One of the first art-rock bands to experiment with classical forms and fusion, the Nice was an early vehicle for the talents of keyboard virtuoso Keith Emerson, who plundered Mozart, Bach, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky for his extended rock instrumental forays. The group began as the backing band for British soul singer P.P. Arnold and also featured guitarist David O'List, drummer Ian Hague, and bassist Lee Jackson. In September 1967, only four months after formation, the group split from Arnold, replaced Hague with former Mark Leeman Five drummer Brian "Blinky" Davison, and released a single called "The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack," which became the title track of their 1968 debut album. The Nice quickly built a reputation as an exciting, theatrical live band thanks to Emerson, who dressed in silver lame, hurled knives into his Hammond organ to produce strange sounds, and mimed masturbation onstage. Emerson's antics spawned controversy with an adaptation of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story song "America." The Nice performed it at the Royal Albert Hall while trying to burn a replica of an American flag, and Bernstein subsequently attempted to stop the song's release in the U.S., although it was released in edited form on the U.S. release of their second album Ars Longa Vita Brevis. Emerson had emerged as the star of the group, both in terms of instrumental skill and showmanship, O'List, who had become erratic and unreliable had departed the group before the release of Ars Longa Vita Brevis to join the Misunderstood and subsequently Roxy Music. The reduction of the Nice to a trio allowed the band to further explore fusing rock with jazz and classical music, most notably with an adaptation of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 3 titled "Acceptance Brandenburger". Nice and Five Bridges became big hit albums in Britain, but the group never broke through in America. In 1969, Emerson met Greg Lake, then with King Crimson, on a U.S. tour, and broke up the Nice in frustration in 1970 due to its lack of success. He, Lake, and drummer Carl Palmer formed the much more popular Emerson, Lake and Palmer, which expanded on Emerson's innovations with the Nice. After the Nice, Lee Jackson formed Jackson Heights which recorded four albums between 1970-1973 and Brian Davison formed the short lived band Every Which Way and was in a mid 70's line up of Gong. Davison and Jackson formed Refugee with keyboardist Patrick Moraz, this was however short lived as the group disbanded after Moraz was invited to replace Rick Wakeman in Yes. In 2002 and 2003 Emerson, Jackson and Davison reunited for a one off Nice tour in the UK.
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October 17, 2003
Carling Apollo Hammersmith
London, England, United Kingdom1. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
2. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
3. Tantalising Maggie
4. Little Arabella
5. Brandenburg Concerto no. 6 in B-flat major, BWV 1051(Johann Sebastian Bach cover)
6. The Cry of Eugene
7. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
8. Country Pie(Bob Dylan cover)
9. Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
10. Creole Dance(Alberto Ginastera cover)
11. A Blade of Grass(Keith Emerson cover)
12. A Cajun Alley(Keith Emerson cover)
13. Just Crazy
14. Tarkus(Emerson, Lake & Palmer cover)
15. Touch and Go(Emerson, Lake & Powell cover)
16. Hoedown(Aaron Copland cover)
17. Fanfare for the Common Man(Aaron Copland cover)
18. Honky Tonk Train Blues(Meade Lux Lewis cover)
October 6, 2002
Royal Festival Hall
London, England, United Kingdom1. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
2. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
3. Little Arabella
4. She Belongs to Me(Bob Dylan cover)
5. The Cry of Eugene
6. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
7. Country Pie / Brandenburg Concerto No. 6
8. Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
9. A Blade of Grass(Keith Emerson cover)
10. A Cajun Alley(Keith Emerson cover)
11. Creole Dance(Alberto Ginastera cover)
12. Tarkus(Emerson, Lake & Palmer cover)
13. Hoedown(Aaron Copland cover)
14. Fanfare for the Common Man(Aaron Copland cover)
15. Honky Tonk Train Blues(Meade Lux Lewis cover)
October 4, 2002
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Glasgow, Scotland, United KingdomRecorded for the double live album "Vivacitas"; line-up: Keith Emerson: keyboards, Keith "Lee" Jackson: bass, Brian "Blinky" Davison: drums, Dave Kilminster: guitars, Phil Williams: bass, Pete Riley: drums
1. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
2. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
3. Little Arabella
4. She Belongs to Me(Bob Dylan cover)
5. The Cry of Eugene
6. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
7. Country Pie(Bob Dylan cover)
8. Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
9. A Blade of Grass(Keith Emerson cover)
10. A Cajun Alley(Keith Emerson cover)
11. Tarkus(Emerson, Lake & Palmer cover)
12. Hoedown(Aaron Copland cover)
13. Fanfare for the Common Man(Aaron Copland cover)
14. Honky Tonk Train Blues(Meade Lux Lewis cover)
October 3, 2002
Tyne Theatre and Opera House
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United KingdomOctober 2, 2002
Civic Hall
Wolverhampton, England, United KingdomMarch 30, 1970
Sportpalast
Berlin, Berlin, GermanyLast concert before breakup.
