With a new Madison release just around the corner, time to review their previous escape of Elvis’ performance at the Riverfront Coliseum from March 21, 1976. This was previously released in 1995 on the Diamond Anniversary label as “Holding Back The Years”. Does the Madison beat the Diamond Anniversary release?
Design
It is a design from the Madison label, need we say more? Simply the standard for the quality bootleg releases; fully illustrated, detailed liner notes and matching additional background information.
Content
What a pleasure to review a soundboard concert again, hear Elvis as the audience heard him, not primarily hear the audience as Elvis probably heard them. The running time of this CD is a bit longer, but it gives a little bit more of the 2001 intro and a lot more of the late Al Dvorin. The Madison release is based on a binaural tape, the result of the remastering is a well balanced sound.
We’re talking 1976, Elvis and although looking kind of bloated he shows a good mood, full of energy and ready for a new kind of rhythm with a “new” band. Because Ronnie Tutt and Glenn D. Harding opted out of these dates the line up features the relative newcomers Larrie London (drums) and Shane Keisler (piano) next to his usual band James Burton, John Wilkinson, Jerry Scheff, David Briggs and Charlie Hodge. This setting delivers a slightly different kind of sound.
As for the show itself, Elvis sounds good to go and delivers some good performances. “Let Me Be There” gets a great up-beat treatment, just like “Polk Salad Annie”. This version really rocks with Elvis and the band pumping op the pace sound and enthusiasm of the performance, worth a respin. You can hear Elvis being proud of his performance, and asking for a break, trying to regain his breath (he surely needs the band introductions). There is no excuse for Elvis messing up “Burning Love” again … are you a professional, and not the #1 entertainer of the world? There are impersonators that can remember the lines to this song! Fortunately he makes up with a great “America The Beautiful”.
The show was well reviewed by Nigel Patterson for the DAE release of the show:
The opening track is a good version of See See Rider. In the next, Elvis introduces it with his trademark "well well well...thank you, that's it", while towards the end of Amen we are treated to an incredibly low note from J D Sumner, which has to be heard to be believed. Before going into an uninspired version of Love Me, replete with false start, Elvis claims to be confused between whether it is day or night.
Things improve with a solid if unremarkable version of Let Me Be There and this is followed by a pleasing rendition of Love Me Tender. The pace changes with the 'bluesy' Steamroller Blues and a fast, rollicking medley of All Shook Up, Teddy Bear and Don't Be Cruel. Elvis flags the next song by uttering "Mountain" and the band strikes up. He then messes up the lyrics for the first part of the song and spends the rest of it trying to regain his composure. This is amusing stuff.
Polk Salad Annie is next and features some scintillating guitar work from James Burton. All of Elvis's musicians shine during the introductions segment, a highlight being the sound generated by David Briggs on the electric piano. A short version of Hail, Hail Rock 'n' Roll closes the introductions and an obviously still 'puffed' Elvis delivers a nice version of And I Love You So, interrupted initially by a false start in which Elvis announces "I blacked out. I forgot the words".
In singing Hurt, Elvis indicates that it had been released earlier that week. Its newness in his repertoire is obvious as he really feels the lyrics and the audience are treated to a long reprise. In response they give Elvis rousing approval. Elvis seems tired and uninterested during the first half of Burning Love although his delivery improves dramatically by the end of the song. Better versions of Burning Love are available on CDs such as Running For President.
Elvis celebrates his home country's bicentennial year with a powerful, heartfelt version of America, The Beautiful and keeps his audience happy with a typically fast delivery of Hound Dog. Next comes the only pure country song of the concert, Funny How Time Slips Away (although Let Me Be There comes close). Elvis closes the show with an average version of Can't Help Falling In Love in which he doesn't even try for the high notes.
Conclusion
This release certainly is an upgrade of the original Diamond Anniversary edition and a nice show to add to the collection for those who don’t have it yet. But since the original release was a quality release too the owners of that CD will have to make up their minds for themselves.
A New Kind Of Rhythm
By ElvisNews.com / Kees, August 24, 2007 | Music
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RJ wrote on
August 24, 2007
A great, quality release. Soundwise however, I prefer the original DAE. The binaural track separation does not work too well, there's less punch. Still a fine release for those who do like binaural or missed out the DAE..
