TTWII–EOT Vault Footage

Elvis On Tour meets the wonder of Blu . . . but without Johnny B. Goode?

/ TY / 8 Comments

Elvis On Tour Countdown: 1 week to theater event, 12 days to Blu

Hey folks, we’re only seven days away now from the return of Elvis to movie theaters across the United States. Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration appears in over 460 locations on the night of Thursday, July 29. It primarily features the newly restored for high definition Elvis On Tour, but also includes what is being billed as “never-before-seen” footage of Elvis. Also included will be a message to fans from Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla Presley.

The event celebrates not only this 75th anniversary year for Elvis’ birth, but also the August 3 release of 1972’s Elvis On Tour to Blu-ray and DVD. Tickets are still available in many locations, so be sure to check out Fathom Events’ Elvis On Tour page to buy your tickets and support Elvis. Opportunities to see Elvis on the big screen don’t come along very often.

On Blu-ray, the film can be enjoyed at home in its new high definition glory. Some skeptics have stated that Blu-ray is wasted on a 38-year-old movie like Elvis On Tour. This is certainly not the case.

I’ve watched dozens of Blu-rays, including recent hits like 2009’s Star Trek, and I can tell you that two of the best-looking Blu-rays I have are movies that are even older than Elvis On Tour: 1971’s Dirty Harry and 1963’s How The West Was Won. Released by Warner Home Video, both titles have crystal-clear video and take full advantage of the high definition format.

How is that possible? I don’t want to stray too far into technical details here, but the simple explanation is that the film used to make most movies actually stores much more image resolution than even Blu-rays can display. Old-style TVs, VHS tapes, and even DVDs can only show a fraction of most films’ image quality, while Blu-ray, combined with a high definition television or projector, can show much more.

The key in whether older movies take advantage of high definition lies in how much effort is put into the restoration process. Did you take note of which company released the top-notch Dirty Harry and How The West Was Won legacy Blu-ray titles? That’s right, it’s Warner Home Video . . . who just so happen to be on the verge of releasing Elvis On Tour.

We’ll know for certain on July 29 and August 3, but I think we Elvis fans are in good hands and are in for a real treat.

* * *

Or . . . maybe not? There are now strong rumors circulating throughout the web that the “Johnny B. Goode” opening of Elvis On Tour has been replaced by a poorly edited live version of “Don’t Be Cruel,” meaning that this will not be the original theatrical version of Elvis On Tour after all.

If true, this is a huge disappointment, to say the least. I hope that the rest of the film is unchanged, but talk about starting the movie off on the wrong track. A 1972 live version of “Don’t Be Cruel”? Ugh. Whose bright idea was that?

If the “Johnny B. Goode” rehearsal was not available (presumably due to music clearance issues), they should have used a “Burning Love” rehearsal instead, then it wouldn’t seem quite so bad. Even “Burning Love” would still lack the thematic hook of “Johnny B. Goode” that worked so well after Elvis’ opening narration, though. Still, it would be much better than a double-play of “Don’t Be Cruel.”

Oh well. Maybe they’ll get it right next time . . . in another 38 years?

Update: As far as I’m concerned, this is still a rumor, and I’m trying to treat it as such. I’ve requested more information from a source and will update you as soon as I learn anything official.

* * *

Elvis On Tour Countdown

  • 7 days until Elvis On Tour 75th Anniversary Celebration theater event
  • 12 days until Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD releases

* * *

For more information (official sites):

Selected posts about Elvis On Tour from The Mystery Train:

The official Elvis On Tour video outtake releases

/ TY / 2 Comments

Elvis On Tour Countdown: 2 weeks to theater event, 19 days to Blu

The Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises communications department must have loved me back in the early 1990s. I was 15 or 16 years old and somehow got into the habit of sending them letters through the mail with questions about Elvis.

As I started to build my Elvis music collection, I also began reading whatever material I could get my hands on about him. Among these were tribute magazines collected by my brother celebrating Elvis’ 50th birthday in 1985 and commemorating the tenth anniversary of his death in 1987.

In one of those magazines, I read an article titled something like “The Elvis Movies: Have We Really Seen Them All?” It mentioned Bill Randle’s infamous Pied Piper of Cleveland short film (1955), but it also focused on potential outtakes from the documentaries That’s The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972).

