The latest FTD batch arrived. Here is my view on Las Vegas 1975.
Design
It is a regular fold open release, the panels carry pictures from the engagement, but most are unsharp and blurry. The font is a bit small, but the contrast okay.
Content
March 22 1975 M.S.
Soundwise this soundboard is not belonging to the best, but not too bad either, once you're used to it. Unfortunately, since the song line-up makes this one of the more interesting shows. The show is not as good as the famous "opening night" in 1974, but it comes pretty close: hardly any throwaway versions of the oldies, but in general strong versions of his more recent work. I admit there is/was still room for better songs, but at least it is not the boring thing that a lot of the later shows were (and even quite some earlier). Even the introductions are not as boring as usual, still way too long, but not as boring! Anyway, with with versions of It's Midnight, Promised Land, Green Green Grass of Home, My Boy and You're the Reason I'm Livin' you have at least a handful of not too often played tunes. Those that have A Profile, Volume 2 (Fort Baxter), Back With A Bang (Audionics/ Fort Baxter) or Las Vegas Happening(Rock Legends): you're not crazy... you heard the show before! The bonus songs do not add much to the CD in my opinion.
After I wrote this I looked back on what I thought in the past. It turns out I'm pretty consistent ;)? Here is what I wrote 8 years ago:
Overall it is a show like an Elvis show should be: quite some songs from the recent (Today-) session (Green Green Grass of Home, It’s Midnight, Fairytale and And I Love You So), recent singles (Promised Land, My Boy), some “pop songs of the day” (the Olivia Newton-John hits) some oldies and even a real surprise (You’re the Reason I’m Livin’).
Unfortunately Elvis messes up some things a bit. Even I Got A Woman is stopped, but E continues it well like a human beat box. I’ll Remember You, although well sung, gets some fooling around too, a pity! During the (way too long) introductions Elvis imitates a stand-up comedian. Boy, am I glad he had to make his money as a singer! After this boring part there are some real gems: My Boy will always be a weak spot for me and the surprise song You’re The Reason I’m Livin’ was a sensation at the time this release came out for the first time. Even BMG copied it later on their Vegas box.
Disregarding the minors it is a pretty good show, not as good as the July tour of that same year, but in general one can say that the new songs were good, especially the ballads and the throwaway versions of the oldies couldn’t spoil the whole picture.
The April 1st show is a different piece of cake. The show is less interesting, 'more regular', very close to the May/June shows of which we have a lot already, don't get me wrong, it's still entertaining, but not as interesting. Soundwise it is about the same, only with Elvis more upfront. During And I Love You So it suddenly changes, it doesn't get better or worse, just a bit fuller.
Conclusion
The package is not the most spectacular, but it's the content that counts. One very entertaining show - that most of us had a few times before, but now legally for the first time - and one more than okay show. I stopped wondering the release policy and just take it as is. I guess there is no thought behind it (anymore?), they just release what they have.
