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A Private Audience With The King

November 27, 2010 | Music

Straight Arrow is planning a new 2CD release, a jewel case with a gorgeous 16-page booklet: "A Private Audience With The King" (SA 2010-16-02) and it will feature one of the best shows from his final Las Vegas engagement, namely the December 8th, 1976 9PM show, taken from the original source. Once again, a really good audience recording!

This recording was previously released in 1991 by the PEAF label ("Tornado From Vegas"), but it was an incomplete version edited down to 70 minutes and the sound quality was below par. Straight Arrow was lucky enough to work with the original audio cassette as recorded by "Gemini", who was happy enough to attend and record all 15 shows of this season.

This December 8th, 9PM concert is somewhat special. Elvis looked and sounded better than in the days before this show, and he gave strong, laid-back performance which lasted for 84 minutes. 400 British fans were present together with fan club president Todd Slaughter, British journalist Clifford Davies, Elvis’ father Vernon and show business colleagues Liza Minelli, Merv Griffin, Tanya Tucker.

Among the show highlights are solid versions of "That's All Right", "Softly As I Leave You", "Hurt" and a knockout performance of "How Great Thou Art.

The CD package is completed with a 16-page booklet, including a rare collection of photos from the December 8th, 9PM show and liner notes written by a person who was THERE and describes the show in fascinating detail. "A Private Audience With The King" will be released on December 10th, 2010. Do not miss your chance to obtain another winner from Straight Arrow!

Tracks:
Disc #1:
01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Monologue - 05. Love Me - 06. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) (with false start) - 07. You Gave Me A Mountain - 08. Jailhouse Rock - 09. O Sole Mio (by Sherrill Nielsen) / It's Now Or Never 10. Blue Christmas - 11. That's All Right, Mama - 12. Are You Lonesome Tonight - 13. Softly As I Leave You (with Sherrill Nielsen) - 14. Blue Suede Shoes - 15. Heartbreak Hotel - 16. Bridge Over Troubled Water (with 2 false starts).

Disc #2:
01. Introductions by Elvis of Singers, Musicians - 02. Early Mornin' Rain (John Wilkinson) - 03. What'd I Say (James Burton) - 04. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt) - 05. Bass Solo (Jerry Scheff) - 06. Piano Solo (Tony Brown) - 07. Electric Piano & Clavinet Solo (David Briggs) - 08. Love Letters 09. School Day - 10. School Day (reprise) - 11. Introductions by Elvis of Celebrities - 12. Hurt (with reprise) - 13. Mystery Train / Tiger Man - 14. How Great Thou Art - 15. Can't Help Falling In Love - 16. Closing Vamp.
Approximate running time: 84 minutes.

