Elvis In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada CD (Follow That Dream Records, 2008)

“I’ve appeared dead before, but this is my first live one.”

By the time RCA Records and producer Felton Jarvis arrived to start recording some of his shows on August 21, 1969, Elvis Presley had already conquered Las Vegas. As another piece of his comeback that started with the 1968 ELVIS television special and continued with his first Memphis recordings since the mid-1950s, Elvis had been performing to sold-out crowds in the newly-opened International Hotel’s main showroom since July 31.

With a grueling two-shows-a-night, seven-days-a-week, schedule, Elvis had performed over 40 triumphant concerts in just three weeks. He was starting the last week of an engagement that, outside of four shows for small studio audiences during his TV special, represented his first live concerts in nearly nine years.

Starting with the August 21 Midnight Show and running through the August 26 Midnight Show, RCA recorded eleven complete concerts. They also made test recordings during a rehearsal and the Dinner Show on August 21. From all of this material, RCA edited together twelve recordings from the August 24 & 25 Midnight Shows and the August 25 & 26 Dinner Shows to create Record 1 of that November’s From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis release, which was Elvis’ first double album. Record 2 consisted of additional material from his Memphis sessions, a follow-up of sorts to June’s From Elvis In Memphis album.

A year later, RCA re-released Record 1 by itself, as Elvis In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada. Record 2 also earned a solo release, as Back In Memphis.

This 2008 2-CD edition of Elvis In Person is part of Follow That Dream Records’ Classic Albums series. Since the original Elvis In Person album was a re-release, you could say this FTD edition is actually a re-release of a re-release. However, if any re-release deserves the label “classic,” it is Elvis In Person.

Elvis In Person was actually the second Elvis record I ever owned. The first was Return of the Rocker, which I won on a radio call-in contest. My older sister gave Elvis In Person to me for my twelfth birthday in 1987. I loved this album so much that I later bought a cassette tape version that, incidentally, had the songs in a different sequence than the original album and a 1992 CD version. Just about the only versions I haven’t owned of this album are the 8-track version and the MP3 version. Though I rarely play the vinyl record she gave me anymore, I still associate this album, even on CD, with my sister. I’m sure this 2008 FTD version won’t be the last time I buy Elvis In Person, either. It’s just that kind of album.

Disc 1

The Original Album

Considering the space restrictions of the 1969 double album, the twelve tracks that make up the original album are well-chosen. Elvis’ between-song banter is also nicely edited to achieve an effective concert package. The only thing I would do differently would be to replace the August 26 Dinner Show version of “Suspicious Minds” with the August 26 Midnight Show version, which can be heard on FTD’s All Shook Up and may well be the best-ever performance of the song.

The sound quality of the original Elvis In Person tracks on this FTD release is about the same as on the main label’s 1992 CD edition. If you are hoping for a sound and mix upgrade along the lines of FTD’s Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis, you will be disappointed.

The CD tracks have been divided differently on this FTD version, though. Elvis’ spoken introductions to most songs now appear at the end of the previous track, rather than at the beginning of the relevant track. Oddly, FTD does not follow this convention on Disc 2, however, where most of the spoken introductions are at the beginning of the relevant track rather than at the end of the previous track. Attention to detail has never been FTD’s strong point, though. They rely instead on the power of the underlying Elvis content.

Bonus Songs & Rare Performances

Disc 1 is rounded out by seven other previously-released tracks from the 1969 concerts. Two first appeared on the misleadingly named On Stage – February, 1970 album. The others first appeared on 1991’s Collectors Gold, though the sound quality here is superior.

Unfortunately, these seven tracks are poorly edited together to form a mini-concert. It would have been cleaner to simply fade up and down each track during the applause and treat them separately, especially given the little care that was taken here to edit these songs together.

Disc 2

The Complete August 22, 1969, Dinner Show

Given that the original Elvis In Person album was compiled from the August 24 & 25 Midnight Shows and the August 25 & 26 Dinner Shows, one might logically expect Disc 2 of this release to feature the complete version of one of these source concerts with upgraded sound and mixing. Instead, FTD delivers up the August 22 Dinner Show, for which all tracks but two are previously unreleased.

