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St. Louis/ Spokane

By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, June 07, 2020 | Music

FTD released ‘a regular’ CD containing 2 live shows from 1976 (was about time!). The shows are from March 22 at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri and April 27 at The Coliseum in Spokane, Washington. 

Design

This ‘regular’ has the usual 5” layout, 3 panel fold out.The pictures are (gladly) mainly from the St. Louis show. The information is minimal, but sufficient: musicians, photo credits, the usual thankyous, masterer and producers.

Content

The St. Louis show was available as audience recording before on St. Louis Blues. This bootleg obviously got is title from the highlight of the show, a pretty good version of Steamroller Blues (all things are relative). The introductions are not complete, but unfortunately David Briggs’ irritating solo is there, Elvis struggles with the pianist’s name (Shane Keister). All together the show is boring, even for 1976, but in a more than fair sound.

The Spokane show was not released on silver disc before (not even CDR according to Francesc Lopez’ supersite Elvis Presley in Concert). The sound of this show is not as clear as of the one on the first disc, the sound is a bit muffled and the bass is a on the heavy side. Gladly it improves a bit during the show (or did I get used to it?). 

Overall the show is about as pleasant than the first one, it has all the things I dislike in a lot of 1976 shows, the JD-act, the overdone ending by the backing vocals on Love Me. But the main attraction, Elvis, seems to be in a bit better shape and awake. The songs that are on both shows are stronger on this one (most obvious on Hurt), but that was not really hard to do.

Conclusion

My prejudice on 1976 shows is confirmed once more. I do not enjoy them in general, there are a few exceptions, but these are not among them.

Tracklisting

Disc 1
March 22, 1976
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis. 8:30 p.m.

01 Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra 
(Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) 0:55    
02 See See Rider 3:01       
03 I Got A Woman/Amen 4:38
04 Love Me 2:27
05 Let Me  Be There 2:47
06 You Gave Me A Mountain 3:37 
07 Steamroller Blues 3:02 
08 All Shook Up 1:01
09 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel 2:02
10 Hearbreak Hotel 1:38
11 Love Me Tender1:48 
12 Polk Salad Annie 3:35 
13 introductions (incomplete) 5:19
14 And I Love You So 3:36
15 HURT 2:07
16 Hound Dog 1:25 
17 America 2:59
18 Funny How Time Slips Away 3:02
19 Can’t Help Falling In Love 1:51
20 Closing Vamp 1:40

Disc 2
April 27, 1976
The Coliseum, Spokane, Washington. 8:30 p.m.

01 Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra 
   (Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) 1:00    
02 See See Rider 5:00    
03 I Got A Woman/Amen 7:04 
04 Love Me 4:11
05 If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 3:22
06 You Gave Me A Mountain 3:22 
07 All Shook Up 1:05
08 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel 2:49 
09 Trying To Get To You 2:18 
10 America 2:25
11 Polk Salad Annie 3:58 
12 introductions 11:30
13 My Way 4:04 
14 Burning Love Linde)
15 HURT 3:41
16 Funny How Time Slips Away 3:57
 16 How Great Thou Art 3:18
16 Hound Dog 1:58 
21 Can’t Help Falling In Love 1:45 
20 Closing Vamp 1:47

 

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Dazman wrote on June 11, 2020
The sound on both discs is the only winner for this set. St.Louis: the band is good but Elvis is really found wanting, just droning along going through the motions. Maybe being seized upon during You Gave Me a Mountain probably affected him for the rest of the night. CC Rider, Steamroller, Polk Salad and America are about the only songs that are barely listenable and still there are better versions elsewhere and I'm speaking from 1976.. Spokane: the band once again in a show that offers some potential for a good show given the sharper mood he's in. Trying To Get To You and Polk Salad are the standouts in this one. My Way however, though sincerely sung, is too delicate for my liking. Elvis' singing seems to lack rhythm. His mouth didn't seem to have the muscle memory that developed later in '77 with the song. Mountain, America and How Great Thou Art were okay but sounded too forced. Overall most of the songs just didn't really flow as we would have liked. Cisco if you're reading this, next time you visit this tour, I highly recommend you check out the SB from Denver from April 23rd. From the CD-R Elvis sounds like he's in knock out form.
Ton Bruins wrote on June 23, 2020
The March 22, 1976 show is dramatic. Elvis sings even out off key ! Too much damn downers in his system !