The Man In White, Volume 3 – Get Dirty

The third release in this series is – in opposition to the previous ones – an audience recording. Many people were complaining on the internet long before the release date, saying that we have enough audience recordings by now. Especially one that was already wandering around in the collectors circuit. Did we really need this addition?

Cover art

With the title in mind the front cover is rather funny ... Elvis wearing a dark jacket, but at least with a white (or a very light) shirt. He has a kind of 'dirty' grin on his face which matches the title.

Content

August 1970. What can we say more? Any show is good, and the ones where RCA/MGM stopped recording and filming are among the best. So is this Midnight Show of the 14th. Disregarding the “audience quality” – not too good, but neither a bad one, and at least better than the version we already had – this show is a delight to listen too.

Elvis was really at ease, having a lot of fun, fooling around, doing one-liners (“You Don’t Know Me”) and rarities (“Blueberry Hill”, “I Walk The Line/ Folsom Prison Blues”) and some marvellous versions of oldies like “Mystery Train/ Tiger Man” and “One Night”.

Highlight of the CD is the live version of “Oh Happy Day”, which could also be found on the good old “Command Performance”-LP. After the usual closer “Can’t Help Falling In Love” there are a handful of bonus tracks from the same season, of which the more interesting “Memphis Tennessee” and “More” are very short.

Conclusion

All in all this release is certainly worth the effort. We are glad to have it in our collection since it is – despite the (audience)sound quality – a joy to listen to. We rather have an exciting show in this quality than a boring show in superb soundboard quality (of which we really have too many by now). So moaners, don’t buy it, but please stop moaning… and fans that really enjoy where it is all about, the music: go for it!