Dayton Import Releases Out

Better late than never! Dayton Reloaded looks much better and it gives much more value for money,though i'm sure that the slightly cheaper digipack version by Gravel Road will be a quality release,too. I'm sure that some of the fans will buy both:)

Dayton Reloaded is actually due for release at the end of November and as yet has not been released as stated.However which ever one or both you end up with both will be a nice addition to anyones collection.

I just ordered mine (Gravel Road edition) and I am very excited to receive these CD's. These concerts were from a fascinating time, although not exactly the best time of Elvis' life and career. It seemed to start on August 19th, 1974 as he opened his Summer season in Las Vegas. It had only been about six weeks since his last tour (July 2nd) in which Elvis gave one great show after the other and seemed to be in high spirits throughout the tour. Elvis opened this season dressed in his "Peacock suit" and for the first time since 1970 he came onto stage without the familiar "Also Sparch Zarathustra" as his opening theme. Elvis opened the show with "Big Boss Man" (instead of "See See Rider" or "That's All Right, Mama") and followed with more contemporary songs as opposed to his oldies (the only songs from the 50's that were performed were "Love Me Tender" and "Hound Dog"). The crowds' reaction was lukewarm and the next night "Also Sparch Zarathustra", "See See Rider", "I Got A Woman" and "Love Me" were all back in the repertoire. Perhaps Elvis was frustrated by the fans unwillingness to let him change. Here he was only five months from turning 40 and the fans still wanted Elvis the pelvis. The Vegas engagement that Summer was a very good one by most accounts, but Elvis was very talkative, sometimes very negative, sometimes reckless with his comments. After breaking up with his girlfriend, Linda Thompson in late August, Elvis missed a couple of shows due to "illness" and the rumors started flying. This led to something of an emotional breakdown at the last show of the season on September 2nd. Elvis blasted and threatened the people behind the rumors with a profanity based rant that shocked the audience. Now skip ahead and it is September 27th, it has been three and one half weeks since his Vegas engagement and an emotionally drained Elvis starts a new tour. He opens in College Park, MD and by all accounts looks bloated and drugged as he struggles through the show. The next night he looks better, but his singing sounds labored and he slurs most of his between song banter. The next day in Detroit, he was reported to be worse than the opening show in MD. The very next night, he was in South Bend, IN and Bill Borden of "The South Bend Tribune" gave him a very good review. The next night (10/1) he did a second show in South Bend and this show is on the Dragonheart CD by FTD. On this CD, Elvis sounds unsure of himself. He says before "Bridge Over Troubled Water" that they will "try" to do a good version. Here is the greatest song stylist of the century with his confidence shaken and obviously unsure of the future. His last studio LP (a quite good album), Good Times had peaked at #90 on the Billboard chart, the fans seemed to not want Elvis to change, his personal relationships were in shambles, his health was declining and his "friends" seemed to be deserting him. Still here is Elvis, trying to give the audience everything he has, even though real friends and people (including his manager) who cared about him should have gotten Elvis to postpone this tour. Elvis called Ed Parker on 1/8/1975 at five in the morning. Ed recalled, that Elvis sounded nervous and when he asked him what was wrong, Elvis responded, "I'm 40 years old today". Elvis still managed to pull himself out of this swoon and went on to sometime fantastic concerts in 1975, but our man was trapped. An artist who had captured and conquered the world just two years earlier in Hawaii was now withering. Colonel Parker did not seem to care, his cash cow was still making money and friends and family were either unable or did not care to help him. After the Aloha show in Jan 1973, it would have been a great time for change. But all Colonel Parker and RCA could think of was another 50+ show in Vegas and three albums a year. A man who gave Colonel Parker and RCA so much was treated with no respect as an artist. Want proof? As Elvis started this fall tour on 1974, RCA and the Colonel were releasing the LP "Having Fun With Elvis On Stage" (a talking only LP). Why, because this fulfilled Elvis' obligation of a 3rd album for 1974. Nevermind, that RCA could have released a 20th anniversary LP or a 5th volume of gold records, something to celebrate the artist. This October day in Dayton, OH was for Elvis was by most accounts not a bad day. His concerts were passable and he was better than he had been the previous day in Indianapolis (2 shows total). I can't wait to hear them, but one thing remains true regardless of whether I am shocked or pleasantly surprised. There is no one who will ever match Elvis' talent, charisma and charm. At his worst, he is still an interesting study, at his best, he was absolutely brilliant.

There are better shows and since I don`t care about a few nuances better sound I go for the cheaper release..A Day In Dayton..don`t need a 100 page accompanying book...Gravel Road belongs to my 3 top five labels..

I got A Day In Dayton today...exactly what I have expected..good sound...good layout....not overdone..just the way the shows should be made presented to fans...agaim Gravel Road did an excellent job..