The Follow That Dream label released Elvis' dinner show from August 11, 1972, the Las Vegas Archives import label now released the August 5th. dinner show.
Design
The design matches that of the FTD release so no points for originality.
Content
For starters, it is another audience recording. The audio-quality is very mediocre, but because the concert itself is very enjoyable I finished the concert. The audience recording itself isn't complete, it fragments from lower quality were mixed in to complete the concert. There is a lot of distortion on some parts of the tape and at moments I thought I heard an old 8MM projector run on the background. The bonus material from the Dinner Show of the same day is of slightly better quality.
Elvis had opened this series of concerts just one day earlier; not a very good opening but he did throw in a few new songs: "What Now My Love" and "My Way". Considering he was in the middle of his divorce these songs get a deeper meaning; for us and certainly for Elvis.
But there was good news too, Elvis did a press conference after the closing show announcing the "Aloha from Hawaii via satellite" concert. And if you may call it good news for our man, he wasn't alone in Vegas, he was joined by his "girlfriends" Sandra Zancom (who lasted a week), Cybil Shepherd (lasted four days) and finally Linda Thompson who became his girlfriend for the next few years.
Elvis delivered a solid concert - if we listen closely - and shows he, his band and backing vocalists have what it takes to bring joy and excitement to the Nevada desert. Especially on the big show songs we get an Elvis in better shape than in the years to come, which add more to these songs while the rockers aren't thrown away yet. The same goes for the band, they sound very funky; especially Jerry Scheff on "Polk Salad Annie" and a relaxed "Hound Dog" while James Burton really picks those snares on the bonus addition "Johnny B. Goode".
The "Blue Suede Shoes" are thrown away only to be followed by a very good version of "My Way".
Elvis starts out a-cappella on the "American Trilogy" classic. I wonder what it would sound like if he had done the entire song that way, he had the voice to carry a song like this.
Conclusion
Overall this was an enjoyable concert in unfortunately a not so enjoyable audio quality. I consider this another documented concert for the collection.
Tracklisting
2001 Theme / See See Rider / Proud Mary / Never Been To Spain / You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling / Polk Salad Annie / What Now My Love / Fever / Carry Me Back To Old Virginia (excerpt) - Love Me / Little Sister - Get Back / A Big Hunk Of Love / The Wonder Of You / Hound Dog / Blue Suede Shoes / My Way / Suspicious Minds / Band Introductions / American Trilogy / Cant Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp
Bonus tracks:
Proud Mary / Never Been To Spain / The Wonder Of You / For The Good Times / My Way / Johnny B. Goode.