As a huge fan of both of the documentaries, I had to know if there was more footage in the vaults. So, I did what any self-respecting Elvis fan would do – I fired off a letter to Graceland and asked them about it. I had been to Graceland, and I was pretty sure that if anyone would know, it would be the people who worked there.

To his or her credit, and my surprise, someone there actually took the time to write me back. (I was unable to dig up the letter in time for this entry, but I know I still have it somewhere in my archives.) Receiving a letter from Graceland was quite the thrill.

Even more thrilling, though, was their answer. Not only did such footage exist, but Turner Entertainment had even compiled it together for video release. Unfortunately, the release was on hold as to not conflict with the 1990 Elvis: The Great Performances videos.

Not understanding the marketing and contractual issues behind the delay, I quickly resented The Great Performances for holding up the outtake footage. Though it contained two or three newly released numbers, most of The Great Performances was just a slightly modernized re-hash of 1981’s This Is Elvis.

Promotional flyer for Elvis: The Lost Performances (1992)

Promotional flyer for Elvis: The Lost Performances (1992)

It seemed like decades later to me, but 1992 arrived, and there were two big Elvis releases that year – which marked the 15th anniversary of his death. One was ELVIS: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters, the now legendary 5-CD boxed set that chronicled his studio recordings from that era. Until I had a little help the following year, that one was temporarily out of my financial reach.

It did not matter one bit to me, though, for it was the other big release of 1992 about which I was most excited. Released the same day as the CD set, Elvis: The Lost Performances was a one-hour VHS videotape that finally delivered those promised outtakes from That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour.

Watching Elvis: The Lost Performances for the first time was, perhaps, the best hour of my entire Elvis fan experience – including all the way up until the present day. I remember coming to the end of the tape, rewinding it impatiently, and immediately starting it over again. I must have watched it at least three times that first day, maybe even four.

The majority of the video focused on incredible material filmed for That’s The Way It Is, but it also included a few songs filmed for Elvis On Tour:

  • All Shook Up
  • Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
  • Are You Lonesome Tonight
  • I Can’t Stop Loving You
  • How Great Thou Art
  • Release Me

The Lost Performances was actually not the first time that Elvis On Tour outtakes became available to Elvis fans, though. Back in 1981, a couple of songs were prominently featured in the movie This Is Elvis:

  • Always On My Mind (rehearsal)
  • An American Trilogy

That movie also included some miscellaneous outtake footage, such as the recently separated Elvis boisterously indulging in guy talk with his entourage.

Thursday, July 29, will offer fans another chance to see Elvis outtakes, as previously unreleased footage will be shown as part of a special screening event in US theaters. Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration will also feature the newly restored Elvis On Tour.

Go to Fathom Events to find out if a theater is showing the event near your area. On August 3, Elvis On Tour will make its DVD and Blu-ray debuts. All of us who can need to be there in both cases to support Elvis and encourage future releases of additional Elvis On Tour and That’s The Way It Is footage.

Elvis: The Lost Performances never made it to DVD, so let’s make sure that these and dozens of other hours of Elvis footage from the two films are not lost forever.

Elvis On Tour Countdown

  • 14 days until Elvis On Tour 75th Anniversary Celebration theater event
  • 19 days until Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD releases

* * *

For more information (official sites):

Selected posts about Elvis On Tour from The Mystery Train:

One Night: More Elvis On Tour Theater Event and Blu-Ray Details

/ TY / 7 Comments

Elvis On Tour Countdown: 26 days to theater event, 1 month to Blu

The Mystery Train Elvis Blog didn’t even exist yet when I first posted in January about Elvis On Tour coming to Blu-ray over on my sci-fi blog. Now, over six months later, the Blu-ray release of the Golden Globe winner for best documentary of 1972 is just a month away. The film, featuring Elvis on stage and off during the spring of that year, makes its Blu-ray and DVD debut on August 3 from Warner Home Video.

