Go to main content

On The Road Again

May 12, 2004 | Music
Memory Records re-released two concerts again. Are they worth buying?

Design

The design of this release is very good again. The designer comes up with new themes for every new set. The printing is a bit dark, which doesn't do the design justice.

The liner notes are an honest review of the concert and give additional information on the equipment used.

Content

As said, these releases are re-releases. This particular concert of November 11, 1970 was released before as “One Night In Portland” on the Live Archives label.

The show itself is a good show in a good audio quality, especially with the vague audience recordings flooding the Elvis world the last two years, this one was a joy to listen to.

The concert itself also is a pleasure to listen to. Elvis is in a good mood, interacts with the almost 12.000 people in public, including a “wild child” that tries to get his attention over and over again (yes he will make the rounds during “Love me Tender”). Elvis refers to several celebrities like Johnny Cash and Tom Jones and we even get a snippet of “I Walk The Line” by the TCB Band.

Most songs are performed with pleasure and fun, so much that Elvis needs four starts to deliver “Bridge Over Troubled Water” blaming Genn D. Hardin that the mood isn’t serious enough to sing “Bridge Over The River Kwai” and the Sweet Inspiration almost seem to loose their contract to the Blossoms. "Johnny B Goode" really rocks and Elvis sings "Happy Birthday" to James after the song. Also funny is Elvis changing the lyrics of "Suspicious Minds" to “I can’t walk out, because Elvis has left the building”.

The CD ends with fans talking after the concert, which might be interesting once, but not each time. We had preferred the bonus tracks (all from August 21, 1970) to be the last track of the CD so we can enjoy all the music on this release in a row.

Conclusion

A good concert, in a good quality (for an audience recording) but Elvis is a bit too playful to deliver all songs as he should. This CD is recommended if you don't have the concert, and even if you have the previous release, you might want to have this one for the better quality.