As part of its ongoing live on tour series, FTD announced the release of ELVIS: ST. LOUIS / SPOKANE. Released as a 2-CD 5” digi-pak, this set features Elvis at the Kiel Auditorium on March 22 and The Coliseum on April 27, 1976.
Disc 1
March 22, 1976
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis. 8:30 p.m.
01 Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra
(Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) 0:55
02 See See Rider 3:01
03 I Got A Woman/Amen 4:38
04 Love Me 2:27
05 Let Me Be There 2:47
06 You Gave Me A Mountain 3:37
07 Steamroller Blues 3:02
08 All Shook Up 1:01
09 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel 2:02
10 Hearbreak Hotel 1:38
11 Love Me Tender1:48
12 Polk Salad Annie 3:35
13 introductions (incomplete) 5:19
14 And I Love You So 3:36
15 HURT 2:07
16 Hound Dog 1:25
17 America 2:59
18 Funny How Time Slips Away 3:02
19 Can’t Help Falling In Love 1:51
20 Closing Vamp 1:40
Disc 2
April 27, 1976
The Coliseum, Spokane, Washington. 8:30 p.m.
01 Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra
(Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) 1:00
02 See See Rider 5:00
03 I Got A Woman/Amen 7:04
04 Love Me 4:11
05 If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 3:22
06 You Gave Me A Mountain 3:22
07 All Shook Up 1:05
08 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel 2:49
09 Trying To Get To You 2:18
10 America 2:25
11 Polk Salad Annie 3:58
12 introductions 11:30
13 My Way 4:04
14 Burning Love Linde)
15 HURT 3:41
16 Funny How Time Slips Away 3:57
16 How Great Thou Art 3:18
16 Hound Dog 1:58
21 Can’t Help Falling In Love 1:45
20 Closing Vamp 1:47
Two new 76 soundboard shows from a good tour and Elvis in a good mood. Hope the sound will be good. For live collectors good to have.
~ The St. Louis concert ended a short March '76 tour, and the Spokane concert ended a short April '76 tour. 32-year old Larrie Londin was pounding the drums for the St. Louis concert (if I'm not mistaken). Elvis wore the same jumpsuit for both shows. I'm looking forward to hearing these two previously unreleased concerts!
Great to finally get a show from Elvis' first 1976 tour. The Spokane gig doesn't seem too bad either. Unlike the dreadful night in Omaha where all most of the numbers seem to just limp along. While there's no problem with the content, the live titles are getting less and less creative. A bit of phraseology (say "From St. Louis to Spokane" would've given this set the respect it deserves. Lastly I thought Elvis' hair was a bit messy given the photo was taken early in the show. But no it's another unconvincing Photoshop. The original is good enough. Ciscoking, if you're reading this...
It took only a few moments before the forums uncovered the fake photo and came up with the original pictures. Ernst still thinks his customers are a mass of dumb fools.
Enough of the so called "live" albums. Same ole crap in a different package. I'm happy enough with the live stuff I have.
The thing with the photo is annoying and not necessary. Ernst / FTD should use this time for quality control of their products. That would be better and necessary as you could see in the past again and again.
That black spot close to Elvis' head cannot be real. Indeed very amateur editing.
Cruiser621, I understand what you're saying, but this release actually serves a coherent purpose (minus the "artwork"). FTD is finally representing 2 short tours (in one package) that hadn't been previously covered.
What's going on with the FTD team? from the last time here, the CDs are being released with defects, little inspiration as the covers of the CDs!
Ernst is a fan of the 50s Elvis not of the 70s. So the cover is crap. What a frog !
Nothing wrong with the cover imo. Needs some touching up on the black and another few minor things, but further I take it as it is. It ain't half as bad as people make it appear. Covers have been made up and pictures altered as long as they are around. It's not really a big thing.
Elzo: yes agreed but on the other hand if FTD is good enough to correct a spelling mistake on the California set or change the cover on the West Coast Tour '76, then surely they can lose the Photoshop on this potentially decent photo. A change to a better title would be a bonus.
It's not only the hair. Everything about the editing of this cover is beyond ridiculous. Look at the area between Elvis' hand and the guitar. They painted his waist the same blue color of the background. The area around the Elvis logo shows it's like a square cut. Ernst needs someone with better editing abilities and I'm pretty much sure there are hundreds editors who are Elvis' fans and that would gladly make covers for FTD for free (I would do it, myself). Just because we care about Elvis. I have a challenge for Ernst. Why not before every new release, provide the main picture and make a contest to see which fan comes up with the most beautiful cover. The winner would get the new release for free.