While it’s always nice to have a new 1969 show, the relevance of this show to the Elvis In Person album is not entirely clear. It contributed in no way to the original album. Fortunately, FTD did not follow this rather bizarre methodology on 2004’s Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis, one of the first Classic Albums releases. If they had, Disc 1 would have been the 1994 CD release of the edited concert with original sound and Disc 2 would have been some other random but unreleased 1974 concert. Instead, they gave us the complete version of the same Memphis show with improved sound and mix, and did it with a single disc. They did not bother including the edited album and original mix, since they were aware back then that those who collect FTD CDs would already have this material.

With all that being said, the August 22 Dinner Show is fine. It is pretty much a standard 1969 show, similar to two or three of the other full-length releases that preceded it. Outside of a questionable mixing choice on a track or two, most of the sound is fantastic.

Like the other concerts in this series, Elvis tends to ramble on a lot between songs. The distracted nature of many of his quirky comments would be a real detriment to these concerts if the songs he eventually gets around to singing just weren’t so damned incredible.

When it comes to concerts, I definitely prefer a talkative, interactive Elvis (think the August 1970 That’s The Way It Is concert series) versus a quiet, distant one (think the January 1973 Aloha From Hawaii concert), but sometimes his talking on these 1969 shows is too much even for me. As I said, the fantastic performances more than make up for it, though.

Even now, it is hard to believe that a mere eight years after these dynamic shows, the Elvis world would be in mourning and this wonderful entertainer would be forever gone.

* * *

“Blue Suede Shoes”

• Disc 1, Track 01, Live Master—8/25/1969 Midnight Show (MS) [2:05]: With trumpets blaring, the show begins with Elvis’ rockin’ take of this Carl Perkins classic. This is Elvis’ best live version of this song from the 1969-1977 era.
• Disc 2, Track 01, Live—8/22/1969 Dinner Show (DS) [2:26]: There’s a bit of audio trickery going on, either in this release or Disc 2 of the 2007 Elvis: Viva Las Vegas release. Though the tracks are not completely identical, at least some of the audio from what was supposedly the August 21 Midnight Show appears on this supposedly August 22 Dinner Show track, or vice-versa. Presumably, the “Blue Suede Shoes” audio was damaged or missing for one show or the other. I am not expert enough to figure out to which show this song really belongs, and since Elvis isn’t kind enough to mention the date and time of the show he is performing during the song, I can’t tell you for sure. What I can say is that this is another great version of “Blue Suede Shoes,” no matter when it was recorded.

“Johnny B. Goode”

• Disc 1, Track 02, Live Master—8/24/1969 MS [2:19]: Up next on the original Elvis In Person album is another rocker, this one originally by Chuck Berry. Again, Elvis’ best version. The 1972 version on Elvis On Tour: The Rehearsals is nearly as good, though.

“All Shook Up”

• Disc 1, Track 03, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [2:07]: By 1972, this song had become a throw-away, but in 1969 Elvis still rocked his 1957 hit. At the end of this track, Elvis notes that “This is my first live appearance in nine years,” which led me to wrongly believe as a kid that Elvis In Person was a recording of his opening night in Vegas. Now we know that Elvis said a variation of this phrase in every 1969 concert released so far. There is even a famously mis-titled bootleg floating around out there due to this line, so I don’t feel so bad.
• Disc 2, Track 03, Live—8/22/1969 DS [3:18]: Another great version, nearly the same as the Elvis In Person master from a few nights later except that overall sound quality is better on this 2008-mastered track.

“Are You Lonesome Tonight”

• Disc 1, Track 04, Live Master—8/24/1969 MS [3:15]: As a kid, I used to float the balance on my stereo to the left to eliminate the soaring female vocal in the background on this track. As an adult, I appreciate the singer’s near-operatic approach and now consider this a beautiful arrangement. The end of this track contains part of Elvis’ introduction to “Hound Dog” from the August 24 Dinner Show, released in full on Live In Las Vegas, though the “Hound Dog” that follows on the next track here is actually from the August 25 Midnight Show. Those clever RCA people.
• Disc 2, Track 13, Live—8/22/1969 DS [2:42]: “Where’re you goin’?” asks Elvis to someone early on in this song, ruining an otherwise decent version. The best “serious” version is from the August 24 Dinner Show, released on Live In Las Vegas. The “laughing” version from the August 26 Midnight Show trumps all others, though. I wonder if there was ever any consideration of using that one on Elvis In Person? Probably not.

