Sony Legacy released 'And I Love You So' Take 2 as another preview of the upcoming 'Sunset Boulevard' set.
'Sunset Boulevard' is a comprehensive 5-CD collection spotlighting Elvis' recording sessions and rehearsals at RCA's historic Sunset Boulevard Studio. Spanning 1970 to 1975, it features Elvis recording for the first time with his legendary touring band, ultimately spawning the hits 'Burning Love', 'Always On My Mind' (1972) and 'T-R-O-U-B-L-E' (1975) from the 'TODAY' album.
This special edition also includes 3 discs of rehearsals from 1970 and 1974 that capture both serious and light-hearted moments from Elvis in the studio. 'Sunset Boulevard' features 89 tracks, 34 of which are newly mixed versions, pure and without overdubs.
The set is available for pre-order from >>> Amazon (associate link) on CD and vinyl.
The Colonel and the Preview
Talking about previews, the Elvis Archival Preservation Society got their hands on an early copy of Peter Guralnick's 'The Colonel And The King' book, and Jamie Kelley and John Michael Heath shared their first impressions after reading it.
The Countdown is Over
The Elvis Evolution immersive experience opened after a nearly 8 month delay. Layered Reality Elvis Presley immersive experience in London (UK) which would bring the global musical icon back through the power of AI, augmented reality, live theatre and multi-sensory effects in a celebration of his life and legacy.
The experience finale was Elvis’ iconic ’68 special performance that captures the drama and triumph of what is described by many as the ‘greatest rock performance of all time’.
Through a partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises and Authentic Brands Group, the custodians of the Elvis Presley estate, Layered Reality has been granted access to thousands of Elvis’s personal photos and hours of the star’s home-video archive, using state of the art technology to bring the musical icon to life.
Note: The original marketing promised fans an "AI version of Elvis singing some of his greatest hits", but that unique experience was silently removed from the show after one of the partners went bankrupt. The first reviews will let us know what we can expect.
The First Review: 'The King of Rock and Roll did not enter the building'.
Amber Peake reviews the 'Elvis Evolution' for >>> London World:
London welcomed a new experience dedicated to the King of rock n’ roll this week as Elvis Evolution has officially opened its doors at the ExCeL’s waterfront in London, and it wasn’t quite what we were expecting.
Sandwiched between the Friends and Squid Game experiences, the new Elvis Presley themed attraction promises to transport fans through key moments of his life and career.
The new experience centres around Elvis' iconic '68 special performance and all the backstage drama that led up to his now career defining show.
Guests are transported back to the 60s as soon as they enter the venue as you start off in a retro themed diner where you can grab a burger or a milkshake before entering the experience. The attraction then begins ‘backstage at the NBC studios’ just hours before Elvis’ comeback show takes place. Greeted by studio staff you are chosen to be the live audience for the performance.
Elvis’ childhood friend Sam Bell soon bursts in as he asks to see ‘EP’ before the show starts. But after being rejected by studio staff, he then reminisces about growing up with Elvis in Tupelo and invites the audience to take a journey back to their carefree days as kids.
Guiding you aboard a train to Elvis’ hometown, Sam starts to describe Elvis' early life and his rise to fame. Although the whole scene felt a bit confusing as one minute you were immersed in a train ride with your seats simulating the jolty tracks and the next was a monologue from Sam about his life growing apart from Elvis.
While it was interesting to learn about their friendship, it felt like Elvis’ story ended up becoming a bit overshadowed by Sam’s by the end of the scene.
The experience has an interval of sorts based at the Blue Hawaii bar themed on Elvis’ classic 1961 movie before the second half starts as you’re guided through Elvis’ backstage NBC dressing room before taking a seat in the studio for his performance.
For the attraction Elvis’ dressing room has been meticulously recreated for fans to explore. But you don't have much time to look around as you are led into the NBC studio for the performance to begin.
The experience does have immersive elements like Elvis’ cologne being pumped throughout for fans to smell and the different sets to explore but the cherry on top would of course have been to see a hologram performance.
That being said, it feels like the attraction is more directed to the new generation of Elvis fans who are perhaps not too familiar with his early life or rise to fame.
Online Elvis Evolution responded to a fan who was not happy with her "immersive experience": the first announcement about the show was made back in January 2024, before tickets were on sale and while the creative direction was still evolving. As with many complex productions, our concept developed significantly from those early stages. While we explored various technologies, we ultimately chose not to replicate Elvis’ irreplaceable performances, and instead crafted an experience where the story leads the technology, not the other way around. We cannot wait for you to see it!
(Source: YouTube / Sony / EAP Society / Elvis Evolution / London World)