1. Intermezzo: Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
2. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
3. Country Pie(Bob Dylan cover)
4. Brandenburg Concerto no. 6 in B-flat major, BWV 1051(Johann Sebastian Bach cover)
5. My Back Pages(Bob Dylan cover)
6. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
7. Jam
March 28, 1970
Ernst-Merck-Halle
Hamburg, Hamburg, GermanyMarch 22, 1970
Fairfield Halls
Croydon, England, United Kingdomincomplete
1. Five Bridges Suite
2. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
1. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
1.
March 13, 1970
Green's Playhouse
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom1.
2. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
3.
4. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
5.
March 11, 1970
Usher Hall
Edinburgh, Scotland, United KingdomMarch 6, 1970
Royal Festival Hall
London, England, United KingdomFebruary 28, 1970
Newcastle City Hall
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United KingdomFebruary 27, 1970
Royal Hall
Harrogate, England, United KingdomFebruary 21, 1970
Zaal Centrum
Londerzeel, Flemish Brabant, BelgiumFebruary 7, 1970
Royal Festival Hall
London, England, United Kingdom1. Symphonie fantastique(Hector Berlioz cover)
2. My Back Pages(Bob Dylan cover)
3. She Belongs to Me(Bob Dylan cover)
4. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
5. Summertime(George Gershwin cover)
6. Five Bridges Suite
7. Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
1. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
February 1, 1970
Sunderland Empire
Sunderland, England, United Kingdomincomplete
1. Five Bridges Suite
2. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
3. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
4. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
January 30, 1970
Leeds Polytechnic
Leeds, England, United KingdomJanuary 28, 1970
Manufaktur
Schorndorf, Baden-Württemberg, GermanyJanuary 24, 1970
L'Olympia Bruno Coquatrix
Paris, Île-de-France, France1. Intermezzo: Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
2. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
3. Country Pie(Bob Dylan cover)
4. 3rd Movement - Acceptance "Brandenburger"
5. She Belongs to Me(Bob Dylan cover)
6. My Back Pages(Bob Dylan cover)
7. High Level Fugue 4th Bridge
8. Finale 5th Bridge
9. For Example
10. Blue Rondo à la Turk(The Dave Brubeck Quartet cover)
December 20, 1969
Fillmore East
New York, New York, United States1. Country Pie(Bob Dylan cover)
2. Five Bridges Suite
3. How Can We Hang on to a Dream?(Tim Hardin cover)
4. Intermezzo: Karelia Suite(Jean Sibelius cover)
5. America(Leonard Bernstein cover)
6. War and Peace
Some of The Nice's most popular tracks include America, The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack - 2009 Digital Remaster, Flower King Of Flies, The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack, Hang On To A Dream. Listen to these songs and discover more from their extensive catalog.
One of the first art-rock bands to experiment with classical forms and fusion, the Nice was an early vehicle for the talents of keyboard virtuoso Keith Emerson, who plundered Mozart, Bach, Sibelius, a... Read the full biography on this page.
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