“Hound Dog”

• Disc 1, Track 05, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [1:53]: For the 1969-1977 phase of his career, this is the definitive live version of “Hound Dog.” Though this would also eventually become a throwaway, Elvis really kicks the song into high gear here. My all-time favorite “Hound Dog” released so far, though, is his June 5, 1956, live version from The Milton Berle Show, available on A Golden Celebration.
• Disc 2, Track 07, Live—8/22/1969 DS [4:00]: Elvis rambles on for over two minutes to introduce his “message song” for the night. At least he doesn’t do the frog and lily pad bit this time. There is also some sad irony here, as Elvis correctly notes, “Man, I tell you, if this comes out on record, I’m dead, I tell you for sure, boy.” Sound quality on “Hound Dog” is again better than on the Elvis In Person track, but Elvis’ performance is not quite as good.

“I Can’t Stop Loving You”

• Disc 1, Track 06, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [3:19]: This is a fine version of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” though I prefer the August 24 Dinner Show. He performed this one better in 1970, anyway.

“My Babe”

• Disc 1, Track 07, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [2:05]: Elvis really rocks this Willie Dixon blues classic. This is definitely one of the highlights of this album. This is easily the best of the three versions released thus far.

“Mystery Train/Tiger Man”

• Disc 1, Track 08, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [3:43]: At the beginning of this track, FTD mixes Elvis’ introduction to “Mystery Train” from Side 2 of the original album over the “My Babe” applause fade out that ended Side 1. This makes for a sloppy transition. Even the 1992 CD release handled it better than this. Anyway, forget all of that, though. This is a fantastic version of the “Mystery Train” and “Tiger Man” medley that keeps the rocking spirit of this album moving. I prefer the excitement of the 1969 and 1970 live versions of “Tiger Man” over the version performed for the 1968 TV special.
• Disc 2, Track 09, Live—8/22/1969 DS [4:23]: Elvis and the band are just not quite as hot here as on the superior Elvis In Person and August 22 Midnight Show (Collectors Gold) versions. This is a nice mix, though, emphasizing both the percussion and guitar, while other mixes of this medley tend to emphasize one or the other.

“Words”

• Disc 1, Track 09, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [2:45]: Elvis slows things down a bit with this beautiful cover of the 1968 hit by the Bee Gees. I prefer his August 1970 versions, but this is probably the best 1969 version.

“In The Ghetto”

• Disc 1, Track 10, Live Master—8/25/1969 DS [2:55]: Next up, Elvis performs a great version of his then-current hit. At the February 1970 Vegas engagement, Elvis appropriately preceded “In The Ghetto” with Joe South’s “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” in a medley, though RCA edited “In The Ghetto” out of the original On Stage album.
• Disc 2, Track 16, Live—8/22/1969 DS [2:51]: Elvis’ vocals on this track sound a bit muffled at times. Listen out for Jerry Scheff’s impressive bass work on this version, though.

“Suspicious Minds”

• Disc 1, Track 11, Live Master—8/26/1969 DS [7:45]: As the show nears its end, Elvis next introduces his new single, “Suspicious Minds.” I remember being fascinated by the length of this live version as a kid. Most Elvis songs I had been exposed to up until that point were about two minutes long, so this felt like four songs in one to me. Though this version is okay, it is one of the weaker ones from this engagement. As noted above, I prefer the August 26 Midnight Show version. Perhaps RCA did not want a superior live version to overshadow the single, which became his biggest seller in years.
• Disc 2, Track 17, Live—8/22/1969 DS [7:17]: This is one of many tracks that makes you wish these 1969 shows were professionally filmed. It must have been something to see. A great version, Elvis’ performance, the sound quality, and the mix are all top-notch. I love this song. I just hope the neighbors don’t mind hearing it, too.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love”

• Disc 1, Track 12, Live Master—8/26/1969 DS [2:12]: Elvis closes out the show with a beautiful rendition of his 1961 hit, the best released thus far from 1969-1977.
• Disc 2, Track 19, Live—8/22/1969 DS [2:11]: An unexceptional version. Elvis sounds tired out from “Suspicious Minds” and “What’d I Say.”