What I never could have predicted back then is that in even less time than that, fans here in the United States will be able to experience the Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration in theaters across the country. Only 26 days away, the event will feature the entire Elvis On Tour movie as recently restored and remastered for high definition, as well as an introduction by Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley and never-before-seen footage. Sponsored by Fathom Events, Warner Home Video, and Elvis Presley Enterprises, Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration hits theaters one night only on July 29.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending two Fathom events before. The first, and most spectacular, was a special edit of ELVIS: ’68 Comeback Special to promote the deluxe edition DVD release. I was born in 1975, so I never had a chance to see Elvis in concert. Not only that, but I had never even seen him on the big screen in a movie theater. Fathom Events changed that with this incredible presentation. As an Elvis fan, it was a night I’ll never forget – the closest I’ll ever come to seeing him live.

I’m sure Elvis On Tour will feel much the same way. In fact, if I was born 10 or 15 years earlier, I very well may have attended a concert or two from that very tour, which had stops in my home state.

Be sure to check out Warner Home Video’s www.elvisthemovies.com, which is currently promoting Elvis On Tour and will soon have downloads and a photo gallery.

In case you missed them, here are some of the previous posts on Elvis On Tour from The Mystery Train:

Elvis on stage in 1972 during production of Elvis On Tour

Elvis on stage in 1972 during production of Elvis On Tour

See below for a full press release with even more Elvis On Tour details. Note that it mentions “Teddy Bear,” “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” none of which are actually in the original Elvis On Tour movie and, thus, may be part of the “never-before-seen footage” portion of the event. We’ll find out on July 29.

* * *

Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration to Hit Big Screens Nationwide for Exclusive One-Night Event with Never-Before-Seen Footage This July

NCM Fathom, Warner Home Video and Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. Bring Golden Globe®- Winning Concert Documentary to Select Movie Theaters on July 29th featuring Exclusive Segments with Priscilla Presley

Centennial, Colo. – June 30, 2010 – Commemorating the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birth, Warner Home Video, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and NCM Fathom are teaming up to present Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration special in-theater event that celebrates the timeless music of the rock ‘n’ roll icon. The event, featuring remastered film footage shot with The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll ™ on tour and in concert, will be broadcast to more than 460 select movie theaters on Thursday, July 29th at 7:00 p.m. local time.  In addition, this exclusive event will feature performances and interviews from the 1972 Golden Globe® Best Documentary winner, “Elvis on Tour,” and a specially-produced, exclusive retrospective from Priscilla Presley.  Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration includes never-before-seen Elvis tour footage as well as montage sequences produced by Academy Award®-winning director Martin Scorsese that showcase The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s early career and movies.

Tickets for Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration are available at participating box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the website (theaters and participants may be subject to change).

Since Elvis’s passing, Priscilla Presley has helped keep his legacy alive as an advocate for his music and as the founder of Elvis Presley Enterprises. As someone who knew the king better than almost anyone, her introduction at the beginning of the event promises to express the depth to which Elvis touched the lives of not just those who knew him, but the whole world.

“I was thrilled when I heard fans will be gathering in theaters across America on July 29 for this Elvis experience, and again in August during Elvis Week in Memphis,” said Priscilla Presley. “Those of us who witnessed Elvis in concert know how incredible it was to see him performing live. Now, through this in-theater event and DVD, millions more will get to experience that magic.”

“Elvis on Tour,” Elvis’ last film before his death in 1977, follows The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll as he embarked on a 15-city U.S. tour in April 1972.  More than 25 performances spotlight Elvis’ talent, range and showmanship in captivating on-stage performances and intimate backstage rehearsals with his band.  Shot with multi-cameras and presented in a split-screen format similar to “Woodstock” the movie, “Elvis on Tour” combines concert, rehearsal and backstage footage to provide all the excitement of having a front-row seat at the show. Concert performances include “Burning Love,” “Don’t be Cruel,” “Teddy Bear,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Me Tender,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and many more favorites.

Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration also features Elvis’ infamous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and his first performance of “Burning Love,” which was so new, he referred to the lyric sheet during the song.

“Elvis is an American pop culture icon and lives on in the hearts of millions and will return to the silver screen for a command performance at this historic event,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. “Elvis fans of all ages can experience The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll again in this restored and stunning presentation of the award-winning music documentary.”

Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration will appear in 467 select U.S. movie theaters, including AMC Entertainment Inc., Celebration! Cinema, Cinemark Holdings, Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Georgia Theatre Company, Goodrich Quality Theatres, Hollywood Theaters, Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, Marcus Theatres, National Amusements, Rave Motion Pictures and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters, as well as Bainbridge 5 (Seattle, WA), The Carolina (Asheville, NC), The Grand Theatre (Bismarck, ND), the Palace Cinema 9 (South Burlington, VT), Penn Cinema (Lititz, PA) and El Raton Theatre (Raton, NM) through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network – North America’s largest cinema broadcast network.

