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Las Vegas 1975

By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, May 27, 2016 | Music

The latest FTD batch arrived. Here is my view on Las Vegas 1975.

Design

It is a regular fold open release, the panels carry pictures from the engagement,  but most are unsharp and blurry. The font is a bit small, but the contrast okay.

Content

March 22 1975 M.S.

Soundwise this soundboard is not belonging to the best, but not too bad either, once you're used to it. Unfortunately, since the song line-up makes this one of the more interesting shows. The show is not as good as the famous "opening night" in 1974, but it comes pretty close: hardly any throwaway versions of the oldies, but in general strong versions of his more recent work. I admit there is/was still room for better songs, but at least it is not the boring thing that a lot of the later shows were (and even quite some earlier). Even the introductions are not as boring as usual, still way too long, but not as boring! Anyway, with with versions of It's Midnight, Promised Land, Green Green Grass of Home, My Boy and You're the Reason I'm Livin' you have at least a handful of not too often played tunes. Those that have A Profile, Volume 2 (Fort Baxter), Back With A Bang (Audionics/ Fort Baxter) or Las Vegas Happening(Rock Legends): you're not crazy... you heard the show before! The bonus songs do not add much to the CD in my opinion.

After I wrote this I looked back on what I thought in the past. It turns out I'm pretty consistent ;)? Here is what I wrote 8 years ago:

Overall it is a show like an Elvis show should be: quite some songs from the recent (Today-) session (Green Green Grass of Home, It’s Midnight, Fairytale and And I Love You So), recent singles (Promised Land, My Boy), some “pop songs of the day” (the Olivia Newton-John hits) some oldies and even a real surprise (You’re the Reason I’m Livin’).
Unfortunately Elvis messes up some things a bit. Even I Got A Woman is stopped, but E continues it well like a human beat box. I’ll Remember You, although well sung, gets some fooling around too, a pity! During the (way too long) introductions Elvis imitates a stand-up comedian. Boy, am I glad he had to make his money as a singer! After this boring part there are some real gems: My Boy will always be a weak spot for me and the surprise song You’re The Reason I’m Livin’ was a sensation at the time this release came out for the first time. Even BMG copied it later on their Vegas box.
Disregarding the minors it is a pretty good show, not as good as the July tour of that same year, but in general one can say that the new songs were good, especially the ballads and the throwaway versions of the oldies couldn’t spoil the whole picture.

The April 1st show is a different piece of cake. The show is less interesting, 'more regular', very close to the May/June shows of which we have a lot already, don't get me wrong, it's still entertaining, but not as interesting. Soundwise it is about the same, only with Elvis more upfront. During And I Love You So it suddenly changes, it doesn't get better or worse, just a bit fuller. 

Conclusion

The package is not the most spectacular, but it's the content that counts. One very entertaining show - that most of us had a few times before, but now legally for the first time - and one more than okay show. I stopped wondering the release policy and just take it as is. I guess there is no thought behind it (anymore?), they just release what they have.

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Lefty wrote on May 28, 2016
For the newer fans and the die hard collectors, this may be a gem. For me, it's just another soundboard that may be slightly superior or inferior to the plethora of other soundboards in my collection. There is not enough interesting or "new" material to keep me interested. After the disappointing West Coast Tours, I've decided to stop buying soundboards. ARs are totally out of the question. I keep one dim candle lit for the hope that the On Tour shows will be released, but even that seems hopeless now. Too bad, really, since the On Tour stuff seems to be the only quality material they have left in the vault.
Ciscoking wrote on May 29, 2016
I think both shows are very well chosen and do represent this Vegas season quite properly. It was a good one.
You Dont Know Me wrote on June 15, 2016
I REALLY have enjoyed this FTD release, just a tiny pity Disc 2 only runs for 50 minutes and has a hilarious part of this show missing tonight(I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN) but otherwise what i noticed the most was in these mixes the sheer INTIMATE/UP CLOSE personal SOUND of Elvis.... certainly i never quite enjoyed such closeness of sound ever before- also the show from 22nd made me realise why i like Elvis so much- was a damm good show AND with 'rarities' performed very well. a fantastic recommended release from FTD -many thanks!~
Dazman wrote on June 18, 2016
Got my copy this week. To sum it all up, it's Elvis at his professional best. Let's hope FTD keep all future SB releases to this standard. The March 22 MS is by far and away the best with not only singing well on his then recent hits and rarities but he also possesses very sharp wit. Check out his repartee with the Sweets during the intro's, he's really on a roll ! Not even fouling up Hound Dog sours things, in fact it makes the occasion even funnier. April Fools night is a little less appealing but he still delivers a no-nonsense performance with a stirring version of My Boy and some beautiful phrasing during I'll Remember You to name a couple of fave's. Sound wise the tapes sure sound pretty oxidised showing their age, sounds like you're listening to an AM transistor radio but it's good to have matching sound from both shows all the same, besides it gives these performances a bit of history too. The sound from the Big Boss Man FTD sounds too flat. It sounds like the drummer is playing a toy drum kit, whereas the sound on Vegas '75 gives the instruments a lot more bite. A very satisfying release.
Dazman wrote on June 24, 2016
Ciscoking: on a trivial note, now we have the complete March 22 M/S, on what date did Elvis sing those few lines of 'Roses Are Red' ? It's nowhere to be heard on disc 1.
Ciscoking wrote on July 08, 2016
Infortunately the beginning of the show was not recorded on SB. It stems from March 20 DS. The real show begins with Love Me..right after Roses Are Red.
Ciscoking wrote on July 08, 2016
I gpt a woman/amen was NOT recorded by the sound engineer.