August 23 - Midnight Variety At The End Of Paradise Road

Five new audience-recordings were announced by respectively the Memory Records, Straight Arrow and Rainbowrecords import labels. The concerts cover the years 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1977.


The Czech Memory Record fan club / import label announced the release of two new CDs; 'Midnight Resurrection At The International' containing the August 25, 1969 midnight show, and 'Baltimore Nightfall' containing a recording of the evening show from May 29, 1977 M.S.


The Straight Arrow import label also announced the release of two discs; 'Atlanta Bound' with a recording of the evening show from July 4, 1976 and 'Down At The End Of Paradise Road' containing a recording from August 30, 1973 (Las Vegas).


The Rainbow Records import label announced volume 6 in their series 'Vegas Variety' series, featuring the August 24, 1974 Dinner Show performance as recorded at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, Nevada.


Details  Straight Arrow Releases:


Atlanta Bound


The CD 'Atlanta Bound' will feature Elvis' June 4, 1976 show in Atlanta, GA. Compared with many other mid-1976 concert recordings, this one is very enjoyable. It seems that Elvis was "on fire" when he played Southern states, no matter if it was 1970 or 1976. His three dates at the Omni Coliseum were special ones and Elvis tried hard to please a very appreciative audience. On this CD, Straight Arrow is presenting the first concert, as both June 5 and 6 have already been released by other labels.



Elvis hit the Omni stage in a good mood and a strong voice. As usual, the highlights are not only ballad performances like "You Gave Me A Mountain", a double "Hurt" or even the country gospel of "Help Me" but also rockers like "Polk Salad Annie", "Burning Love" and "Jailhouse Rock". Near the end of show, Elvis takes an audience request and belts out one of his best versions of "that silly song", "Little Darlin'". As you've come to expect from Straight Arrow, the producers managed to get the finest possible source: a first-generation copy of an original STEREO audience recording, with the tape completely restored for extremely enjoyable listening.


This disc is topped off with a 16-page booklet, including a fine collection of photos from Atlanta on June 4th and 5th, and liner notes. "ATLANTA BOUND" will be released in late August. You will be more than surprised by the sound and, most importantly, by Elvis himself. Yes, he had some off-moments in 1976, but this gig ain't one of them! Don't miss a chance to dig another cool show from the King.


Tracks:
01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman /Amen - 04. Love Me - 05. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) - 06. You Gave Me A Mountain - 07. All Shook Up - 08. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel - 09. Help Me - 10. Jailhouse Rock - 11. Fever - 12. Polk Salad Annie - 13. Introductions by Elvis of singers, musicians - 14. Early Morning Rain (John Wilkinson) - 15. What'd I Say (James Burton) - 16. Johnny B. Goode (James Burton) - 17. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt) - 18. Bass Solo (Jerry Scheff) - 19. Piano Solo (Tony Brown) - 20. Electric Piano Solo (David Briggs) - 21. Love Letters - 22. School Day (Joe Guercio Orchestra) - 23. Hurt - 24. Hurt (reprise) - 25. Burning Love - 26. Funny How Time Slips Away - 27. Little Darlin' - 28. Can't Help Falling In Love - 29. Closing Vamp


Approximate running time: 69:15


Down At The End Of Paradise Road

The second summer '11 release from Straight Arrow (SA 2011-22-02) will be the previously-unreleased August 30, 1973 Midnight Show in Las Vegas entitled 'Down At The End Of Paradise Road'. Most of Elvis' August-September 1973 shows were solid (especially when compared with February 1973) and this night is no exception. The show is somewhat unusual. Usually, every time daughter Lisa Marie was in attendance, Elvis would drop the emotional ballad "My Boy" from the set list, and replace it with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". In this show, however, both songs are performed.

This live recording is taken from the flip side of an original 120-minute cassette tape. The A-side, containing the dinner show that same evening, was released by Straight Arrow in 2010 as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". The sound quality here is very good, considering it was taped from the audience. All photographs are from the August-September 1973 Hilton engagement, and the liner notes are written by the super-fan who quietly recorded the show!

