Tuesday, March 26, 2019

March 26 - Lightning Strikes Like There’s No Tomorrow

The Straight Arrow import- label announced their first release of 2019, titled “Strike Like Lightning” containing the previously unreleased recording of the August 8, 1969 Midnight Show performance. In 2019, the Straight Arrow team will focus their 2019 releases on the concert years 1969-1972.

From the press-release:
We are aware of the fact that we have released 1974-1977 Elvis concerts of late. These releases were appreciated by the hardcore fans, but we strongly felt that the time had come for a change. On the 50th anniversary of Elvis' fantastic comeback in 1969, we are now able to release a tape that captures the electricity of that event. Until now, we had not released any 1969 live shows before, simply because most live tapes from that year are poor quality. Imagine our excitement when we got hold of a good sounding tape of a sensational gig from that magical year!
The August 8th, 1969 M/S is a previously unreleased recording, taken from a newly found audience recorded master-tape. This concert was never available in good sound quality thus far. There is a CDR with a so-called August 5, 1969 Midnight Show in circulation, which is the same concert, taken from an xxx-generation copy, but wrongly dated and in far inferior audio quality. Original cassette paperwork proves that this concert is definitely the August 8th, 1969 M/S!

As a small bonus, we have decided to add 4 tracks, recorded during the August 27th, 1969 D/S. Two of these tracks were released by the “Victrola” label on their conceptual 3CD album “Flesh, Blood and Bone” but these were never before available in decent sound quality, before now.

As usual, this release is presented in a deluxe 6-panel digipack, with a collection of photos taken in Las Vegas, NV, August 1969. Most of the photos were taken by Ann Moses, editor of Tiger Beat Magazine. Dig the psychedelic, period perfect artwork! As for the concert itself... wow, just wow! Elvis is groovy, sexy, earthy, charismatic, funny... And singing with real fire in his belly, never really heard again after this. Pure greatness.

It’s a new Straight Arrow so you know what to expect! Every second was digitally restored, every click manually removed, every drop-out fixed to achieve optimal listening pleasure.

Tracklist: 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. Memories - 10. Mystery Train / Tiger Man - 11. Monologue (Life Story) - 12. Baby What You Want Me To Do - 13. Runaway - 14. Are You Lonesome Tonight - 15. Yesterday / Hey Jude - 16. Introductions of singers, musicians, orchestra - 17. Introductions of Darlene Love & Bill Medley - 18. In The Ghetto - 19. Suspicious Minds - 0. What'd I Say - 21. Can't Help Falling In Love. 
Bonus tracks (August 27, 1969 Dinner Show): 22. It’s Now Or Never (partial) - 23. Loving You - 24. One Night - 25. Love Me. 

There’s no Tomorrow

The SR import-label announced the release of “There’s no Tomorrow” containing the previously unreleased August 10, 1973 Midnight Show performance, taken from the original high-quality tape.

From the press-release:
To be released in the middle of April, There’s no Tomorrow (SR Records) will focus on Elvis’ August 1973 Vegas season, featuring the midnight show from August 10, 1973, previously unreleased and taken directly from the original high-quality tape. 


The SR attitude is to present Elvis at the peak of his possibility and without any doubt Elvis’ first week in Vegas August season still presents him at the top of his possibilities, delivering great shows. If Rock is an attitude, then the man still has it. The performances are terrific, rough and sharp.
Elvis’ tolerance for Vegas has reached its limit in this season and the man will do nothing to hide it. But the beginning of the season is certainly promising and in this show in particular his enthusiasm shines through in every note. Elvis performs all the songs to the maximum of his possibilities, also pushing the band and giving the right time and presenting all the best of his repertoire ranging in all musical genres as only he can do.

We are happy to be able to associate great performance with great audio quality in order to be able to obtain a result that you can enjoy too. The ambiance tape is of very good quality, as you can appreciate both Elvis and the band and at the same time you can feel and live the live atmosphere of the intimate Las Vegas Showroom. The show has already said is great, starting from his latest single Steamroller Blues then with autobiographical You Gave a Mountain & My Boy then with the anthem An American Trilogy passing the best single of 1969, Suspicious Minds without forgetting the glorious fifties with Heartbreak Hotel and Mystery Train…. All the songs are very well performed. The Best song We can say I Can’t Stop Loving You: both Elvis and the band are pushing strong with a great job of James Burton guitar.

This new SR special Product will be housed in a deluxe 300 grams single sleeve that contains the 150 grams vinyl, a bonus CD and bonus glossy 30x30 cm double sided art card.

In order to create a special collector’s item, the 400 copies will come in four different vinyl color variations with a glossy sticker. Besides the 400 “standard” copies there is an additional limited edition set of 50 copies with exclusive content. 

Tracks LP: Recorded Live At Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas NV August 10, 1973 MS (running-time 52 minutes)
Side A 01. 2001 Theme 02. See See Rider 03. I Got A Woman/Amen 04. Love Me 05. Steamroller Blues 06. You Gave A Mountain 07. Trouble 08. Blue Suede Shoes 09. Rock Medley 10. Love Me Tender 11. Hound Dog 12. Fever

Side B: 13. Bridge Over Troubled Water 14. Suspicious minds 15. My Boy 16. I Can’t Stop Loving You 17. An American Trilogy 18. Mystery Train/Tiger Man 19. Release Me 20. Can’t Help Falling Love 

Tracks CD: (running-time 55,00 minutes)
01. 2001 Theme 02. See See Rider 03. I Got A Woman/Amen 04. Love Me 05. Steamroller Blues 06. You Gave A Mountain 07. Trouble 08. Blue Suede Shoes 09. Rock Medley 10. Love Me Tender 11. Hound Dog 12. Fever 13. Bridge Over Troubled Water 14. Suspicious minds 15. Band Introduction 16. My Boy 17. I Can’t Stop Loving You 18. An American Trilogy 19. Mystery Train/Tiger Man 20. Release Me 21. Can’t Help Falling Love 22. Closing Vamp.

(Source: FECC)