We're back from a well deserved holdiday, which varied a lot... from snow to summer-like weather. We saw a lot, even met a long time Elvis-friend ("all the way TO Scotland"), in other words: we're loaded again and ready to go! Here's the complete round-up.
Hilton Showroom Volume 3
The AudiRec import-label a new CD entitled "Elvis: Hilton Showroom Volume 3" containing an audience recording of the Dinner Show in Las Vegas from December 6, 1975.
From the press-release:
AudiRec proudly presents "Elvis - Hilton Showroom Volume 3" a brand new CD which will be released shortly. It includes an audience recording of the complete and so far unreleased performance from December 6, 1975 (Dinner Show). With this CD release Elvis Collectors should now be able to own every single show from Elvis' second to last Las Vegas engagement on “real” factory-pressed CDs.
Since his Opening Show on December 2 Elvis did only one show each day. But since this 6th of December, 1975 was a Saturday he did two shows, well known as “Dinner” and “Midnight” Shows. In the past Elvis occasionally had a hard time getting “awake” while going on stage for a Dinner Show. But that was not the case in December of 1975. The show you are able to hear on this CD release is just as good as all the others of this engagement. There is no performance in any of those shows that is not at least “decent”.
Still there are fans who don´t like the Elvis of the “later years” but maybe they can make an exception with this engagement since it has too many performance highlights in it to call it mediocre or even bad. Please be aware that this new release is limited to 300 copies only! Be sure to get your copy if you are interested.
Once you have it in your hands, we hope your spare time will allow you to sit back, put your headphones on, flip through the accompanied 16-page booklet and listen to the show from December 6, 1975. It´s Las Vegas! It´s the Hilton Hotel Showroom! It´s Elvis! Enjoy!
Tracks 06.12.1975 Dinner show:
01. Opening Vamp / C .C. Rider 02. I Got A Woman / Amen (medley) 03. Love Me 04. Fairytale 05. Elvis talks about "TODAY" album / Instrumental fanfare by orchestra 06. And I Love You So 07. Trying To Get To You 08. All Shook Up 09. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel (medley) 10. One Night 11. Polk Salad Annie 12. Band Introductions 13. What'd I Say (James Burton) 14. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt) 15. Bass Solo (Jerry Scheff) 16. Piano Solo (Glen D. Hardin) 17. School Day (incomplete) 18. Introduction of singer Charlie Pride 19. Blue Christmas 20. How Great Thou Art (with reprise) 21. Burning Love 22. Softly As I Leave You 23. America The Beautiful 24. Mystery Train / Tiger Man (medley) 25. Can't Help Falling In Love 26. Closing Vamp
Opening Night At Lake Tahoe
The AudiRec import-label has announced a new CD entitled "Opening Night at Lake Tahoe" containing an audience recording of the Opening Show in Lake Tahoe from April 30, 1976.
From the press-release:
AudiRec proudly presents "Elvis - Opening Night at Lake Tahoe", a brand new CD which will be released shortly. It includes an audience recording of the complete and so far unreleased performance from April 30, 1976 (the Opening Show was actually a Dinner Show, there were two performances this day). Welcome to another AudiRec CD release which takes you back to the spring of 1976. At the time this CD is being released it means that it´s actually kind of a “40th Anniversary”. To be honest, we did not plan to do this just because it is exactly 40 years ago that Elvis played his final Lake Tahoe-Season. As a matter of fact Elvis was working very hard the whole year of 1976. While in January Elvis had a rather quiet time and even showed some effort to just relax and have fun, early February he was kind of “forced” to record new songs for an album release and early March he was back on tour.
We all know from “Elvis History”, that the “King” would have done much better for his health if he would not let himself being that busy but for whatever reason tour after tour was being scheduled… and done. No matter what the critics in many newspapers wrote about his performances – at least they had to admit that Elvis´ popularity (at least all over the USA) was so big that ticket-selling for any upcoming concerts didn´t even need any advertising. Billboard´s Headline in early March 76´ told us “No Ads, But Presley SRO On Current 5-Concert Gig” for the short tour in March. “Elvis plans busy spring” was another headline shortly after this and it said “Like Lightning: Who says Elvis isn´t working hard? Before he stars at the Sahara Tahoe April 30 – May 9, Elvis will be on a concert tour”, then adding the dates and finally conclude “Elvis is still the super superstar”.
So when Elvis came to the beautiful area of Lake Tahoe at the end of April, he most likely was not aware that this would be his last season at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. The shows have mostly been described by fans as “relaxed” with “lots of surprising moments”, but there were also remarks saying that the “King” looked unhealthy and tired. From what we can hear on the so far released CDs it sure was a mixture of all of this and still we believe that this last engagement had many moments fans do not want to miss. Please be aware that this new release is limited to 300 copies only! Be sure to get your copy if you are interested. Once you have it in your hands, we hope your spare time will allow you to sit back, put your headphones on, flip through the accompanied 16-page booklet and listen to the show from April 30, 1976. It´s Lake Tahoe! It´s the Sahara Tahoe Showroom! It´s ELVIS! Enjoy!
Tracks Lake Tahoe, 30.04.1976 Opening night:
01. Also Sprach Zarathustra 02. C .C. Rider 03. I Got A Woman / Amen (medley) 04. Love Me 05. Let Me Be There (false start only) / If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 06. You Gave Me A Mountain 07. All Shook Up 08. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel (medley) 09. Trying To Get To You 10. Polk Salad Annie 11. Band Introductions 12. What'd I Say (James Burton) 13. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt) 14. Bass Solo (Jerry Scheff) 15. Piano Solo (Tony Brown) 16. Electric Piano Solo (David Briggs) 17. School Day 18. America The Beautiful 19. Hurt 20. Burning Love 21. How Great Thou Art 22. Funny How Time Slips Away (with reprise) 23. Hound Dog 24. Can't Help Falling In Love (with false start) 25. Closing Vamp / Announcements
20,000,000 Visitors
Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., the music world’s most important and beloved landmark, has officially welcomed its 20 millionth visitor today, nearly 34 years after first opening its legendary gates to the public. The iconic mansion was home to Elvis and his family for 20 years and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Since beginning tours on June 7, 1982, Graceland has hosted music fans from around the world, coming from more than 140 countries, along with U.S. presidents, foreign heads of state, esteemed royalty and