Source:For CD Collectors Only
Santa Claus wrote on November 27, 2010
If they have access to the man who recorded them all, why do they start with an already released show? Otherwise this is a welcome release as I find the 1975 and 1976 Vegas shows very interesting.
FLY-TROUBLE! wrote on November 27, 2010
First of all,it's a woman and not a man. As for S.A., so far they didn't have too much luck with these dec. 1976 releases. "The Last Vegas Opening Night" delayed for long months and finally it turned out that the so called improved sound is about the same as on the CD-R. Maybe 1% better. A long waiting for nothing... Then "Here Come The Stars" sounded WORSE than "Love Letters From Nevada". Muffled,flat sound (bad noise reduction). Even if the guy behind the label managed to find the lady who recorded the shows and he has access to the master tapes,it's not enough. He's a bad sound engineer and better generation tapes can't guarantee the better sound.
Ciscoking wrote on November 27, 2010
Try to get an original..Fly Trouble....I like most of these shows and didn`t have the chance to get hold of one of the rare originals....I am sure many others too don`t have the rare first releases either....any re-release of these shows is most welcome..he sound is not as bad as you described ..there are worse..keep em coming...these good shows with appealing setlists..
pab75 wrote on November 27, 2010
Sounds great but these disc and reviews never have a link on where you can get it. I would love to get it. Any help please.
Tony C wrote on November 27, 2010
I clearly remember reading reports about this show in the "Elvis Monthly" magazine from the UK fans who were there. It was exciting to read these reports as I was saving to go to Vegas, by then I had pretty much given up hope of Elvis ever coming to England. Sadly it was not to be.
HangLoose wrote on November 27, 2010
Years ago i had Tornado in Vegas but the sound was so bad that i sold it. If it's the same source than don't expect anything good soundwise.
Jesse Garon Presley wrote on November 28, 2010
HangLoose it's a release from Straight Arrow so far they never released a bad cd let alone a cd with the sound below par don't judge before your heard this release i'm sure this will be a winner too
Ronaldv wrote on November 28, 2010
I digged up my Tornado from Vegas cdr tonight and listened to it: the sound is not so bad as described here! It's actually quite good. If you don't like the sound on this old boot, you have a real problem if you buy this SA cd...You will be disappointed for sure here, believe me, I know it from experience. This previously released show is not worth buying until a soundboard turns up in 2027... If you have a problem with the sound on 'Tornado' you better not buy this: audience recorded stays audience recorded. After searching for nearly 5 years for an original Love letters from Nevada cd, I tracked down a copy last year: NO show of this vegas season can be better: showwise and soundwise (the sound on the sbd Run on cd is lousy and the show is not as good as the love letters from Nevada cd)
Ciscoking wrote on November 28, 2010
The show is complete this time..Tornado was incomplete with almost all intros missing....this means they have a new tape.. For fans of these recordings a must have..the show is good.....the setlist is fine....
FLY-TROUBLE! wrote on November 28, 2010
Since it was recorded by the same woman,it will be the same recording. This time in unedited form. For $30 here's the chance to get those fantastic intros:) And since it's the same audience recording,the sound will be about the same. Maybe 5% better,but considering how bad "Tornado" sounded,it's not much difference. There's no miracle machine. This is an audience recording and they will never be able to improve the sound significantly. Maybe they remove some hiss that will result hiss-free but muffled sound,maybe they do little tricks,they add reverb etc. but basically it will remain the same sh.tty audience recording.
Ciscoking wrote on November 28, 2010
You dont like it..we have understood..that`s o.k..I like it..hope that`s o.k., too..;-)
Jesse Garon Presley wrote on November 28, 2010
Ciscoking clearly states that Straight Arrow has a new tape a better source , for the first release from the PEAF label they most likely used a very bad inferior tape with a large part missing of the show that says it all and the SA people cleary do have a better tape otherwise they wouldn't going to release it and so far Straight Arrow hasn't dissapointed us they also saying that with the first release the sound was below par so without any doubt this release from Straight Arrow the sound will be the other way around.
Santa Claus wrote on November 28, 2010
More and more I get the impression that this site here is a ring with two or three bootleg-parties fighting in.
Tony C wrote on November 28, 2010
I notice the usual comments about how bad the sound will be before it's even released! Even if the concert it the same recording, the previous one may have been a 10th generation copy, so it can easily be improved if this is from the original cassette. What we term good or bad recordings are also very subjective, some people have expectations of these audience and soundboard tapes that are way too high.
You Dont Know Me wrote on November 28, 2010
This wil be another one to collect because:- 1.) it WILL BE COMPLETE show in improved sound(compared to Tornado from Vegas) 2.)the label is STRAIGH ARROW and that stands for QUALITY 3.) its not a bad show maybe Elvis is a bit rusty with all his 'false starts' to songs but its a good set list and ok show- certainly one i will be enjoying. I don't know what FlyTrouble means about the Opening Show of this season not sounding too good? As i found it an essential Bootleg and good quality!
TCBforever wrote on December 01, 2010
It always makes me laugh when they say "got hold of new tape etc... This recording has been available for years and the woman who recorded the whole 15 shows has given them to people years ago. Why the lies about the tapes?
benny scott wrote on December 01, 2010
TCBforever : interesting statement ! But how come the release in 1991 was incomplete , in spite, according to you, we're talking about the same tape(s) ! Awaiting a valid explanation from your side . Thanks in advance. Always El.
Erika Freiburger wrote on December 01, 2010
TCBforever is right. Anne E. Nixon was lucky enough to attend the last Vegas season and recorded all 15 shows. It's the same recording that was used for Tornado From Vegas 19 years ago. Then the intros were edited slightly to make the show fit onto one CD. Now it will be a little more complete (and more expensive) but that's all. It's the same recording so don't expect miracles. Of course good enough for those who don't have the old release,though the sound is not very good. Love, Erika
benny scott wrote on December 01, 2010
Thanks for the info Erika ! I don't have the old release so I'll take a chance on this one, hoping I won't be too disappointed ! Always El.
Ciscoking wrote on December 02, 2010
Tornado From Vegas has a RT of 70:42...the unedited source runs 83:46...so there must be a bit more more than only "slighty edited parts of the intros" missing....lol..
HangLoose wrote on December 02, 2010
I can't wait to hear that 13 extra minutes of bad sounding band intros! :):) And paying double price to have them. Ha ha ha. Ouch!
Ciscoking wrote on December 02, 2010
I am just giving infos cause I have all these tapes in my collection. These infos are for serious collectors who want to know these things...and it simply helps a bit.. if you don`t need these infos please don`t "haha"....just simply notice them and all is fine....please reconsider a bit about your "precious" input....and just skip this release..
HangLoose wrote on December 03, 2010
Don't worry,i'll skip it without hesitation.
You Dont Know Me wrote on December 10, 2010
Well it has been RELEASED on December 8th so now people can judge the sound AND completeness if they wish too!~.