I think if the cd was going to be for general release they would put more effort and creativity into the product. But being a limited release and to a very limited audience, they have to be mindful of cost. Most times the artwork is very good. The last FTD California cover and Elvis is back sessions were beautiful imo. Ernst also listened to our utter shock of the 69 sessions cover and completely changed it so he’s doing his best to serve and please us with a limited budget. It’s not the worst cover ....again imo!
We all have our personal preferences about an Elvis release, but I thought the cover looked more than passable and is of no real concern. What does interest me much more is the content, and for someone who was constantly criticised for not changing the set list had 25% of the songs replaced within a month !!.
Hi Gorse. I couldn't agree more, cover + setlist ! Before FTD existed fans would have paid a lot of money for soundboards. Now everybody takes such releases for granted. We are all human and we all make mistakes now and then. In general we should be very thankful for what FTD realised and released during the past years.
Ciscoking, if you had a hand in choosing these 2 concerts, thank you!
Yes, youre welcome..glad you like it.
HISTORY of Kiel Auditorium: The arena, completed in 1934, at a cost of $6 million, seated 9,300 and was built by Fruin-Colnon Construction. It was originally named the Municipal Auditorium, but was renamed in honor of former St. Louis Mayor Henry Kiel in 1943. A unique feature of the auditorium was that it was split into two; the front of the building was the Kiel Opera House. It was possible to use both sides at once as the stages were back to back. The auditorium was the home of the St. Louis University basketball team and hosted the NBA's St. Louis Hawks, from 1955 to 1968. Kiel Auditorium played host to a variety of concerts and wrestling events, from the 1950s, until its closure in 1991. In 1983, it was the host of the Miss Universe Pageant. From the 1950s until the 1970s, the Kiel Auditorium was behind only Madison Square Garden as North America's most famous wrestling arena. The building was demolished in 1992.
HISTORY of Spokane Coliseum: (nicknamed The Boone Street Barn) was an indoor arena located in Spokane, Washington state. After more than a year of construction, the arena opened and was dedicated on December 3, 1954, in a program headlined by Metropolitan Opera soprano Patrice Munsel, a Spokane native. With a seating capacity of 5400, the largest crowds in its early years were for a Catholic Mass and stage shows by Lawrence Welk and Liberace, respectively. Over the decades it was also host to a number of sports teams, mostly ice hockey and basketball.
During 1990, discussions for a new arena to replace the Spokane Coliseum began. One factor that led to the idea included several damages to the arena which had a leaking roof and rusted boilers. Another major issue was the size of Spokane Coliseum, which had then recently lost potential bookings from ZZ Top and New Kids on the Block due to its small size; Spokane was losing concert dates to larger venues in Pullman and Boise.
The Spokane Coliseum was replaced by the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in 1995, and was demolished that spring and summer. The space it occupied is directly north of the new arena, towards Boone Avenue, now a parking lot.
~ Side note on the demolition of Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri -- The Opera House portion of the building, on the northern part of the property, facing Market Street, was not torn down. It remained vacant for a while, but was renovated and reopened under the name Peabody Opera House in 2011.
All this complaining about the cover. Very little said about sound/set list. So how are these concerts? Is his singing good? Is Elvis focused? etc. What's the overall sound quality? Is it reasonably balanced? Too little/too much bass/treble? Tape runs fast/slow etc. I don't care about the cover.. Thanks for your help.
None of those questions can be answered right now, because the set hasn't been released yet.
Jerry: I listened to the poor quality St.Louis Blues audience boot on You Tube, from what I could gauge from it there's some decent performances on some songs but on the other hand some not so good. Spokane going by bonus cuts on the America FTD Elvis sounds a bit more respectable compared to the uninspired show from Omaha 5 nights earlier. The sound is a lot better balanced too although the backing vocals are still a bit loud though. Although Ciscoking would have a more informed view of the whole set.
Thanks for the answers to my questions. I shall keep checking back for more answer once the product is released. Thanks again, for your responses.
Keep em coming. Don tlike em then dont buy them. Cover art getting all the reviews? What a joke. focus on the shows. Im glad they gave us 2 differeant tour shows instead of back to back nights. Gives us a lil something different. ty FTD