During Elvis Week events in August of 2010, a special screening will also take place at The Orpheum Theater in Memphis, the same movie house Elvis frequented as a teenager. Tickets to the Elvis Week showing in Memphis are available by going to www.ElvisWeek.com.

“Elvis 75th Anniversary DVD Collection,” available from Warner Home Video on August 3, features 17 of The King of Rock ‘n Roll’s films, including the new “Elvis on Tour” and fan favorites “Jailhouse Rock” and “Viva Las Vegas.” Visit the Warner Home Video official website http://www.elvisthemovies.com/ for more information on events and products.

About National CineMedia (NCM)
NCM operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater network covers 171 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes approximately 17,100 screens (15,500 digital). During 2009, approximately 680 million patrons attended movies shown in theaters currently included in NCM’s network (excluding Consolidated Theatres). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing approximately 40 entertainment-related web sites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 38.3% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com or www.fathomevents.com.

About Warner Home Video
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, a division of the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) is based in Memphis, with additional offices in Los Angeles. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit www.elvis.com . EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (www.ckx.com), a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ Global Market® under the ticker symbol CKXE.

* * *

Original image and press release courtesy of Goodman Media International, Inc. Used with permission.

It’s Official! Elvis On Tour to Rock Almost Every US State!

/ TY / 6 Comments

It is now one hundred percent official. Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration will be appearing in theaters in over 45 US states on July 29. Today, Elvis Presley Enterprises and Fathom Events finally announced a story we’ve been talking about here for nearly two weeks.

From the (poorly worded) press release:

This one night event will feature much of the last film footage shot with Elvis, a specially produced, exclusive retrospective from Priscilla Presley, and never-before-seen Elvis footage. More than 25 numbers spotlighting Elvis Presley’s talent, range and showmanship fill this lively chronicle of his multi-city 1972 series of concerts.”

The event promotes the August 3 Blu-ray and DVD release of the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour.

To purchase tickets to a theatrical showing in your area, use the link supplied over on this Elvis.com story: Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration in Theaters in July.

Tell every Elvis fan you know about this. We need to get those theaters full, and it’s playing in tons of locations.

Here’s the full list from Fathom.com: Participating Theatres – Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration

Thank you to Warner Brothers, Elvis Presley Enterprises, and Fathom Events for making this happen.

See you on the road, with Elvis! Don’t miss it.

Elvis On Tour (1972)

Elvis On Tour (1972)

* * *
[Update 6/19/2010: Here is some information about a European screening of Elvis On Tour, ElvisNews.com: On Tour European Premiere In Belgium With Jerry Schilling.]

Elvis On Tour Blu-ray/DVD coming August 3

/ TY / 2 Comments
Elvis On Tour (1972)

Elvis On Tour (1972)

This week, Warner Home Video and Elvis Presley Enterprises announced the Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD release date as August 3. There will also be a special screening of the movie on August 14 in Memphis during Elvis Week.

You read that right, we’re only four months away from the Elvis On Tour release!

Elvis On Tour features Elvis on the road and in rehearsals in the spring of 1972. Sandwiched between 1970’s colossal That’s The Way It Is and 1973’s Aloha From Hawaii, MGM’s Golden-Globe-winning documentary often seems to be overlooked among Elvis events. The second documentary produced about him, Elvis On Tour also represents Elvis’ 33rd and final movie.

Previously available in wide release only on VHS, Elvis On Tour is finally making its debut on Blu-ray and DVD. So, it is a little late to the DVD party, but just in time for the high-definition Blu-ray party!

While there will apparently not be any previously unreleased footage in this release, the press release does mention a number of songs that were featured only in the 1992 home video Elvis: The Lost Performances.

My hope is that the 1972 songs from The Lost Performances will be available as fully restored bonus features, along with the original theatrical version of the film. Blu-ray movies also allow for the possibility of “branching” — where you can choose between variations of a movie.

As we count down the months to the Elvis On Tour release, The Mystery Train will have more articles celebrating this event. Keep checking back, folks.

