'm in here" as he gets the fright of his multi-coloured life as BOOM as foot meets door and BANG as it hits the wall and he's looking up open-mouthed as Brother attains his end...
I was told they didn't know who got the biggest fright...
True story. Not me
+MrFredSed haha
+Brad Bennett True story as well here.
0:06 "I must go, my planet needs me"
-Keith Emerson, 1974
I love this comment
Imagine being at that ELP Concert. First of all you see Keith Emerson flying and doing multiple front flips with his piano and in the next moment you hear the sounds of a synthesizer for the first time. Trippy shit man.
One of the silliest rock and roll moments of all time and I'm loving it.
Significant differences in tech and culture happened since this comment was written. Are you still out there, traveler?
Silliest?
That's not the word I would pick.
I was there, I was 12, my life would never be the same.
@@davidbutler8096 I'm not saying it wasn't awesome. But flying pianos (and drumsets, I'm looking at you Tommy Lee) are inherently and incredibly ridiculous.
@@Darrylizer1That's entertainment.Enjoy.
@@masongalioth4110 I used to have a flip phone. I still do, but I used to also.
Keith Emerson, the man who can play a spinning piano and chew gum at the same time!
I know to chew the gum and play 10/8 time signature at same time is extremely difficult
I recall Greg Lake as chewing gum. I will have to investigate this video further.
lol. Always with the gum. Which is an old expression but when Keith is playing like he does, the gum chewing is actually impressive.
@@briant9130 lol! Chewing gum while playing a grand piano of which is spinning in the air. Can anyone else do this?
He’s not really playing but still cool
For 40 years I have never forgot this! I thought I was hallucinating of course. It actually happened!!!! I am so thrilled!
I was just saying the same thing omg we were so frikken high..what a great concert that was
Lol. So true.
Me TOO 😂
I had heard about this spinning piano, I didn't think it would actually spin upside down.
Ikr! I thought it would spin horizontally. This was fucking amazing!
Keith Emerson was one of a kind. A genius keyboard player and a performer who always knew how to please the audience. He didn't want to use this flying piano stunt because it was dangerous. But he did it anyway. See the show - See the show!
Welcome back, my friends, To the show that never ends, We're so glad you could attend, Come inside! Come inside!
@@KubilayErtuna There behind the glass stands a real blade if grass
I couldn't believe it then and still find it hard to watch today but he really did this in a show I was at in the late 70's. And never saw anything like it again. RIP Dude, you sure were a showman !
One of the coolest things I have ever seen. What a sad day, God Bless You Keith....
Saw this at the San Diego Sports Aroma!
Also the flame thrower keyboard, and Hammond Organ stabbing in their first concert, with Quadrasonic towers on the floor!!!! 🤯
Greatest Show on Earth !!!🌎
Before ELP , I was fortunate enough to see Keith at the Community Concourse with his 3 man band : The Nice ! It was nice 🎹
Holy m... This actually happened?
Emerson is even more powerful than i thought.
I saw this done live in 1973, there were psychedelics involved, so I wasn't really sure that I saw it! Later I saw it on Calif jamb and I knew that I really did see what i saw!!!!
The sort of thing you would see, anyway, on acid.
The one thing I really remember from Cal Jam was this.........RIP Keith. Your music will live on.
One thing I remember was how loud they were. 😱
Keith Emerson: an ancient and savage god who briefly blessed us by taking human form. We are better for the time he spent among us.
Critics in 1974 writing about breaktrhough ELP pyrotechnics: pretentious, waste of talent.
Critics writing about U2, Guns, Lady Gaga’s three times more pyrotechincal and expensive concerts: remarkable! Revolutionary! Incredibile!
When he took off and started doing flips I thought I was seeing things. Yeah we were pretty high by then, but not THAT high. Nobody had done anything like that before. I just stood there, mouth open saying "holy shit!". Almost 40 years later the same sentiment comes to mind.
Rest in Peace. You changed my life forever.
We all used to get stoned and watch a weekly late night show called 'In Concert' back in the late 60's, and were excited beyond belief that ELP were scheduled to appear on it. That's where we first saw the 'spinning piano'. We could not believe our eyes - talked about it for days. Such cool times, such great friends. RIP Keith.