Other Songs (not on original album)

• Disc 1, Track 13, “Runaway” (Live Master–8/25/1969 DS) [2:32]: Despite its recording date, this fantastic version of the 1961 Del Shannon hit was first released on On Stage – February 1970. My favorite “Runaway” version, though, is from the August 21 Midnight Show, released on Disc 2 of 2007’s Elvis: Viva Las Vegas.
• Disc 1, Track 14, “Yesterday” (Live Master–8/25/1969 DS) [2:29]: As with “Runaway,” this cover of the 1965 Beatles song was first released on On Stage. In his 1969 performances of “Yesterday,” Elvis concluded the song with the repetitious ending of “Hey Jude.” RCA edited this out of the original On Stage version, though restored it for a 1999 re-release of that album. Oddly, this FTD track is the edited version without “Hey Jude.” I can’t say I miss it too much, though. This is one of the only cases where that kind of tampering actually results in a stronger track. I do like Elvis’ 1969 studio version of “Hey Jude,” though, as released on Elvis Now.
• Disc 1, Track 15, “This Is The Story” (Live Master–8/26/1969 MS) [2:55]: This live version of “This Is The Story” was first released on 1991’s Collectors Gold, as were the next four tracks. It is a slow song that at first sounds like it has potential, but really doesn’t go anywhere. Elvis improves this live version a bit by clowning around. At least it’s better than the 1969 studio version, released on Back In Memphis. Sound quality is better here than 1991, about the same as on FTD’s All Shook Up release.
• Disc 1, Track 16, “Inherit The Wind” (Live Master–8/26/1969 DS) [3:41]: There is a previously unreleased, longer spoken portion prior to the song, assuming it’s not editing trickery, and sound quality is much better here than 1991. It’s too bad Elvis did not keep this song in the show. With a little more tweaking, it could have been a great number. The 1969 studio version of this Eddie Rabbitt-penned song first appeared on Back In Memphis as well. Both the live and studio versions are not to be missed.
• Disc 1, Track 17, “Rubberneckin'” (Live Master–8/26/1969 MS) [3:53]: The long false start of this song was first released on FTD’s All Shook Up, and sound quality here is about the same – an improvement over 1991. Again, with some tweaks, this could have made a fantastic permanent addition to the show. The studio version of “Rubberneckin'” actually appeared in Elvis’ 1969 film Change of Habit, his last movie as an actor.
• Disc 1, Track 18, “Reconsider Baby” (Live Master–8/23/1969 MS) [3:17]: Though this is Elvis’ best live version of “Reconsider Baby” released so far, it is not in the same league as his studio performance of this Lowell Fulson blues song on 1960’s Elvis Is Back, one of the best recordings of his career.
• Disc 1, Track 19, “Funny How Time Slips Away” (Live Master–8/25/1969 DS) [2:38]: This live version of “Funny How Time Slips Away” actually precedes Elvis’ June 1970 studio version of the Willie Nelson song. Though the Elvis Country studio version is superior, the 1969 live versions are much better than live versions from the 1970s released thus far.
• Disc 2, Track 02, “I Got A Woman” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:54]: For many of his 1969-1977 shows, “I Got A Woman” was the standard second song. Elvis really rocked the 1969 and 1970 versions of this song, and this track is no exception.
• Disc 2, Track 04, “Love Me Tender” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:40]: This is one of those versions of “Love Me Tender” where Elvis spends some of the time kissing women in the audience. The best version from this engagement is probably the August 23 Midnight Show, released on FTD’s Elvis At The International.
• Disc 2, Track 05, “Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be Cruel” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [3:21]: In my opinion, Elvis’ 1969-1977 performances of “Jailhouse Rock” cannot compare with his 1957 original and 1968 TV special versions. For whatever reason, despite Elvis excelling on some of the other rockers, this one did not work as well in 1969. On this version, Elvis falls a bit behind and seems unsure of some of the lyrics. This medley also contains one of the weaker 1969 versions of “Don’t Be Cruel.” The best version of this medley is the August 24 Dinner Show on Live In Las Vegas.