Excerpts from the sleeve notes:
"Elvis appeared, looking trim in a white jumpsuit with sunburst pattern of blue and gold. Taking his black acoustic guitar from Charlie Hodge, the King of the Las Vegas showrooms began what would be a fine, upbeat show with an energetic "C. C. Rider". Charlie almost dropped Elvis' tossed guitar at the end of "I Got A Woman/Amen", causing the singer to joke, "We live dangerously up here!" "Bridge Over Troubled Water" shifted things from sexy back to serious, with Elvis reprising the finale from the verse "Sail on, silver girl". It was pleasing to see how his mood had changed quite dramatically from that evening's first performance. At the dinner show Elvis had fooled around and chatted quite a lot. Now, he put on a much tighter performance, although both shows were enjoyable in different ways. There was an exchange with Bill Porter in the sound booth about his microphone; there'd been sound problems at the first show, and Elvis changed microphones before doing "An American Trilogy". During the quieter part he added, "All my trials, Lord - thank goodness - soon be over". Was this a reference to his upcoming divorce, problems with Colonel Parker, or simply that he was annoyed, and was glad his summer season was almost completed? "If we've done anything to make you happy, then we feel we've done our job", said the King, as he moved into "Can't Help Falling In Love" and completed a very satisfying performance. Many British fans, who'd arrived in Vegas earlier that day, must have been thrilled to discover their hero in such good form".


Tracks:
01. Opening Vamp / C. C. Rider - 02. I Got A Woman / Amen - 03. Love Me - 04. Steamroller Blues - 05. You Gave Me A Mountain - 06. Trouble - 07. Long Tall Sally / Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On / Your Mama Don't Dance / Flip Flop and Fly / Hound Dog - 08. Love Me Tender - 09. Fever - 10. Bridge Over Troubled Water (with reprise) - 11. Suspicious Minds - 12. Introductions of singers, musicians - 13. My Boy - 14. I Can's Stop Loving You - 15. An American Trilogy - 16. Johnny B. Goode - 17. Introduction of daughter, Lisa Marie / Lady Of Spain (one liner) - 18. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - 19. How Great Thou Art (with reprise) - 20. Can't Help Falling In Love - 21. Closing Vamp
Approximate running time: 57:57 



Details on the Memory Records releases


Midnight Resurrection At The International - August 25, 1969 Midnight Show, International Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Midnight Resurrection At The International is a typically excellent 1969 set. Among the highlights are "Jailhouse Rock", "Mystery Train" and "All Shook Up". Of course, contemporary material is included - strong covers of "Words", "Yesterday" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", plus terrific renditions of Elvis' recent recordings, "In The Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds". It's Elvis in 1969, so don't expect even a single average performance! 



This recording is taken from an early generation copy of the original tape. The sound quality is very good for a 42 year-old audience recording. The CD booklet contains a collection of August 1969 photos and liner notes. There is no doubt that the year 1969 is Elvis Heaven.


Tracks:
01. Opening Theme, 02. Blue Suede Shoes, 03. I Got A Woman, 04. All Shook Up, 05. Love Me Tender, 06. Jailhouse Rock / Don't Be Cruel, 07. Heartbreak Hotel, 08. Hound Dog, 09. I Can't Stop Loving You, 10. My Babe, 11. Mystery Train / Tiger Man, 12. Monologue, 13. Baby What You Want Me To Do, 14. Runaway, 15. Are You Lonesome Tonight, 16. Words, 17. Yesterday / Hey Jude, 18. Introductions of Singers, Musicians, 19. Introduction of Celebrities (Nancy Sinatra, Mac Davis, Buddy Hackett, Tom Jones, Shelley Fabares), 20. In The Ghetto, 21. Suspicious Minds, 22. What'd I Say, 23. Can't Help Falling In Love. 


Approximate running time: 75:59


Baltimore Nightfall - May 29, 1977, Civic Center, Baltimore, MD 



Baltimore Nightfall hails from Elvis' uneven May/June 1977 tour. After a few lethargic concerts at the start, Elvis offered some decent performances in Augusta, Rochester and Binghamton. Philadelphia on May 28 was problematic, and the next evening in Baltimore the King left the stage halfway through. No one was quite sure if he would return to finish the set. Talk about Hell... Luckily, Elvis reappeared twenty minutes later, singing with power and trying to compensate for the unexpected break with extra effort, including knockout versions of "Hurt", "Help Me" and "Unchained Melody". 