+my2cents2u Yeah, we pretty much got to see the California Jam twice. First for the concert itself, then in 2-hr segments of each band on In Concert on PBS. :)
I was pretty lucky to assist to this event,
but just today I found out none of them lost their chewing gum during the concert...man... this is something to admire,look while the piano is turning the chewing gum remains on his mouth. BEST MUSIC EVER THOUGH.
Mad scientist!!! The madest scientist in prog rock! And we love him for it!
This is a magnificent show and great music by Emerson,Laker and Palmer.
And fascination display by Keith Emerson.
Silver from Poland.
RIP Keith! We will never forget you and this performance. I saw the show and It was a dynamo!
I saw them in Miami in 1971, I remember a version of this, along with alot of other antics and great music!
R.I.P, my Brother! We will miss you!
Was about 50yds from the stage on Keith's side of it. That whole day and evening was awesomeness. But then ELP came on to close out the event .. and the rest of that day just faded away. I saw them three times after this but they never topped themselves atthis event. Keiths improv was mesmerizing, Carl was absolutely amazing, and who then could outsing Greg Lake. Of all concerts attended by this old hippies in his time, these guys that night were the apex performance.
Saw this genius FIVE FEET AWAY @ The Roxy in Los Angeles, billed as "Keith Emerson and Friends." Totally mind blowing
I witness this act in the late 70's at Charlotte Motor Speedway it was awesome, seen them at Cobo Hall also in Detroit.
1:08 No time for this stunt, my tardis is acting up!
Calling Who? Doctor Bombay, You never know if your equipment is from a bewitched Evil Carn-ival until you get on stage
A Tarkus TARDIS would be super cool.
In case anyone is wondering Keith Emerson is playing: Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.
To the people that thought Lady Gaga thought up the levitating piano all on her own... Suck it. (And hers doesn't spin!)
Lady gara is a pile of shit anyway
I remember seeing this on live TV when I was a kid. My Mom wanted to turn off the TV, but I begged to see it.
absolutely ICONIC. i love him so much
... saw them in '77, Spectrum, Phila., PA - freakin incredible show, will never forget it...
And Deep Purple thought they could upstage THIS...
Koamister • well they did blow the stage to pieces but I’m a huge fan of both
They didn't tought. They simply did it already.
Fat chance. I was there. Deep Purple were upstaged by three other bands too!
Ok. I´m Amazing . Incredible, it was seems yesterday. Extraordinaire !!!
No dude you're not Amazing, Keith is Amazing
You certainly are
I first saw this on ABC's Friday Night Videos, and I was telling some friends about this and they thought I was joking, so I am happy that you posted this!
Emerson is a beast!
ELP, The Barnum and Bailey of rock and roll! He's mad, I tell you. MAAAAD!
I was at the jam and was in the front row when this piano went up and spun! It was very cool.
keith emerson what a legend.! You have got to like heights to something like that.! Totally self-indulgence progessive rock at its best r.i.p keith.from shaz in the uk.
Keith Emerson never fails to shock and amaze.
Remembering Keith Emerson born on November 2, 1944. was an English keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He played keyboards in a number of bands before finding his first commercial success with the Nice in the late 1960's. After leaving the Nice in 1970, he was a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), one of the early progressive rock supergroups. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were commercially successful through much of the 1970's, becoming one of the best-known progressive rock groups of the era. Following ELP's break-up at the end of the 1970's, Emerson pursued a solo career, composed several film soundtracks, and formed the bands Emerson, Lake & Powell and 3 to carry on in the style of ELP. - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Emerson
@esaunders916
I was there, too! I was 18 but it wasn't my first concert. I don't remember it being only $10. I forgot about that. I was also at Cal Jam 2. I miss those days.
Amen to that brother,( i say that because ELP is one of the bands i actually remember seeing). They are without a doubt truely gifted.
If I had a time machine, I'd go in '74 to see this
Thanks for posting this. I remember hearing about this and thinking it was a fake. This is the first time I ever actually saw it.
i remember this when i saw them in concert
I was there Yeah... incredible to see him spinning playing the paino...
that is so trippy! damn
You had to have grown up in the 70's to understand what you just saw. Just accept it and let it wash over you.
