Another re-release in cooperation between Southern Comfort and Audionics saw the day of light recently, this time it is the original Rockin' With Elvis April Fool's Day. Is it worth to upgrade?
Design
The design is different and attractive. It’s a fold out slipcase with the CD in the centre panel. The booklet is pretty original, smaller than usual and fits in the left panel.
The pictures chosen are all from the period of the show (March- May 1975), merely of Elvis in the two piece suits (which I prefer way over the overdone jumpsuits).
In other words, it is something different and well designed.
Content
The audio quality is certainly better than the original. For an audience recording it’s certainly not bad, but it doesn’t belong to the best ones. The quality goes up and down a bit, probably due to the original tape. Especially See See Rider, Big Boss Man and School Days suffer from it.
The show is pretty good, fine renditions of And I Love You So (what a difference with the out of tune versions of later years), My Boy and How Great Thou Art are to me the toppers of this show. The producers can’t do anything about my greatest objection of this show: the boring introductions… probably it was nice at the time, when you were there… but I’ve heard them more than enough by now... especially David Briggs is a very annoying part of it.
The additional tracks from the midnight show are nice to full up the CD, but somehow it doesn’t fit after a complete show. Still we get some more than nice performances for the same price ;-).
Conclusion
If you don’t have the original, it’s almost a must. Elvis is more relaxed than during the “rushed” May/June tour and really takes his time to deliver some very nice performances. For the owners of the original: as said the quality is improved and this release has artwork, so make up your mind!
Tracks:
01. Opening Vamp / C. C. Rider - 02. I Got A Woman / Amen - 03. Love Me - 04. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) - 05. And I Love You So - 06. Big Boss Man - 07. The Wonder Of You - 08. Burning Love - 09. Band Introductions - 10. What'd I Say - 11. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt) - 12. Bass Solo (Duke Bardwell) - 13. Piano Solo (Glen D. Hardin) - 14. Electric Piano Solo (David Briggs) - 15. School Day - 16. Celebrity Introductions: Roy Clark, Conrad Hilton / The Great Pretender (excerpt) - 17. My Boy - 18. I'll Remember You - 19. Let Me Be There - 20. Celebrity Introduction: actor Hugh O'Brian - 21. How Great Thou Art - 22. Hound Dog - 23. Fairytale - 24. Can't Help Falling In Love - 25. Closing Vamp.
Bonus Tracks (highlights from Las Vegas, April 1st, 1975, Midnight show - Closing night):
26. Big Boss Man* - 27. It's Midnight * - 28. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - 29. An American Trilogy - 30. Help Me Make It Through The Night / Mickey Mouse March - 31. Steamroller Blues
* taken from booth tape.
The pictures in this are from Sandi Pichon. I sure hope she was given credit and/or paid. Many boots out there don't seem to give respect to the photos & photographers they 'borrow' and that's a cryin' shame...
I don't care who is Sandi Nixon but one thing is sure: this is a great bootleg CD. One of the 10 best audience recordings. Great El was in high spirits in march 75. Las Vegas 75 rulezzz!!! Keep 'em coming. K.Z. <-o-> r.i.p. Sandi,good bye. You won't be missed. Adios.
This was my first bootleg i bought way back in 1985, now 24 years later i get to enjoy it MORE- because of the better sound, completeness + bonus Midnight show tracks!. This to my view is the Best bootleg digi-pack ever- tremendous professional + QUALITY look! the sheer 'intimit' feel with the audience in awe during songs like 'and i love you so' is fantastic! well, WELL worth buying!
also i found this boot also has copyright protection and cannot be copies! is that a first too?
I don't like audience recordings but this is a good one. Very good sound and good show here. Thanks for the pictures,Sandi. I'm sure you're a big Elvis-fan and i'm envious of you for attending so many Elvis-concerts. This blue artwork looks good,unlike the new "I'll Remember You" FTD. "April Fool's Dinner" shows that even simple digipacks may look good if they were designed with a little care. Something that the FTD designers will never learn.
It's good to hear some positive reactions as this release on design alone is a stand-out and almost a whole new standard - even without a full-sixteen pages of a booklet. The unusual package alone stands out as very unique and a full sense of "quality" and "care" is evident. It's also good to see even ol' Lex being impressed here. Although as a reminder, even those who have the original CD (one generation removed from the original tape as it was dubbed from the vinyl record) and the initial vinyl release as well have not been upgraded to modern standards like this title. They've added the real final two songs (the first versions had two songs (includng "Can't Help Falling in Love" lifted from Elvis' '74 live album on RCA as recorded in Memphis.
Skeptics will think "oh an audience recording" but it's actually surprisingly good sounding and clearly improved from the original. The show is quite professional without being robotic (some humor but not too much) and I can't share Lex's disdain for the band intros, which are pretty tolerable and even enjoyable in small doses. All in all, this SOUTHERN COMFORT / Audionics "Team-up" really packs a whallop. What a bumper crop of great Elvis releases (and I include FTDs) and may we enjoy - and support- all of them.
Yes Greg agree entirely and the overall complete offering here has Zero problem making my top 10 bootlegs of all time!
Glad I managed to get this CD ! And very good " Greg Nolan"-comment (as always !!! ) Always El.
Why thank you, Benny. It seems the rage too often on this site and others is to have a "Drive-by" style "hit" or attack on someone or something. They call this "snark" or being "snarky." So when I like a release, I like to give a thoughtful appraisal and I think we're all capable of being constructive. It's a good time for Elvis fans and collectors- (a truckload of great releases) let's not forget that!
