Emerson, Lake & Palmer performed on this day in 1977 at the CNE Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Canada.
ELP were at this time on their Works Tour, which had been in North America since late May. They were appearing in support of the album Works, Volume 1, which had been released in March of that year. As they would later also tour in support of Works, Volume 2, this is the only tour in ELP’s history undertaken to support to albums.
Since the band had begun the tour, they had already played a great many tour dates both with an orchestra and as a three-piece. They would remain on the road for most of the rest of the year and on into March of 1978, only taking breaks in September and December.
This was the first concert of the Works Tour to take place in Canada. However, it was neither the first nor the most significant connection between ELP’s Works Period and North America’s northernmost country. The trio had shot their music video for “Fanfare for the Common Man” at the Montreal Olympic Stadium in May soon before heading out on tour. Despite this video coming late in the 1970s and comparatively near their first long hiatus, it was the first real music video the band had put out.
Soon before the tour had begun, the band had found themselves rehearsing in Montreal with their ill-fated orchestra. They would return to Montreal later in the tour and perform a legendary concert at the Olympic Stadium as the final concert they ever performed with the orchestra. Later still, they returned to Canada to kick off the third leg of their Tour the following January.
This concert is known to have been recorded, and is in circulation online.
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