A took a bit to arrive, due to some messing somewhere in Scandinavia, but finally the latest outing by FTD arrived in my mail. Two shows in Nebraska, Omaha on June 20, 1974 form a regular 5" release.

Design

I like the front of the package, but that is the only positive I can say about it. The inside is delivered like usually: without any care. When you photoshop pictures, do it well! Otherwise don't do it at all and just use a simple print of the picture. Also the different font sizes at the back look a bit weird. The pictures used are from a couple of days before the actual shows, from Louisville, Kentucky (June 26). 

Content

The afternoon show sounds bit dull, like it is smothered by a blanket. Also the balance between the band, orchestra and Elvis is not the best you can have. The show itself is not really bad, but he could do so much better. He jokes that he just got up and that is audible regularly... the fire just isn't there. Polk Salad sounds like one long bass solo, because Duke Bardwell sounds VERY upfront in it. The most remarkable is that the brass (sax) is pretty swinging every now and then, almost as if Boots Randolph himself stepped in.

The sound of the evening show is a lot clearer and better balanced, which gives it a better atmosphere immediately. The fact that Elvis was awake by now helps too. All together this show is much more enjoyable, helped by a pretty neat version of Bridge over Troubled Water as personal highlight. A let down was the not so long instrumental of My Way, reall worth mentioning in the tracklist, but the real cold shower comes when the show breaks down because the tape ran out. 

Conclusion 

Two more shows for the collectors, but not a release that will find my player again, I'm afraid. There are so many more better releases to choose from.