In the regular FTD series we get a 2CD with two more or less complete shows. Is it double fun?
Design
As usual with the regular series, one can hardly speak about design. FTD beats itself this time with the unreadable text with the Hilton in the background. Probably that’s why they spread the text beforehand. The CDs are red and white, inverse of each other.
Content
The first show is the famous opening night of the season on August 19, 1974, the one NOT starting with Also Sprach Zarathustra and nearly without the rushed oldies… in other words something completely different. One of my favourite shows only for that reason. It has been talked about so often, that I skip the content for this one, there are very good reviews of the show available...
Most of us have it on bootleg for over a decade, still I was looking forward to the official release, hoping for improvement. I have both the Fort Baxter release (If You Talk In Your Sleep) and the DAE version (… from Sunset Boulevard… to Paradise Road) and always preferred the FB release, it was less clear than the DAE but it didn’t have the irritating reverb. This FTD is somewhere in between, it is obviously clearer than the FB and lacks the reverb. In other words: it is an improvement in my book. I bet it will stay one of the few shows that I’ll play every now and then; and from now on this version.
The second show was “new” to me. This August 21 (M.S.) show is one of the better of the engagement (as far as I know them). Elvis is talkative, but not too… He certainly isn’t as screwed as later in the season. He is good humoured, joking around and above all… really delivering some good performances (although I have to admit he even did that in the “weird” shows).
After the (again) standard opening with 2001, See See Rider and the I Got A Woman/ Amen routine (with JD Sumner as target for some jokes) Elvis brings the Olivia Newton-John hit If You Love Me, a song he obviously liked, just like that other ONT hit, Let Me Be There. A beautiful rendition of It’s Midnight precedes Big Boss Man (less tight than on opening night) and a nice but not special rendition of Fever. After rushing through Love Me Tender and All Shook Up there is a pretty long dialogue before he brings a beautiful version of I’m Leavin’. Next up is the singing saw for Softly As I Leave You and is it rush hour again for Hound Dog. Two 70’s classics You Gave Me A Mountain and a steaming Polk Salad Annie are followed by the introductions; including a one liner of Take These Chains From My Heart. Another highlight in this show is If You Talk In Your Sleep. While Why Me Lord is done by JD Elvis is obviously clowning around, since JD is totally unable to sing the second verse. Teddy Bear/ Don’t Be Cruel gets the usual treatment and then it’s time for the boring Hawaiian Wedding Song; nothing wrong with the rendition, but I just don’t like the song... actually this version is somewhat funny, since Elvis raises his voice pretty suddenly near the end. Unfortunately The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is not complete, but the beginning and the end are on it and it lasts over 2 minutes. Now it’s time for that other ONT hit including the reprise, before the usual closing with Can’t Help Falling In Love.
The sound quality of this second show is slightly better than the opening night. The balance between singers and music is still far from perfect, but you hear the instruments better. We knew that already from the Live in Las Vegas box, were some of the tracks were included.
Conclusion
Playing these CDs was certainly double fun, since the first is in better sound quality than previous outings and the second is an entertaining show that already made it twice in my player.
I am looking forward to hear it. As Lex is saying, the first show was very different from the usual Presley show. Maybe it was the poor reaction from the crowd that made him change it back to the standard show again. I don´t think he should have cared about that. Look, in the fifties Elvis got a lot of criticism for moving around so much on stage. He didn´t care, he didn´t change his singing style. As I said, I don´t think that he should have cared that much at this time. If this was what he wanted, he should have gave it another chance. He was big enough as an artist to take chances.
He should have not been in vegas in 74 period,and his crowds for the most part only cared that he showed up they were not about to leanr any of his new songs,they were still stuck in the 50's and only seemed to like hound dog no matter how fast and clumsly it was put together,at time he faield his crowds and many time they did him,strange to say i know,but really have you ever heard some of the ashows taped by fans? His looks overshadowed a beautiful voice!
Nice review Lex, i certainly will buy this set for sure now THNX : )
I'm pretty happy with the DAE release. The reverb gives the sound a bit of depth, which to me is an improvement over the usually flat soundboard recordings. Because of the reverb, the listener might think that the concert venue is a large auditorium, but alas, we know better! Anyway, the rehearsals from Hollywood the week prior were very good. If I was a part of FTD, I would've added at least some of the rehearsal tracks, especially David Briggs overdubbed version of The Twelve Of Never from 1994. It's simply beautiful. As for the infamous concert, only one question for me remains. Did the show close with the usual Vamp?
Glad to hear a 'positive' 'review' from Lex ...AT LAST! certainly this sounds good and i look forward very soon to hearing this improvement myself!
I like the fact that they finally added some reverb to the soundboards. A voice needs room. The Showroom in Vegas was quite a big room, 2,100 people, not a small theatre. I like the opening show, Elvis almost always did something special on opening night. I can understand why he changed back to the 'old' format. It 's a better sequence, and people did want to hear the oldies, nothing wrong with that. Too bad he never did Down In The Alley and Good Times Charlie's Got The Blues after that show. Elvis liked routine. Elvis was one of those talents that get bored fast and needs a challenge from a source outside of himself, someone had to hand it to him, and then he could make magic . After 68-70 there was no musical or artistic challenge for him, too bad. Still it must have been very impressive to hear and see him perform at any time in the 70ies.
after the Aloha Special he should have gone on a extended world tour...instead of playing Vegas after Vegas...remember a quote by Ronnie Tutt about that.