Mofoca22 wrote on
August 25, 2007
ok i have a bit of a gripe with the author and critic who wrote this. every true elvis fan knows elvis hated the song burning love and he only sang it top please the fans otherwise he wouldnt sing it but he sang it fast and careless just to get it over with like other songs such as all shook up , teddy bear/dont be cruel and jailhouse rock. give the guy a freaken break he had the right to show better intrest in songs he liked if half you fans accepted that he wasnt the 50's elvis anymore in the 70's and started to buy and listen to his better stuff which is his 70's stuff hed have more hits and may even still be alive he wanted to change but you all harbored parker into keep doing the old stuff day after day. give elvis a break and give him credit for even bother singing the song after 1972 your lucky he even sang it at all after the aloha special
Wiebe wrote on
August 25, 2007
I too think the original is better. the only difference i can hear is that the drums are very loud so you can't hear Elvis and the rest of the band very well. As for Burnin' Love, it's still a good performance. The reason why Elvis sometimes didn't like it could be the key it's written in, D major, so he had to start every line on a high f sharp, which is high for a baritone. So he had to make an effort on this song otherwise you don't get up there. That's why every version of this song is great, because he could't coast through it like All Shook Up etc.
ElvisDayByDay wrote on
August 25, 2007
Mofoca22, thanks for the reply. "Burning Love" wasn't on his list of favourites, so were many more of the almost 800 songs he recorded. Others were not suited to perform on stage. My point is that the performer himself can choose which songs he performs. One of the reasons to do a song is to please your audience. But if you do so, you have to be a professional and at least be able to perform it technically or know the lyrics by heart. If you can't do that you're either no professional, disrespect your public (who pays to see and hear you) and you're certainly not the greatest performer of all time.
I know there are many reasons Elvis was on stage when he wasn't supposed to be, but who is to blame for that, Elvis or his audience? And don't say it is the Colonel, Elvis hired him and lost control there too. If your motto is "Taking Care Of Business" you should put your money where your mouth is and melt that snowman.
Just because I admire the man and many of his achievements does not mean I have to accept or like everything. If you would go to a concert today, would you accept it from the performer if he couldn't perform the songs you want to hear, needs a restart or he has to read the lyrics from a sheet? I wouldn't.
Lex wrote on
August 25, 2007
Wow, Kees, you left me speechless :-). For once I totally agree with you!
Steve V wrote on
August 25, 2007
agree with Kees. The songs that were big hits should never have been 'thrownaway' in concert. Even in 1969 the medley of TeddyBear/Dont Be Cruel was an injustice to these classics. Elvis may have sung these songs to please his fans, but to sing them in a medley or rushed manner was not fair to many fans who wanted to hear these classics. I recently attended a Neil Sedaka concert. He made a point of saying he will do all his major hit songs and full versions, no medleys. And he did at 67 years old! If Elvis didnt like these songs anymore, he should have left them out of his show. IN Aloha a great version of Burning Love was performed. Why not all the time? To keep Hound Dog and others in his show until 1977 and mumble his way thru a one minute version was a shame.
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on
August 25, 2007
I agree about giving your fans great shows and singing all your songs with power and not sounding like your bored,but i think its also a fact that his fans didnt expect much from him,hect alot of them were just happy to see him in concert and maybe get a kiss and scarf,thats no reason to go on auto-pilot but he did many times and the thing is it happened way before lets say 1976,it started in vegas, lets say by maybe 72 at the latest 73,so many errors were made for a man with talents that many then and now dream of,ill never understand why a singer with all the songs he had to chose from in the 70's stuck to the same few classics,and from the 60's he did very little,just because one audiance doesnt giving you a standing ovation after you rework your song list, doesnt mean you give up the idea all together,im a fan of him but i do find myself annoyed with some of the moves or lack of moves he made,i think lack of confidence really hurt him,one more thing ill never get is why that guy who sang danny boy at his concerts,was even on stage with him,you know the guy,buy the way,why not sing it yourself?i know he did,but not many times,as for this show,id rather have the original and i love the drumming of larry london!
Bill Rauhuff wrote on
August 25, 2007
I agree with all of the statements that is why Elvis is a 360 degree enigma the best and worse. I would have loved in concert Kentucky Rain, My Baby Left Me, I'm Counting On You, Return to Sender, Promised Land, Money Honey, I am sick of a lot of the 50s songs myself. How about Long Black Limousine or Power of my Love or hundreds more but we have what we have and I am thankful for that. Also the King of Rock should never have done all of those MOR songs like It"s Impossible ect ect.