• Disc 2, Track 06, “Heartbreak Hotel” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:37]: In 1969, Elvis introduced a slower, bluesier version of “Heartbreak Hotel,” which he continued to use in various live shows through 1977. I must admit, I much prefer the rocking versions from the ’68 special. This particular track is again one of the weaker 1969 versions released to date. The best 1969-1977 version of this song can also be found on the August 24 Dinner Show.
• Disc 2, Track 08, “Memories” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:50]: An okay version, notable mostly for Elvis recognizing Gladys Tipler in the audience, who tells him that it’s her birthday. “I just blew my mind, man,” says Elvis when jumping back into the song. Mrs. Tipler co-owned Crown Electric, for whom Elvis was a truck driver before gaining fame. “Happy birthday, Miss Tippler,” he states after the song ends.
• Disc 2, Track 10, Monologue (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [9:09]: After hearing a few of them, you might say that these monologues are interchangeable between the 1969 shows. The main label apparently takes that literally. That’s right, we now have more evidence of audio trickery. This monologue track is identical to one already released on the supposed August 21 Midnight Show, Disc 2 of 2007’s Elvis: Viva Las Vegas. This time, though, we can verify that it actually belongs with the August 22 Dinner Show, as Elvis mentions the Tiplers being in the audience and that it is Gladys Tipler’s birthday. It doesn’t bother me at all that they would splice shows together to create Disc 2 of Elvis: Viva Las Vegas. What does bother me is that they try to pass it off as the August 21 Midnight Show. How many other misplaced tracks are also thrown into that release? Why not just be up front about the source show for each song? Anyway, if you are not familiar with these ten-minute long monologues, Elvis tells a tongue-in-cheek version of the story of his career thus far. In typical Elvis fashion, he does not let facts get in the way of a good story. If he didn’t ramble and sound distracted so much, these might be more interesting. In certain bits, Elvis does demonstrate his gift for comedic timing, at least. My favorite is actually the “Memphis!” version first released on Having Fun With Elvis On Stage.
• Disc 2, Track 11, ‘“Baby, What You Want Me To Do” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [3:15]: After the ten minute monologue, Elvis treats the audience to “Baby, What You Want Me To Do,” the Jimmy Reed blues song that he had reverted to so many times while filming his 1968 special. The song worked much better in the raw, stripped-down form as recorded for the special than it does in the 1969 arrangement. The best 1969 version is on the August 26 Midnight Show (All Shook Up).
• Disc 2, Track 12, “Runaway” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:59]: Elvis teases the audience with a tiny snippet of “Surrender” before tearing into “Runaway.” This would be a decent version if it wasn’t for the mix. A male background vocalist is too loud, drowning out Elvis in a number of spots. Because of that, this version quickly becomes tiring.
• Disc 2, Track 14, “Yesterday/Hey Jude” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [4:37]: “Suddenly, I’m not half the stud-” Elvis sings early on and then pauses to laugh at his joke. The result is a rather typical, distracted-sounding version of “Yesterday.” The “Hey Jude” ending doesn’t help matters, either. Stick with the On Stage version for “Yesterday” (found on Disc 1 of this release).
• Disc 2, Track 15, Introductions (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:59]: I’m not going to get into the business of reviewing Elvis’ band introductions. And if you have a problem with that, Tutt Scheff.
• Disc 2, Track 18, “What’d I Say” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [4:11]: Elvis’ second song of the night was a Ray Charles classic, “I Got A Woman,” so it is appropriate that Elvis bookends the show with “What’d I Say,” another Ray Charles classic as the second-to-last song. Actually, this tune from Viva Las Vegas was reportedly the “fake” last song before Elvis returned to sing the real last song, Blue Hawaii‘s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as sort of an encore. This is one of the weaker 1969 versions of “What’d I Say.” All of the 1969 versions suffer from being too fast, though. His 1963 studio version and 1970 rehearsal, the latter of which is found on Platinum: A Life In Music, are both much better.

