The Design
The CD comes housed in a double fold-out digi-pack with a good looking design featuring a good 1977 shot of our man from The Oklahoman newspaper which covered the concert. A major upgrade compared to the previous release.
Inside more pictures from the concert, liner-notes on the tape(s) used, original tickets and the original concert review complete the package.
A nice touch is the typography of Elvis name. That is taken from the ‘Welcome To Me World’ LP, released March 1977.
The Content
This CD contains the March 25, 1977 Evening Show performance as recorded from the audience at Norman's Lloyd Noble Arena at the University of Oklahoma. This show was part of Elvis Presley’s 26th tour since 1969.
It is a mix of audience-recordings as British fan Rex Martin was caught filming and taping the performance. The producers mixed his recording with other recordings of this concert. The result is a complete concert, but in mixed - audience recorded - audio quality.
The producers chose to create a complete concert performance, but the tape used for the opening of the show slips and it is not very enjoyable. The audio improves quickly, but it remains an audience-recording and you have to concentrate on the concert to enjoy it.
Professional audio of this concert is still locked in the archives of the record company. Felton Jarvis decided to bring with him the 8-track recording equipment this time hoping to record some new songs by Elvis on stage. RCA had given up on the idea to get Elvis to record in studio. The first time he set up the 8-track recorder was in Norman.
The record company already released 'Are You Lonesome Tonight', 'Blue Christmas', 'That's Alright' and 'Blue Suede Shoes' from March 26, 1977 on the 2002 Follow That Dream CD ‘Spring Tours 77’. The company also released 'Trying To Get To You' and 'Lawdy, Miss Clawdy' recorded the day after is in Abilene, Texas.
The concert itself was covered in The Daily Oklahoman on March 26, 1976: ‘Elvis "The King" Presley Delights Audience in Lloyd Noble Arena’.
"The King" Elvis Presley opened, as might be expected, to a sold-out house of nearly 13,000 at Norman's Lloyd Noble Arena Friday. The show was the first of a rare two-performance date by Presley in the arena.
Lines stretched outside the front of the arena one and a half hours before the concert started. Scalpers sold $15 seats for $40. But the arena erupted in one consolidated primal scream when Presley swaggered onto the stage at 10 PM after three warm-up acts.
He stands and leers often at his screaming fans. He moves slower now. Gone are the provocative gyrations which were scandalous in years past. He gives out lots of scarves and kisses. He also wiles away minutes characteristically mumbling. He kids excessively. But he still drives the crowd wild.
Presley's repertoire has ample progressive country and pop songs such as ‘Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away’ and ‘Tell Me If You Love Me’. His block-busting staples remain with ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘It's Now Or Never’ and ‘Don't Be Cruel’.
The Elvis magic was ever present wide though his voice range isn't as wide as before. But he's forever in the minds of his devoted following. And that's just as it should be with the living legend.
Conclusion
Elvis in 1977 will remain difficult. To enjoy a show like this you probably should be in the same room - or should I say arena - as Elvis, experiencing the magic he brings to the stage by being there.
The E.P. Collectors label captured this experience from the perspective of the audience. It is nice to hear the excitement of Elvis Presley appearing on stage, the crowd goes wild, no matter how our man looked and performed less than five months before his untimely and unfortunate passing.
This release is a big upgrade of the previous outing of this show, but, in line with the name of the label, for E.P. collectors only. Until we get the professionally recorded material will be released this is the best we have.