The forthcoming release from "Straight Arrow" label is entitled "Chaos In College Park", and will feature complete September 27, 1974 College Park, MD, tour opening show. Just as their previous 3 releases, this new CD will come in a deluxe package with a 16-page booklet containing many rare colour and black & white photographs from the actual show, as well as comprehensive sleeve notes with an "Elvis in 1974" overview, with detailed information about the concert itself and the September/October 1974 tour. The producers are aware of the fact that this show is one of the most controversial Elvis Presley concerts ever. Among the show highlights are surprisingly solid performances of "It's Midnight" and "How Great Thou Art". This recording comes from a newly acquired original audience recorded master tape that was transferred and professionally restored by using 24 bit technology for the best possible sound quality.
Excerpt from sleeve notes:
"Over the years, it has been reported time and again that the September 27th show was probably the most tragic Elvis concert ever. While this concert is by no means Presley at his best, we must say that we have heard worse. This recording shows that this concert does not live up to the myths surrounding this night. While there is no doubt that Presley was in trouble, his show is for the most part "business as usual", and he actually turns in a couple of very decent performances, like for instance a showstopping "How Great Thou Art". Moreover, the audience is quite audible on this recording, and they appear to be having the time of their lives, from start to finish. It's interesting to compare this show to the one in the same city one day later. In fact, both concerts are rather similar, but surprisingly on the 27th, Elvis' voice seems less slurred between the songs and he is singing noticeably better for most of the time. Thus, another "Elvis Myth" is now laid to rest".
Tracklist:
01. Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. Opening Vamp / C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Love Me - 05. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) - 06. It's Midnight - 07. Big Boss Man - 08. Fever - 09. Love Me Tender - 10. Hound Dog - 11. Bridge Over Troubled Water - 12. Polk Salad Annie - 13. Band Introductions - 14. Lead Guitar Solo (by James Burton) - 15. Drums Solo (by Ronnie Tutt) - 16. Bass Solo (by Duke Bardwell) - 17. Piano Solo (by Glen D. Hardin) - 18. Killing Me Softly (by Voice) - 19. Why Me Lord - 20. All Shook Up - 21. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel - 22. Hawaiian Wedding Song - 23. How Great Thou Art - 24. Can't Help Falling In Love - 25. Closing Vamp / Announcements.
Approximate running time: 76:09
Cover Chaos In College Park
August 30, 2006 | Music
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on
August 30, 2006
HAHA i knew it was an audiance recording,no thanks,elvis giving a bad show and a audiance recording,2 great reasons to skip this one!
B_H wrote on
August 30, 2006
That cover looks really good! It depends on the sound if this release will be worth the price i think. The soundboards from this period has a really flat sound that makes the whole impresson of the show even bader the what it is. If this is like Adios (not likely thoug) it may be an interesting release.
MarkE wrote on
August 30, 2006
i agree about Adios, that release sounds excellent! i love audience recordings because you get the real 'feel'
You Dont Know Me wrote on
August 30, 2006
i have hear some of this release and sound is "GOOD" for an audience recording and especially 'atmosphere' given of being their... VERY worthwhile getting!, thus this will sit very soon in my CD shelf right next to Fort Baxters 28.9.74 release on CD.
thenexte wrote on
August 30, 2006
"This recording comes from a newly acquired original audience recorded master tape that was transferred and professionally restored by using 24 bit technology for the best possible sound quality." These types of statements just boggle my mind, what good is 24-bit technology if the source has maybe 12 bits of useful information?
Ton Bruins wrote on
August 31, 2006
Thus another Elvis Myth is now laid to rest. Damn, then I will not buy it. That makes this show one out of a million....too bad. I was waiting for a show were Elvis slurred his words, was too stoned to sing well and said some funny or stupid things on stage that night...
Lefty wrote on
August 31, 2006
I thought the show where Elvis rants on stage about the drug rumors was the worst show ever? It doesn't matter anyway. I'll save my money for the many great shows yet to be released.