* * *

As is standard for the Classic Album series, the front cover art duplicates the original Elvis In Person re-release. I was hoping FTD might use the 1969 variation of this cover, with the “From Memphis To Vegas” title, rather than going with the 1970 version. Then, it would have made a great companion with a future Back In Memphis Classic Album release with the “From Vegas To Memphis” 1969 cover variation.

FTD did a great job on the grayscale of the underlying Elvis photo this time around, as it is not as washed out as it appears on other versions of this release. I am not sure why RCA in 1969 reverted to using black & white photos of Elvis for album covers. Compare the vibrant color photo on From Elvis In Memphis to the black & white one on Elvis In Person, for instance. Though it is a great photo, it would have been even better in full color.

That wasn’t the only odd choice in 1969, either. Though this album contains 1969 Vegas performances, the cover photo is actually from Elvis’ 1968 TV special. For some reason, a 1969 live in Las Vegas photo was used on the companion Record 2: Back In Memphis album instead – which contained only Memphis studio cuts. I guess there is just no figuring out the logic of record companies, then or now.

Remember when I said that FTD’s strong point was not attention to detail? The back cover art of this release is new. It features a photo of the International Hotel’s marquee from August 1970, a full year after these concerts. Oops.

On the inside of this tri-fold, 45 RPM single-sized packaging is a reproduction of the original back cover art, featuring three black & white photos of Elvis on stage in 1969. It’s probably not, but I always like to imagine that the bottom right photo of Elvis laughing while playing the electric guitar was taken during the “Are You Laughing Tonight?” performance at the August 26 Midnight Show, released on All Shook Up, among other releases.

I have complained in a couple of recent FTD reviews that the CD prongs are misaligned against the underlying images in the packaging. I am happy to report no alignment issues this time.

The enclosed booklet includes over two dozen familiar photos of Elvis from around this period. It also contains the full-track listing and performance dates for most of the songs on the two CDs. “Behind the Scenes” this time around features a partial timeline of the events surrounding the live performances and recordings, as well as the history of some of the more recent releases of this material. Of interest is that the August 21 performance released on the 2-CD version of 2007’s Elvis: Viva Las Vegas is noted as the Midnight Show—which, as I have mentioned in a couple of spots above, may not really end an ongoing debate as to exactly which show or shows that disc contains.

That is it as far as liner notes, though. A complete set list for every recorded concert and each track’s first record/CD release, if applicable, would have been nice—similar to the presentation in FTD’s The Way It Was book for the That’s The Way It Is concerts. At least toss some vintage reviews in there. As it is, the booklet feels hastily assembled and lacking. Perhaps twelve FTD releases a year is about eight too many?

The Final Verdict

Unfortunately, this 2-CD set from FTD is not the “definitive” or “ultimate” Elvis In Person release that it could have been. Of the five complete concerts released thus far from the 1969 shows, none of them contains songs that were used on the original Elvis In Person album. None of the true Elvis In Person concerts have been released as full concerts.

This material is strong enough for a mainstream boxed-set similar to the four-CD ELVIS: The Complete ’68 Comeback Special. Disc 1 could be the complete August 24 Midnight Show, Disc 2 the complete August 25 Dinner Show, Disc 3 the complete August 25 Midnight Show, and Disc 4 the complete August 26 Dinner Show. Then, you would have a definitive, ultimate version of this album.

The bottom line for FTD’s Elvis In Person 2-CD set is that it manages, just barely, to be at least essential.

If, like me, you want to collect all of the material from the 1969 Las Vegas engagement, the first disc is basically a backup copy of tracks you already own, while the second disc is the must-have portion. Still not a bad deal, as the price is the same as buying a single-disc FTD release anyway.

If, on the other hand, you are an Elvis fan who has not been exposed to this material very much before, then you are in for a real treat. Between the two discs on this set, you will have at least one version of every song released from this engagement thus far.

Sit back, crank it up, and enjoy!

Songs: 10 (out of 10)

Audio Quality: 8

Liner Notes: 5

Cover Art: 8

Packaging: 9

Overall Experience: 9