Not really. Their music and story is still present
RIP Keith :(
The Barnum and Bailey of rock and roll.
@sebadrum16 The first California Jam show in 1974, Ontario Motor Speedway. I think the lineup was ELP, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and the Eagles
yeah ..me too saw it in DC..early 70's lol..was 15
words of wisdom, words of wisdom
Emersome slick moves.
the best pianist ever
A great example of 70s excess...love it!!
tiny edited fraction of the piano fly this was done one tour. 74 75 and this footage is from CA Jam I 1974
It was an electric piano housed inside the body of a grand piano. Indeed, a piano will not function upside down.
Which one would that "electric piano " be...tucked away in the body of a grand?
Quando uno è un genio è un genio ❤️
Bravo Keith! I would've been puking my guts out had that been me.
@LP522 it was his prelude in c# minor
HOLY SHIT!
genio.
@tnmusicman1 .....Carl Palmer also has a spinning drum set that's pretty trippy....
Keif once got a bloody nose from that whirling piano exploit when the piano stop spinning suddenly
SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN
His Hair did Move by that time I made my way to the Front about 8 feet from the chain link fence Protecting the stage the sound was defining. But I am still looking for a vid of the water bottles being thrown in the air an awesome sight
@Gregorypeckory That's a very positive way to look at a something so downright pessimistic! Or would it be the other way around?
3 words: O... M... G....
It's not lame, 'cause I'm an older lady as well. I saw them, Stones, Bowie, Zeppelin, Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, James Gang, and the list just goes on. Sparks. My dear, I am impressed. Let's hear it for age before beauty and bein' a rocker girl in the early 70s, on up. We are the shit.
I watched this live when it happened. Looks like they've trimmed it so that you don't have to endure the parts where he strapped himself in. Rock and roll posers today think they're hot poop, but these guys headlined (!) the California Jam even though the Eagles and others were playing.
Thank god this video is NOT from the hideous "California Jam Fan Club." Therefore I like it to the hilt! Btw, I did the SOUND at California Jam and I can unequivocally state it's bigger than Classic rock if anyone wants to change you're gonna need to change.
it does
This was not a 'magic trick' as some guessed. He did actually play while spinning end over end; in other performances he actually spun faster and longer. My mother, a concert pianist and instructor, thought it quite novel, but I was damn sure impressed. #woot
Empty piano, music played in the background,
Still very impressive as a performance, didn’t look too comfortable and apparently he hurt his nose and fingers several times on it while spinning
you're right
Subtle!
Verissimo on the Emerson Upright ...The park kept it,now its outside the mens bathroom,i don't think you'll be flipping it though,but Keith i got a chance and played the brandenburg (my version) on it then i did Copland your style...out side under the bridge but no spinning..Good Show!..That was Emerson piano on Front St Cincinnati..RDD(Chip)
far out
Where do you think Tommy Lee got his rotating drum solo idea from?
Kids should see this!!!
My god, this is so Spinal Tap it is just unbelievable that this is serious.
@sebadrum16 The first California Jam show in 1975, Ontario Motor Speedway.
Keith was a legend period, and had balls of steel haha how the hell did he manage to hold on while spinning around?
Strapped to the piano.
I was there!! First Concert I ever went to.
Ticket Cost: $10.00
whas this the case when the cover crashed his hands due to emmediate stop?
@dwilmer7 Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor, op. 3 no. 2
WOW ^_^
LUCKY! I was 20 something years too late. :(
+++++++++++++++++++++
EMERSON IS THE KING !!!
You're absolutely right. It's a trick piano.
This reminds me of Spinal Tap
Sure does
I've seen this footage a dozen times and it always looks strange to me. It looks like they speed it up and the audio doesn't seem to match.
Saw this in '77, at the Swing, I think.
In San Bernardino? I was at the Swing Auditorium and saw ELP. It was the tour with the orchestra but they had already let the orchestra go because of the expense. I went to every concert at the swing from 74 to 78.
What the fuck
That must've freaked out those who'd dropped some acid that night! Fucking Mint.
I believe him
Big fan,but when I saw this in 77 I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever seen-looked like he was holding on for dear life LOL
Sure were good times