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Rockin’ Chicago 1 And 2

May 20, 2005 | Music
Released on the Tennessee Moon label are Elvis performances from May 1 and 2 1977.

Design

The design is very simple, just a picture of Elvis and the title in a plain font. The booklet contains no information on the concert, just a track listing and a “foldout” of our man from 1977. But for that we’d rather pick up an old Playboy from May 1977. On the back cover of the booklet for volume 2 Elvis looks a bit slimmer, but that’s only because they used a picture of a doll showing Elvis Sundial Suit.

Content

Volume 1 – “When Elvis Comes Marchin’ In”.

When the CD opens, you hear the crowd go wild, actually a great sound. The band keeps on playing the opening theme before Elvis joins in. The venue must be big listening to the audience and the echo on Elvis’ voice. But for an audience recording this is a very good recording.

Straight from the start Elvis is in a good mood, after the opening he does a few words from ‘When The Saints” Comes Marchin’ In” before his rendition of the late Ray Charles classing “I Got A Woman”. We haven’t listened to a lot of 1977 shows lately, but in this show he shows he can rock the house. The crowd joining in on “Amen” give this performance a “Church feeling"; especially what it needs. Elvis continues the good line on the standards like “Jailhouse Rock”. The introductions are way too long, but we can fast forward those, the same goes for Sherrill Nielsen’s performances, he is and should have remained a backing vocalist. One introduction you don’t hear to often is one for Joe Esposito, so he has his place in history too.

Volume 2 – “Polk Salad Elvis”.

The sound quality for this volume two is not as good as volume 1; but above average for an audience recording. This concert from Elvis’ April 21 - May 3, 1977 tour has not been released before (just as the concert one day earlier on volume 1).

This day too the crowd goes wild when Elvis appears on stage in Chicago, and it is almost hard to say for a 1977 concert, but so does Elvis. He even asks if this venue is the “Astrodome” and says something against the rumors that he was not in a good condition and ditto health.

The set list only differs two to three songs from the night before so we get pretty much the same show two times in row with this double release. Fortunately Elvis delivers a good show again.

Conclusion

For the first time in a long while we finished listening to a 1977 concert. For those fans not too font of 1977 performances, these are two releases they may want to consider to check their opinion.

Track listing volume 1:

Track listing

Also Sprach Zarathustra - See See Rider - When The Saints Go Marchin' In - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me - Fairy Tale - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It's Now Or Never - Tryin' To Get To You - Little Sister - Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel - And I Love You So - My Way - Band Introductions - Early Morning Rain - What'd I Say - Johnny B. Goode - Battle Of New Orleans - Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll - Hurt - Hound Dog - Can't Help Falling In Love

Track listing volume 2:

Also Sprach Zarathustra - See See Rider - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me - Fairy Tale - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It's Now Or Never - Little Sister - Tryin' To Get To You - Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel - My Way - Polk Salad Annie - Band Introductions - Early Morning Rain - What'd I Say - Johnny B. Goode - And I Love You So - My Way - Band Introductions - Early Morning Rain - What'd I Say - Johnny B. Goode - Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll - Hurt - Hound Dog - Can't Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp
You Dont Know Me wrote on May 20, 2005
May 1st show was the one watched by the producers of the June CBS Special... they found the crowd 'exciting' but Elvis's performance at best only 'fair'..... certainly the 2nd May show was a MUCH better and more energetic show and apparently he did a back flip during Hurt as well! no wonder the Chicago fans go nuts! These shows certainly are NOT essential, but if you own Tunzi's Chicago Encore Performance #3 then you may want the sound that goes with the pictures. Elvis far, FAR from his best but then again not his worst either. For HARD CORE fans only.
Way Up wrote on May 21, 2005
Having these shows for years I can only say that "Great sound" is too big word for 01/05/77 recording. It is just OK audience recorded sound and so is 02/05/77 recording. Overall too positive review... 01/05/77 is simply under average show and 02/05/77 is above average.