This is a great time to be an Elvis fan!

Blu Dreams: How Michael Jackson’s This Is It could help Elvis fans [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

Many fellow Elvis fans seem to have tired of all of the recent comparisons with Michael Jackson. However, they should take notice of one Michael Jackson project. Filmed just days before Jackson’s death in June, This Is It opens in theaters and IMAX later this month.

Assembled from over a hundred hours of footage, the documentary captures rehearsals and other behind-the-scenes moments for Jackson’s concert engagement that ultimately was not to be. If This Is It turns out to be a big success, Jackson’s fans can expect to see even more of that footage in sequels or at least in an expanded version on Blu-ray with lots of bonus material.

Why should we Elvis fans care about this? Success for This Is It may well lead someone at Warner Home Video to finally wake up and remember that they are sitting on dozens of hours of valuable behind-the-scenes, rehearsal, and concert footage of another singer known as “The King.”

In 1970, MGM’s cameras filmed several rehearsals and concerts for his Elvis Summer Festival engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Released in November of that year, the resulting Elvis: That’s The Way It Is documentary was grand and captured Elvis in his prime–but left dozens of hours on the cutting room floor.

In 1972, MGM’s cameras rolled again, this time for Elvis On Tour, capturing rehearsals, behind-the-scenes, and concerts in March and April. The film went on to win a Golden Globe, the only Elvis movie so honored. Again, dozens of hours of footage were filmed but not used.

Since that time, we have seen a bit of these outtakes. In 1992, Warner released Elvis: The Lost Performances, an incredible one-hour VHS video that included outtakes from both films. In 2001, Warner released a new edit of That’s The Way It Is, containing so many outtakes and changes as to actually be a different film than the original. Though both were compelling, these projects were just the tip of the Elvis documentary iceberg.

Though both versions of That’s The Way It Is are available, Elvis On Tour and The Lost Performances never received DVD releases. Maybe we are unable to go back in time just yet, but Elvis fans should at least be able to experience these historic films and outtakes.

First off, the original versions of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour should be fully restored in high definition and digital sound and released on Blu-ray (as well as DVD for those fans who have not yet upgraded), with top-notch bonus features.

Why stop there? Next, Warner should choose whichever That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour concerts are most complete (not all were filmed in their entirety) and release them as separate, all-new concert experiences. Do not tag them as Elvis On Tour or That’s The Way It Is re-edits, just make completely new projects and leave the original documentaries to stand alone as accounts from the time. Most important, do not over-edit these concerts. Use Elvis’ original setlist and flow as much as possible.

Imagine if a That’s The Way It Is concert was given a full-fledged theatrical release, with an Elvis marketing blitz unheard of since his death. Just think about watching one of the That’s The Way It Is concerts on an IMAX screen.

Sure, theatrical and IMAX releases are long-stretches, but I think at least Blu-ray releases for Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour are real possibilities if Michael Jackson’s This Is It takes off.

A fan can dream, can’t he?

REVIEW: The Wonder of You CD (FTD)

/ TY

The Wonder of You CD (Follow That Dream Records, 2009)

Strangers No More

When MGM filmed the first few days of Elvis’ August 1970 engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, his third such series of appearances in a year, RCA tagged along and recorded six of the same concerts. RCA released just a few songs from these shows during Elvis’ lifetime, as part of the That’s The Way It Is album. In fact, it wasn’t until 2000’s That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD set that a nearly complete show became available.

The Wonder of You marks the fourth almost complete concert officially released from the August 1970 engagement. It contains several songs not featured in the other That’s The Way It Is concerts. Sit back and enjoy Elvis’ August 13 Dinner Show, the sixth and final show that RCA recorded for That’s The Way It Is.

Overview

This is a terrific concert, probably the second best of the That’s The Way It Is shows, behind only the August 12 Midnight Show. Highlights include “Don’t Cry Daddy”/”In the Ghetto,” “The Wonder of You,” “Stranger in the Crowd,” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The sound is about as pristine as can be for a nearly forty-year-old recording.

About half of these performances have been previously released on other official albums. I’ll mention which mixes I think are better in my song-by-song analysis below. I have fun doing these kinds of comparisons, but I would like to point out that, when taken as a whole, this concert sounds great! Don’t read too much into my nitpicks. I’m also aware of the recent bootleg releases of this show, but I’m not going to get into comparing professionally-mixed, official releases to bootlegs.

