Audionics dedicated their latest outing to the Return To The ‘Queen City Of The South’ with three shows in Charlotte, NC on March 20, 1976 ES and February 20 (ES) and 21, 1977.
Design
The 3 panel fold out has transparent CD holders, backed with many live photos of the used shows (I suppose). The used font (color, size) makes the text a bit hard to read for these old eyes, especially the liner notes.
Content
The first CD has the March 20, 1976 show as base. Since the show was not recorded completely it is made ‘complete’ by using the opening of the show in Johnson City on March 17. As an extra extra there is some pre-show stuff (JD Sumner and The Stamps and The Sweet Inspirations recorded in Fort Worth on June 3, 1976). The extra extra is not my piece of cake, I’m an Elvis fan and like the music by the Sweets, but The Stamps already bore me when they got the spotlight during an Elvis show. Anyway, the Elvis part of the CD surprised me. It was quite enjoyable and Elvis was obviously dedicated to the job (one of the few times in 1976) and really delivered. Steamroller Blues, And I Love You So, Polk Salad Annie and Fairytale are all among the best live versions from this particular year.
The second CD starts with the incomplete (starting with Love Me) show on February 20, 1977. It certainly isn’t the worst 1977 show, but it underlines my opinion of Elvis in 1977: he should have had a sabbatical (with a lot of treatment) and certainly not be on stage. It just makes me sad this enormous waste of talent. The incomplete show is decorated with bonus material: intros… as if they are not boring enough during a show, we get them here in several versions. Furthermore there are some more explainable tracks like Steamroller, Why Me Lord and the overdubbed single version of Unchained Melody.
The third CD also starts with a track by The Sweet Inspirations before we get yet another incomplete show: February 21, 1977. The same show that was released on probably the only Fort Baxter release I hardly ever played. That Fort Baxter CD must be the one with the most erroneous title ever, or probably - knowing Ger Rijff - the most sarcastic one: Moody Blue and other great performances. Moody Blue is far from great, as is the remainder of the CD.
Soundwise there is nothing to complain about. The sound is very good (the first show is real stereo) and the producers claim the Feb 20 show is from another source than FTD used (but I don’t really hear a difference, maybe because I do not really care about this material). The third CD is an improvement over the original FB-release, it’s clearly clearer.
Conclusion
The first CD gives this set the right of existence, it’s been a while since I enjoyed a 1976 show.
Trackslisting
CD1 - Charlotte, NC, March 20th, 1976 E/S
The Pre-Show act
01. Your First Day In Heaven (J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet)
02. You'll Never Walk Alone (J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet)
03. When The Saints Go Marching In (J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet)
04. Philadelphia Freedom (The Sweet Inspirations)
05. Lady Marmalade (The Sweet Inspirations)
The Elvis Show
06. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra
07. C. C. Rider
08. I Got A Woman / Amen
09. Love Me
10. Let Me Be There
11. You Gave Me A Mountain
12. Steamroller Blues
13. All Shook Up
14. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel
15. Hound Dog
16. Heartbreak Hotel
17. Polk Salad Annie
18. Introductions by Elvis of singers, musicians
19. What'd I Say (James Burton)
20. Drum solo (Larry Londin)
21. Bass solo (Jerry Scheff)
22. Piano solo (Shane Keister)
23. Electric Piano & Clavinet solo (David Briggs)
24. And I Love You So
25. Hurt
26. Burning Love
27. America The Beautiful
28. Funny How Time Slips Away (with false start)
29. Fairytale
30. How Great Thou Art
31. Can't Help Falling In Love
32. Closing Vamp
Tracks 01. - 05. recorded in Fort Worth, TX, June 3, 1976, mono. Tracks 06. - 32. stereo. Tracks 06. - 07. recorded in Johnson City, TN, March 17, 1976. Track 08. spliced with Johnson City, TN, March 17, 1976 version.
CD2 - Charlotte, NC, February 20th, 1977 E/S
01. Love Me
02. Fairytale
03. You Gave Me A Mountain
04. Jailhouse Rock
05. O Sole Mio (Sherrill Nielsen) / It's Now Or Never
06. Little Sister
07. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel
08. My Way
09. Moody Blue (false start only)
10. How Great Thou Art
11. Hurt (with reprise)
12. Hound Dog / My Wish Came True (one line)
13. Unchained Melody (with false start)
14. Can't Help Falling In Love
15. Closing Vamp
16. And I Love You So (with break)
17. Introductions by Elvis of singers, musicians
18. What'd I Say # 1 (James Burton, instrumental)
19. What'd I Say # 2 (James Burton, instrumental)
20. Drum solo (Larry Londin)
21. Bass solo (Jerry Scheff)
22. What'd I Say # 3 (Piano solo, Shane Keister)
23. Electric Piano & Clavinet solo (David Briggs)
24. School Day (Joe Guercio Orchestra)
25. Steamroller Blues (overdubbed version, Austin, March 28, 1977)
26. Why Me Lord (matrix mix version, Alexandria, March 29, 1977)
27. Unchained Melody (remixed single master, Rapid City, June 21, 1977)
28. My Way (Abilene, March 27, 1977)
Tracks 01. - 15. & 26. & 28. mono. Tracks 16. - 24. recorded in Johnson City, TN, March 17, 1976, binaural. Tracks 25. & 27. - 28. stereo.
CD3 - Charlotte, NC, February 21st, 1977
The Pre-Show act
01. Do Your Thing / Hey, Did You Give Some Love Today? (The Sweet Inspirations)
The Elvis Show
02. Are You Lonesome Tonight (with false start)
03. Reconsider Baby
04. That's All Right (false start only)
05. Love Me
06. Moody Blue
07. You Gave Me A Mountain
08. Jailhouse Rock
09. O Sole Mio (Sherrill Nielsen) / It's Now Or Never
10. Little Sister
11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel
12. My Way
13. Release Me
14. Hurt
15. Why Me Lord (with break)
16. Can't Help Falling In Love
17. Closing Vamp
18. Fever (West Palm Beach, February 13, 1977)
19. Blue Suede Shoes (West Palm Beach, February 13, 1977)
20. Blueberry Hill (West Palm Beach, February 13, 1977)
All tracks mono.