Here is the real press release by Straight Arrow, for their upcoming CD set covering February 22, 1973.
Coming out soon is the new Straight Arrow's double-digipak release "LIVING FROM DAY TO DAY, CHASING A DREAM", featuring the February 22, 1973 Dinner and Midnight performances plus a bonus: the majority of the February 21, 1973 Dinner show. All 3 shows are taken from original „booth recordings“, taped by the same person. The sound quality is far superior to the usual audience recordings. Ask your local dealer for samples!
The general wisdom about the January / February 1973 engagement is that Elvis was depressed about returning to Las Vegas following the great high of ‘Aloha From Hawaii’. In a way it’s interesting that this viewpoint has become so widely accepted, because there is precious little evidence for it. Elvis did have to cancel a few shows due to a nasty throat infection, but most people that work in the music business will tell you that these things happen. Elvis had similar problems during the January / February 1970 engagement, which is widely regarded as one of his best.
The unreleased booth tape recordings as featured on this release provide us with an interesting insight into this engagement. Both complete tapes are quite crisp, really fresh-sounding and dynamic, and they are an excellent representation of the two shows that he performed in Vegas on February 22, 1973.
Granted, he is not firing on all cylinders, possibly due to his throat infection, but other than that he’s singing well and the shows themselves have a lovely feel to them, warm and very personal. It’s been said that ‘I’m Leavin’ was one of his favourites, and indeed he performs it brilliantly here, 3 times, bringing life to the world-weary lyrics.
As a bonus, Audionics added a part of the February 21 Dinner Show. There were some audio problems on some of the tracks, so they decided to just include the best parts of the show as an extra on this release.
Note: the February 22, 1973 M/S was released (by the „Showroom“ label, „Back In The Desert“ CD, 2012) from an inferior audience recorded source. This CD has nothing to do with Straight Arrow’s „booth tape“ version. Unfortunately, the person who recorded Feb. 22, 1973 M/S stopped his recorder during Jackie Kahane‘s pre-program and switched it on only near the end of „C. C. Rider.“ Instead of splicing the „booth tape“ with the substandard audience recorded version of the same show, Audionics decided to use beginning of February 21, 1973 Dinner Show to fill the missing part.
Tracklisting
CD1 - Thursday, February 22, 1973 Dinner Show
01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Love Me Tender (with false start) - 05. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me - 06. Steamroller Blues - 07. You Gave Me A Mountain - 08. Fever / I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen (one line) - 09. Love Me - 10. Blue Suede Shoes - 11. I’m Leavin‘ - 12. Hound Dog - 13. What Now My Love - 14. Suspicious Minds - 15. Introduction of vocalists, musicians, orchestra - 16. I’ll Remember You (with false start) - 17. I Can’t Stop Loving You - 18. An American Trilogy (with reprise) - 19. Can’t Help Falling In Love - 20. Closing Vamp / Announcements / fan chat.
Bonus (Wednesday, February 21, 1973 Dinner Show):
21. I Got A Woman / Amen - 22. Love Me Tender (with false start) - 23. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me - 24. Steamroller Blues - 25. You Gave Me A Mountain - 26. Fever .
CD2 - Thursday, February 22, 1973 Midnight Show
01. Part of pre-program by Jackie Kahane - 02. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra* - 03. C. C. Rider (spliced*) - 04. I Got A Woman / Amen - 05. Love Me Tender (with false start) - 06. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me - 07. Steamroller Blues - 08. You Gave Me A Mountain - 09. Fever - 10. Love Me - 11. Blue Suede Shoes - 12. I’m Leavin‘ - 13. Hound Dog - 14. What Now My Love - 15. Suspicious Minds - 16. Introduction of vocalists, musicians, orchestra - 17. I’ll Remember You - 18. I Can’t Stop Loving You - 19. An American Trilogy - 20. Can’t Help Falling In Love - 21. Closing Vamp / Announcements / fan chat. *taken from February 21, 1973 Dinner Show.
Bonus (Wednesday, February 21, 1973 Dinner Show continues):
22. Love Me - 23. Blue Suede Shoes - 24. I’m Leavin‘ - 25. Hound Dog - 26. What Now My Love (with false start and reprise) - 27. Suspicious Minds.