For me, the summer of 1974 was one of the Elvis's best Vegas Seasons. The 19 of August Concert is a mile stone of his musical creativity: just see the songs line up. Too bad he didn't had the courage to follow the path he tried to trail, and to bad he was not emotionally strong to face all the problems he had. September that year mark the beginning of the end of our beloved King (Although really downhill was in 1976 and 1977, where you don’t have Elvis but a sad parody of himself, with few exceptions like the last 5 days tour of 1976)! In this disc we have the privilege to enjoy two fantastic concerts with the King, still, in Top artistic and creative form. Just enjoy it everyone, and thank you Ernest for this gem. P.S. I never really, found Lex reviews negative. They are just, probably, to real, and earth to earth for some of us, fans. But I really like them and generally can’t help but to have the same point of view!
Thanks Pedro, I always knew there had to be one more intelligent Elvis fan and now I found him :-)
So im not very smart because i might have a differt view than others? lol Whatever
Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The same holds for views and opinions, Mature Elvis Fan! Sometimes I wish the reviews were more fact and less opinion. It makes it easier to judge whether to go for it or not.
I've written reviews for three different websites, two of which were co-written with the website publisher. It's not an easy task, especially when you consider that only so much can be said about stuff that is mainly well known. I read every review on this website, and I find them to be very informative. The great thing about reviews by ElvisNews is that they are done a day or so after the CD has been released. Many sites offer reviews only months, or sometimes years, after the CD made it to the market. If you want to see some of my reviews, do a Google search of the name Armond Joseph (me).
Dear Mature Elvis Fan75, I am as intelligent and smart as you: We both love Elvis Music. For me that's the true point for intelligence and smartness! :) As we say in Elvis world: For being an Elvis fan, no explanation is needed. For not being an Elvis fan, no explanation is possible! TCB
But im not very smart it seems,you have to agree with everyone else to be smart it seems,of course im joking
This is an exception. We will buy this release, although we have those FBaxter CD since a long time and dig it. Hopefully the quality is improved on FTD. Agree with JLPLey the variety (other hits of his) were due after Aloha 73. Just think what a great new repertoire he would have built by introducing songs like HHSneakers, Memp TN, Pledging my love, GLCharm, TooMuch, Anyplace is paradise, Rip it up/Ready Teddy medley, Loving y, GMan and new songs fit for the King, as sung today; fantastic tunes like Bring it on home & Chains of Love sung by Mickey Gilley or Sept Morn by Neil Diamond/ G Becaud or I'll never love this way again by Dionne WW plus many more he should have sung since 73. In the 50s he got a lot of heat from the press but stuck to his own idea and proceeded. He should have done the same in Vegas & on tour since 73.
Theres plenty of should have,could have,would haves with Elvis but doesnt matter now,lost vision and cornball manager to boot!
After having Opening Night 74 allready on 2 different bootlegs (Fort Baxter and DAE) and having 80% of the content of the second show on the Box set Live In Live Vegas I still did buy this release..can somebody explain me why ?? lol...
Ton Bruins, maybe it is because we cannot get enough of trying to capture the magic of those special moments again and again, hoping better sound will support that quest.
Natha and Ton : that's the spirit ! Can't get enough of our man ! Always El.
How does this compare to from sunset blvd to paradise road?
With all the soundboards available to the label they give us the 21st Aug show, of which a third of the songs have already been released on the Live in Vegas set.!!
This is really a good release from FTD. The August 19 show is innovative, but the August 21 show is maybe better. It really seems that this engagement started out on a good note, with an Elvis in high spirits. As for layout: A big plus for the great karate pic on the back! Will play this set often.
love this release however who does the proof reading. the type and color on the inside jacket is horrible. can hardly see it. and why must we get pictures of the hilton or souveniers. cant they keep giving us pictures of our man, unreleased or not.
i have to ask, what makes "the first time ever i saw your face" incomplete? is there editing? it sounds like it flows so maybe it was just a short version? opinions?
As I already have this show on other labels I still will buy the FTD one...great stuff but more stuff should have been added to it, as bonus songs. I could think of Matter of time, MempTN, More, I walk the line, Folsom Blues, Loving you; songs that were sung by our King in those days only once and available on private tapes all over...great renderings of those versions and in good quality, although audience tapes which could be easily restored to make them sound great. Will buy Nevada Nights and look forward to many more FTDs of all those missing studio and movie session outtakes. Can we buy them in 2009 Mr Jorgensen? Do you read those comments of ours? Why not give an interview with lots of your planned released or ideas? We have a long list of questions which need to be answered soon. Also, when will there be a follow up Elvis at Movies vol two coming out for the wider worldwide public audiences. Would sell millions again if you'd include TT&Forever duet with Ann-Margret...??!!
I will buy this one but at the same time am wondering where those OVERDUE outtakes are of
Down i/Alley, Charlie's Blues, CWMay, BBMan (my favorite), BLove, Prom Land, Don't think2x (long 8 minutes FANTASTIC version). If they don't want us to buy more boots, then we expect FTD to come out soon with the good stuff. That is a far better approach than forbidding people to buy it from other labels.
What is going to be in store after nevada NIGHTS, September NIGHTS....Maybe in 2009 we get the Hilton NIGHTS 69, 70 till 77 series...? Will buy this one although the lay-out and art work stinks and the content...well thanks to boots we already havebought this a very long time ago...! But we do expect better quality from FTD and more modest pricing. Also better art work (why can't Ernesto make use of those wonderful photos shot by Bonja, Hill, Heist and Alverson??) Do not understand. Didn't EPE Graceland buy all those original photo negatives from those abovementioned great elvis photographers ? They did with Ed Hill collection. Funny; why didn't they come to an agreement with those above? There couldn't possibly be any monkey buzz involved here, I hope. Now that we are in Dec, why can¡'t we receive the 2009 FTD release planning from E&Roger? No mor excuse is good enough, right Lynda, Elvislives72, Alex, Otto, Steve, Greg,Benny,Lex,Ton ?
BBMan - forget about more modest pricing from FTD. I read they will be raising their prices in 2009.