This recording was taken directly from a first-generation copy of the original audience tape. A previous release in 1994 on the Groti label was incomplete, and it ran at the wrong speed. This new Memory CD uses a different source tape, is 100% uncut and much better sounding. All photographs are from Baltimore on May 29. 


Tracks:
CD1: 01. Also Sprach Zarathustra, 02. C. C. Rider, 03. I Got A Woman / Amen, 04. That's All Right, 05. Are You Lonesome Tonight, 06. Blue Christmas, 07. Heartbreak Hotel, 08. Love Me, 09. Jailhouse Rock, 10. You Gave Me A Mountain, 11. Danny Boy (Sherrill Nielsen), 12. Walk With Me (Sherrill Nielsen), 13. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel / Elvis leaves the stage, 14. Walk That Lonesome Road (J. D. Sumner & the Stamps), 15. My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me (Kathy Westmoreland)


CD2: 01. Introduction of Singers, Musicians, Orchestra (Charlie Hodge), 02. Early Mornin' Rain (John Wilkinson), 03. What'd I Say (James Burton), 04. Johnny B. Goode (James Burton), 05. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt), 06. Bass Solo (Jerry Scheff), 07. Piano Solo (Tony Brown), 08. Electric Piano Solo (Bobby Ogdin), 09. School Day / Elvis returns, 10. Hurt, 11. Hound Dog, 12. Help Me, 13. Unchained Melody, 14. Blue Suede Shoes, 15. The Wonder Of You (partial), 16. One Night, 17. Medley: O Sole Mio (Sherrill Nielsen) / It's Now Or Never, 18. Can't Help Falling In Love, 19. Closing Vamp


Approximate running time: 83:45


Details Vegas Variety 6

It was 37 years ago and Elvis was (again) “hot” in Vegas. The Hilton Hotel´s famed showroom was sold out for every single performance and Elvis was in the mood of giving the audience a lot for their money. Not only music was part of the game this time. Elvis also did quite some monologues about his favourite sports, jewelry, John O´ Grady´s new book and from time to time even about “Black Angels” ;-)
Elvis´ Engagement in Las Vegas in the summer of 1974 was somewhat different and so it is some kind of extra special to hear as many of his concerts from that period as possible.
Rainbow Records is now able to deliver a very fine show in really nice sound, recorded by some fans tape recorder which has been secretly brought with by a female fan to “record” the King. As usual a very high quality booklet comes with this release. It has a lot of pictures and information on its 20 pages.
Approximate running time: 78:58. The CD is due August 24, 2011.



Tracks:
01. Also Sprach Zaratuhustra
02. C. C. Rider
03. I Got A Woman / Amen
04. Love Me
05. If You Love Me (Le Me Know) 
06. It's Midnight 
07. Big Boss Man 
08. Fever 
09. Love Me Tender
10. All Shook Up
11. The Wonder Of You 
12. I'm Leavin 
13. Softly As I Leave You 
14. Hound Dog 
15. You Gave Me A Mountain 
16. Polk Salad Annie 
17. Band Introductions 
18. If You Talk In Your Sleep 
19. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel 
20. Hawaiian Wedding Song 
21. It's Now Or Never
22. Let Me Be There (with reprise) 
23. Can't Help Falling In Love 
24. Closing Vamp



'Elvis & Priscilla: The Wedding' Calendar 


EPE announced the release of 'Elvis & Priscilla: The Wedding' Calendar' this fall. 


Synopsis:

A keepsake item for Elvis fans and collectors alike! To celebrate the 45th wedding anniversary between the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Priscilla Presley, Elvis Presley Enterprises will soon release “Elvis & Priscilla: The Wedding,” a 16-month calendar by Mead for 2012. Priscilla hand-picked this unique collection of wedding photos and provided all of the personal commentary to describe what was happening in each image.
Elvis and Priscilla were married on May 1, 1967 in a private ceremony at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. "One thing I loved throughout the years was Elvis’ silent gestures" writes Priscilla. "He had a manly image to maintain, but his assuring subtle squeeze of the hand, the strength of his touch, and the occasional wink would send me an unspoken message.”

(Source: FECC / Nachrichten Forum / ElvisNews / EPE)