Natha wrote on
August 26, 2007
Retrospectively we may have ideas about a specific show. In those days I for one (and I know many with me) enthousiastically welcomed and enjoyed his recordings. In the case of live recordings: do pay attention to the audience (they paid much more for it than we do for a CD) and let them be the judge. Obviously they enjoyed it too, so...? We wanted to see and hear him sing. So he did over 1.000 shows. Yes, sometimes he feels bored. Don't you at your work from time to time? Yet he did it and we enjoyed every single moment of seeing him perform. In those days the news may have spread slower than nowadays through internet. But the people kept on asking and that says a lot. And lets not forget - It is quite a different thing to judge a show afterwards, listening and scrutinizing every bit of the tape. I guess you all know that the feeling of a live concert adds unmistakenly to the overall validation of the show afterwards. If I want to hear ELVIS at his best, I select a studio recording, otherwise I like to enjoy the sensation of the people while listening to the KING.
benny scott wrote on
August 27, 2007
Natha : well said, how right you are ! That's my way of thinking too.
Lefty wrote on
August 28, 2007
I was surprised to find a new review of this release, being that it's been out for a while. In short, this CD stands out as one of my favorites. The sound is incredible. It's as close to stereo as you'll ever get on a soundboard. And what a show! Larry Londin is great, even better on the drums that night than in Indianapolis for the final concert. Man, he just kicks it on See See Rider! Elvis was also in top form. No re-do on JD's b-52. Elvis hits a great high note on America The Beautiful. It was done so well that a reprise would've taken away from it. Hurt is a highlight. It was so new that Guercio didn't have an arrangement for it. No opening trumpets. No orchestra. Just Elvis and the TCB band. Very cool. Yeah, Elvis jacks up a couple of tune. You Gave Me a Mountain is a total loss. Burning Love too. Oh well. Nevertheless, the overall show is outstanding. Madison should just take over for BMG in regards to production, and the fans in Ohio went just crazy that night. What a great crowd. I'd of loved to have been there.
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on
August 28, 2007
How can you be bored? your a performer not sitting behind a desk in a boring office somewere,isnt there a difference? You can make all the moves you wont, choose new songs to put into your shows etc,when your bored maybe its best to take some time off on instead of walking on stage uninspired and giving lacklucker shows and making yourself look bad!
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on
August 28, 2007
By the way if he hated the song burning love so much,why on earth did he record it? it gave him a top ten record,wouldnt that be a good thing?
Joe Carr wrote on
September 03, 2007
Look, lets cut the guy some slack, his last few years were very hectic and difficult for him. Not only was he battling an addiction, he suffered from bouts of depression, which makes showering a chore, let alone performing a concert. People often mistake depression, for boredom or laziness, it's really a fine line, thus some of his concerts, became hit and miss. One of the major signs of depression, is a lack of desire and focus, two traits Elvis exhibited at times, when not right. He also had a degenerate gambler for a manager, that was robbing him blind, thus forcing him to work more often. Questioning Elvis' work ethic could never be challenged prior to 1973, so something was obviously wrong. Kees, I personally don't think you are being fair with Elvis, he couldn't keep control of his life his last few years, how could he be expected to be in control of his career? That was the Colonel's job. Given the mental state he was in, it would have been too much to ask of him to assume that responsibility at this stage of his life.
Elvisnites wrote on
September 03, 2007
Thank you Joe Carr, finally some true insite into these years. As far as Burning Love, Elvis did several songs he did not like personally, but he always knew what the fans liked and would put his own personal feeling aside. Thats what made him great. He had an uncanny ability to know what we wanted to hear.
benny scott wrote on
September 03, 2007
Joe Carr : your comment is a " Bullseye" , right on target and so true! That's the way it was ! Always El
Natha wrote on
September 04, 2007
Joe Carr: excellent analysis. I am happy that there are also some other 'voices' on this site. Elvisnites adds an important issue here. Thanks to the both of you.
Greg Nolan wrote on
March 14, 2008
Yes, thanks, "SoHigh." Have you even bought it? It's a huge improvement and I agree that it's one of the most satifying concerts in my collection -- because of the sound, and especially the "new rhythm" - which is so much more apparent on this set! Excellent work, Madison! It took me a while to get it but I'm glad I did! It's a powerhouse! It's too bad the review recycles an autopilot review. I found even the '50s oldies sounding very much full of zest and a great touch of the audience sound, too! Love the "new rhythm"! Get this!