* * *

“That’s All Right” (previously unreleased)

  • You can feel the excitement build as things kick off with a jungle-like rhythm. Soon, Elvis takes the stage and delivers a solid version of his first record, “That’s All Right.” The horns are mixed a little loud in the left channel at times, but not enough to detract from this classic. “That’s All Right” was the best opening song for Elvis. It worked much better than “Blue Suede Shoes,” “All Shook Up,” “See See Rider,” or various others.

“I Got A Woman” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis quickly slides into Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman.” Elvis’ 1969 and 1970 versions of this song are usually fantastic, and this one is no exception. I prefer the mix on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition, however, where the horns are less pronounced and are in both channels, rather than overpowering the left channel as they continue to do here.

“Hound Dog” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis references the red snakeskin highlights of his jumpsuit prior to this song, leading to a brief ad-lib in a typical for this season break-neck-pace version of “Hound Dog.” After the song, Elvis goes into his Gatorade routine, and then jokes that he owns part of that company. A star these days would probably work some kind of endorsement deal to mention a product as much as Elvis did Gatorade.

“Love Me Tender” (previously unreleased)

  • Have you ever wondered how Elvis usually got away with kissing so many women in the audience without angering their husbands and boyfriends? “Only if the guy smiles, man, do I kiss her,” explains Elvis as he takes time out from kissing to occasionally sing “Love Me Tender.” The band sounds great and carries along quite well during the kissing interludes. Finally having this concert in a relatively complete form means that we can place his “That’s the most fun part of the whole show” line in context. First heard on the live compilation disc of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition after “Make The World Go Away,” the comment actually follows the “Love Me Tender” kissing session here.

“Don’t Cry Daddy”/”In the Ghetto” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • I remember this medley blowing me away on the Elvis: The Lost Performances video back in 1992. To see Elvis singing two of my favorite songs for the first time, and together no less. For whatever reason, this CD splits the medley into two tracks, but it is actually a continuous performance. Mac Davis wrote both songs, and Elvis recorded them in his legendary 1969 American Sound Studio sessions in Memphis. Incidentally, these are complete versions, with only minimal fooling around by Elvis. This new mix is better than the previously released version. You can even hear Elvis yell, “Sing it, Charlie!” to Charlie Hodge early on in “Don’t Cry Daddy.”

“I Just Can’t Help Believing” (previously released on Writing For The King)

  • I have to be in the right mood to enjoy this sleepy song, but this is a fine performance. Elvis misses a word or two about halfway through and starts laughing a bit. I love that kind of stuff. If you are one of those people who insist on hearing the correct lyrics to every single song when listening to a live concert, then this isn’t the disc for you. Actually, I would say Elvis isn’t the artist for you, either. He played with or forgot lyrics all the time. Yet, somehow still made the songs sound so good. He really knew how to sell a performance. This mix feels very thin compared to the superior one on Writing For The King. I was hoping this whole disc would sound like this song did on Writing For The King.

“Stranger in the Crowd” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis jokes that this song, which he had recorded just two months earlier, wouldn’t be released until 1982. Every time I hear that line, it makes me a little sad, though, since Elvis would be gone five years by then. This is a great live rendition of “Stranger in the Crowd,” powered by Ronnie Tutt on drums. The studio version was one of the best numbers on the original That’s The Way It Is album, and it most certainly should have been a single. With a little more work on the arrangement (starting with getting rid of the Imperials’ “la la la la la la la” background vocals near the end), this live version also would have made a nice mainstay to his concert repertoire. Too bad it seems to have been abandoned after this. The mix of this same live version on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition has a fuller sound, packing more punch than the one here.

“Make The World Go Away” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis jokes that this song was “written before Roy Acuff was born, which is about 1800.” Just for fun, I decided to fact-check Elvis. Country music legend Acuff was born in 1903. Hank Cochran wrote “Make The World Go Away” in 1963, just seven years before this live recording. Sorry, E. This is a beautiful live rendition that I prefer to the studio cut recorded that June for Elvis Country. This also made its debut on the Elvis: The Lost Performances video, leading me back then to truly appreciate this song for the first time. If for nothing else than the toning down of a buzzing sound present through much of the song, the audio and mix quality here beats the previously released one.