Jerome wrote on
August 31, 2006
If this show was similar to the one the next night it will still be a show where Elvis is clearly not himself. The show on the 28th isn't his best one, far from it.
Ronaldv wrote on
August 31, 2006
so, this concert is not so bad as the elvis books stated all those past years. if the sound is comparable to the other "straight arrow" releases, I think I won't skip this one. it remains an unreleased concert, not one of the best, but there are worse concerts in the can and already released. Next release a tour concert from april 76 or Tahoe okt 74??? I hope so...
Linda 2 wrote on
September 10, 2006
I have checked with Fan Relations at EPE and this is a bootleg. Thought you guys would want to know.
You Dont Know Me wrote on
October 03, 2006
I have just had the 'pleasure' of recieving this CD and my first listen, booklet is excellent many pictures and a neat 'style' of printing the following days newspaper review on the actual Disc Laughing For 100% certain this concert is a better complete show than the next night on 28th Sept 74 as his attitude isn't 'bad' in fact it's funny(especially what he says about Jackie Kahane during the intros!) at times he DOES waffle talk too much(especially at the begining of the show) but he sounds somewhat clearer than the next night and his voice is better as well! You can certainly tell that something is wrong and that it's a step down from his start of season quality of August 74 Vegas shows, but nevertheless still an enjoyable concert! So i would certainly say that the 'myth' that Elvis was so completely 'out of it' that the whole show was a disaster is far, FAR from the truth...in fact the fans seem to be loving it! Laughing sure it's not the best of shows and to those around him a big drop in Elvis the performer than recently in August, but even having dropped a notch or two in College Park he still achieves a fair show and of cource WITH some quite decent 'highlights' Obviously i feel that out of 2 CD's from College Park THIS is the one i enjoy hearing much more than the 'Felton i'll rip your kidney out 'rubbish he said the next night. :roll:Oh and the closing Vamp is unbelievable...like he must have stayed on stage forever before leaving ..one of the longest closing vamps after a show as Elvis greeted fans i ever heard! Rolling Eyes
Greg Nolan wrote on
February 23, 2007
YDKM, you're on target. I got this recently and as the track listings note, "another 'Elvis Myth' is now laid to rest," - indeed.
Pay no attention to Mature's continual negativity. This turned out to be one of 2006's more interesting, and yes, controversial releases, as evidenced from the chatter on messageboards. This was precisely because people couldn't fathom that (a) an audience recording ("another one!") couldn't be worth it because (b) "it's that much maligned College Park, Maryland show from September 27th, 'the worst ever' "!
As Straight Arrow demonstrates with their fine, deluxe booklet and thoughtful notes, don't believe everything you've been told, even from a band member! And certainly the Washington Post, then and now.
The other show (the next night, I believe) can be heard on the second PROFILE boxset (hear it for free on Jordan's Elvis site). Now *that's* a melt-down. And even then, there are some decent performances. Both shows, however, show a rambling Elvis who shouldn't have been on stage, particularly the shocking (some might say "tragicomic") outbursts of the 28th.
This show definitely has its moments when you think he's about to lose it- one of the worst "Fever" renditions (basically half-assed) and quite a few moments of him rambling on and on. One can hear actually hear fans yelling at him to sing already at one point or another. The band introductions go on and on forever. It's a weird mix of a cringe fest -redeemed by a man singing his ass off all of a sudden, if need be. It's a tightwire act - and the fans and Elvis actually win by the end, as finally finds another gear on some of the songs, particularly "How Great Thou Art."
I'll say more another time but this is one of those neat "weird shows," like "Closing Night" that some of us find room for. Hat's off to Straight Arrow for again surprising us all, including a certain "physician" at another site who for the longest time stridently thought that this was mere hype---until he heard it. So all of you: I encourage you to take what we in the USA once called the "Pepsi Challenge" and seek out this disc.
Is it "chaos" - or not?