Review Back in L.A. LP

Alongside the release of the ‘New Script, Same Stage’ 2-LP set, the Millbranch import label also issued ‘Back In L.A.’, a deluxe double LP set featuring the May 11, 1974, evening show performance. 

The publicity for this release stated: “During the production of our album ‘Kansas City Revisited’, we were amazed at what can be achieved with modern studio techniques and the expertise of our recording engineer to restore these types of recordings.”

 
Having enjoyed their previous releases, I found this reason enough to pick up their latest offering of this L.A. performance, now making its debut on vinyl.
 
Design
 

Like the aforementioned ‘New Script’ album, the Millbranch label went all out with this deluxe package, and “deluxe” it certainly is! It comes in a modern-designed gatefold sleeve featuring Elvis on the cover, stepping toward the viewer and looking directly at you from the stage. Although I wish a sharper version of the cover image had been available, as this one is a bit grainy, it still captures the essence.
 

Inside, you'll find more pictures and memorabilia. The great black-and-white shot of Elvis performing showcases how simple the stage setup was in those days. essentially just a specially built stage with a curtain in front to make it look more appealing. There were no massive stages or light shows back then; Elvis had to carry each show (with a little help from his musical friends, of course).

 

The package includes printed inner sleeves that detail the meetings with Led Zeppelin, who attended this show, and excerpts from a 1956 interview with Lou Irwin when Elvis first performed in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium. The interview is included on the LP as a bonus, along with  ‘Trying to Get to You’ and ‘The Wonder of You’ (both improved versions) from his 1970 performances at the “Fabulous Forum,” as it was locally known.
 
To top it off, the producers added a 20-page, LP-sized booklet covering Elvis’ L.A. performances in pictures,  you’ve got to love those screaming girls from the '50s and the fringe suit from the '70s, along with text. It’s great to read comments from newspapers, like “Elvis Presley will have to clean up his show - or go to jail,” reminding us how it all started.
 

I opted for the clear vinyl for this album, and I have no complaints. The 150 Gr. vinyl is flat, as it should be, and plays with little noticeable noise or static. I love how the clear vinyl appears to be spinning backward when played.
 
Content
 
This concert has been released before on various bootleg labels, such as ‘City of Angels’ (Audionics, 2015), and officially on the Follow That Dream collectors label as ‘Live In L.A.’ (2007). It has been reviewed several times.
 
For this release, the producers returned to their tape transfer of the original reel-to-reel soundboard tape. Although the tape isn’t in top condition, the experienced audio engineer from Holland who worked on the audio, managed to improve the sound significantly, and stayed true to the original Mono sound,  not using DES this time. Using expertise gained from her work on the Kansas City performances, this concert now has more depth than the previous releases. The producers managed to add some warmth to the overall sound, and blended Elvis' voice in better with the musicians. 

Thanks to vinyl mastering, the sound is more voluminous, resulting in a fuller experience. And with the speed corrected, Elvis’ performance sounds more energetic than in earlier versions.

 
Unfortunately, the original tape has some flaws, and some limitations are still noticeable; the sound remains a bit sharp, and the performance could benefit from more bass. Just listen to ‘Suspicious Minds’ or the finale of big show numbers like ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’, and you’ll hear it. However, what wasn’t recorded can’t be added later. Thankfully, the crowd’s atmosphere is present, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the performance.

 

Elvis, too, contributes to this enjoyment, as he was in great shape and mood for the show, both vocally and physically. With members of Led Zeppelin in the audience, he interrupts ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ to tell his musicians, “Wait a minute… If we can start together, fellas, because we’ve got Led Zeppelin out there… Let’s try to look like we know what we’re doing, whether we do or not!”
 
On these two vinyl discs, we get a listenable show, much in line with what we know from the March 1974 tour, with the setlist hardly changed, but with Elvis in better shape and spirits. Some highlights include ‘Love Me’ and ‘Why Me Lord’, both featuring reprises, and ‘Steamroller Blues’, with Duke Bardwell on bass.
 

On ‘Hound Dog’, Elvis humorously remarks, “You guys weren’t together, man! I ain’t gonna take the blame for it!” showing there’s still some work to be done to impress Led Zeppelin. ‘An American Trilogy’ is a standout performance, including the L.A.-specific lyric “look away, Disneyland.”
 
Conclusion
 
This reissue of the 1974 L.A. performance is an upgrade from previous versions. The show is entertaining, the package is impressive, and it can easily compete with Jimmy Carpenter’s work for the Follow That Dream label. While the audio is better than before, it’s still not perfect, but it’s as good as it gets given the source material.
 
Overall, it’s "A Whole Lotta Love" from me for delivering a deluxe package like this!

You can order the 'Back in L.A.' Deluxe 2-LP from >>> Bennies Fifties.