“Sweet Caroline” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis cuts this Neil Diamond tune off nearly thirty seconds in when he forgets the words. He starts the song over and gets it right this time in a lively version. Every time I hear this song, I have to fight the urge to throw my arm back and forth like Elvis does when the horns go “dah-dah-daah.” I don’t always win that fight. Come on, you know you do it, too.

“You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis sounds distracted in this disappointing version of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” His extended performance of this same song from the night before (captured on Disc 2 of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition) is the best rendition ever (yes, even topping the Righteous Brothers).

“Polk Salad Annie” (previously released on Elvis Aron Presley)

  • Elvis delivers a great version of Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie.” Who else but Elvis could pull off going from country to pop to soul to swamp rock in a matter of minutes? This performance was first released on the 1980 boxed set Elvis Aron Presley, the first release of any song from this show. Who would have thought it would take another 29 years before we were treated to the entire concert? Audio quality and mixing on this new release is much improved over the 1980 version.

Introductions (previously unreleased)

  • In a fun moment, Elvis first introduces guitarist James Burton as “Chuck Berry.” After introducing (most of) the rest of his crew, Elvis introduces television legend and audience member Art Carney (best known as Ed Norton on Jackie Gleason’s The Honeymooners). Carney gets a huge hand, probably the biggest reaction to a celebrity introduction I’ve ever heard at an Elvis show. Elvis goes on to talk briefly about his own appearances on Jackie Gleason’s Stage Show, and mentions his later appearances on the Milton Berle Show and the Ed Sullivan Show. Someone then reminds Elvis that he forgot to introduce background vocalist Millie Kirkham, and he apologetically does so.

“The Wonder of You” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • One of the many highlights of the Elvis: The Lost Performances video was this performance of “The Wonder of You.” This version is almost as good as the single version recorded earlier the same year. The mix on this new FTD release of the song is an improvement over the previous release. I had to play them both a few times to come to that conclusion, though. While somewhat softer, the sound has better separation here, so it is easier to pick out distinctive instruments.

“Heartbreak Hotel” (previously unreleased)

  • After the big ending on the previous song, Elvis starts this one off sounding a little weak. This is a typical 1970 version of “Heartbreak Hotel.”

“Blue Suede Shoes” (previously unreleased)

  • A quick version, likely only done to please the crowd, lacking the power of his 1969 versions.

“One Night” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • Elvis still sounds weak, or is it the mix playing tricks on us? Play the same song on The Way It Was and it sounds much better.

“All Shook Up” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • “All Shook Up” had not yet become a complete throwaway in 1970, and this is a decent version. Which mix is better this time? Too close to call. This isn’t one I can play a dozen times in a row to figure out.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” (previously unreleased)

  • A beautiful performance, possibly his best live version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though due more to the orchestra this time around than Elvis. Considering that they blow it on some other songs during the That’s The Way It Is concerts, I have to give the horns some credit on this performance. They really carry this one and help to make it so powerful. This track was a nice surprise.

“Suspicious Minds” (previously unreleased)

  • I always look forward to hearing new live versions of “Suspicious Minds.” This is a decent version, but not particularly memorable. As with the other That’s The Way It Is concert versions of this song, the trumpets sound awful at times, blowing out on many of the high notes. After hearing their superb work on “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though, I guess I can forgive them. Tutt gives the drums a real workout at the end.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis sounds tired again after “Suspicious Minds,” but puts some effort into his “Can’t Help Falling In Love” closer. A fantastic show comes to an end.

* * *

I’m not going to say much about the cover and other album artwork, except to point out that cover art has never been FTD’s selling point. They can get away with it because the Elvis content within their releases pretty much sells itself. I’m also not going to bother complaining about the lack of a booklet or liner notes. I’m just glad to finally have this concert.

The Final Verdict

I was only two when Elvis passed away, so I never had the chance to see him live in concert. Experiencing relatively complete shows like this one, when Elvis was in top form, means a lot to me. This is FTD’s best concert release to date, and I’ll be enjoying this show for years to come.

Songs: 10 (out of 10)

Audio & Mix Quality: 9

Liner Notes: N/A

Cover Art: 5

Packaging: 5

Overall Experience: 10