Thursday, November 17, 2016

November 17 - Glasgow Tour Kick-off

The new tour kicked off in Glasgow. It was a good concert with some nice surprises in the set-list. I used some of my own and fellow fan postings from the FECC forum for this short review:

The producers used two screens, one small with Elvis and one in the back behind the orchestra. They could have done more with the latter, images there were very basic.

The rear screen wasn't incorporated enough or well-enough throughout the show. But when it was used well, particularly during the second half of the show, it was very effective. Most of the footage also looked great on the front screen - which hung above the orchestra - with the exception of some TTWII material, which wasn't framed well. 
More movie footage would have been ideal here. Especially with regards to the way Love Me Tender was used. Essentially, the rear screen is akin to a cinema screen. But these issues aside, the orchestra was just marvelous and the sound was tremendous. They worked superbly with the images on screen and were a joy to hear. 

The sound was magnificent throughout. A few mistakes though but to the casual viewer they probably wouldn't have noticed. But at some points during the show the hairs of one fan from the FECC forum stood up especially the end of Trilogy and How Great Thou Art. And Burning Love sounded better here than on the CD. There were a few sound glitches which were probably feedback, two or three of the transitions between songs weren't too smooth, but for the first show it were some minor issues. 

Even Priscilla mingled in the crowd after the intermission. Although she was obviously nervous, made a few mistakes and got distracted by some audience members. She mistakenly said I Cant Stop Loving You several times instead on Cant Help Falling in Love which is what she meant. 
But she was affectionate and endearing, enjoying what the concerts were designed to represent and put herself out on a limb by walking amongst the crowd. Not that she was bound to be in any danger, but she had (most of) the audience on her side and going slightly off-piste could have endangered that. 

Some complained because they went from Thats Alright to Blue Suede Shoes, all fast songs apart from Are You Lonesome Tonight, might have been better switching this song to the end of the faster songs. Ill be Home for Christmas was an unexpected surprise.

Overall a good experience and atmosphere with a few standing ovations as well, there was definitely a great buzz about the place.

The Yorkshire Evening Post wrote on the Leeds Concert:

An opening sequence of Burning Love, Welcome To My World and Steamroller Blues shows Elvis by turns as a smouldering rock’n’roller, vulnerable balladeer and bluesy powerhouse. The orchestra comes into its own in a smoky rendition of Fever while Just Pretend and Don’t reveal the King’s tender side, then Elvis’ fondness first for opera then gospel shines through in It’s Now Or Never and How Great Thou Art. Sandwiched in between is a classy montage of images of a young Elvis with his parents Gladys and Vernon that accompanies In The Ghetto. The second half of the show zips along with one rock’n’roll number after another. Trouble, Guitar Man, Hound Dog, Don’t Be Cruel, Heartbreak Hotel, All Shook Up and Blue Suede Shoes are all immaculately presented but Love Me Tender, presented with flickering black and white footage from the film of the same name, and a sizzling performance of Suspicious Minds, with Elvis at his hip-swivelling best, prove even more powerful. As the concert climaxes with two show stoppers, American Trilogy and If I Can Dream, the audience gives the orchestra a standing ovation. It’s well deserved. 

Elvis may have left the building but his legacy very much goes marching on.

(Source: Me and fellow fans on FECC :-) / Yorkshire Evening Post)