I picked up a copy of this Czech fan club release recently. Although released a few months back, an unreleased Elvis performance is always worth a review.
Design
This is one of the best if not the best design for a Memory Record release; it is fresh and 100% matches the theme of a casino performance by our man. The liner notes cover one page, but hit nail on the head. All accompanying photographs were taken between February and July 1973. We do miss some of the Sahara memorabilia in the booklet; there is much material available.
Content
In 1973, Elvis appeared at Del Webb‘s Sahara Tahoe hotel for the second time since July/August 1971, and his concerts were an even bigger success this time, with all tickets being sold out in advance. This escape from the Czech Elvis Presley fan club features the previously unreleased Midnight show from May 6th. 1973.
The original press release informs us that the set list is fairly similar to "Aloha From Hawaii" show from a few months earlier. Although Elvis had hoped that the success of the Aloha show would bring him new opportunities - he even talked about a possible world tour – Elvis soon returned to the casino for weeklong engagements. Nevertheless he delivers a standard yet pretty flawless show with well known standards like "Steamroller Blues", "You Gave Me A Mountain", "What Now My Love" and "I'll Remember You" delivered pretty good. The highlights are an strong version of "I'm Leavin'" and an – according to the liner notes – “majestic” version of the Paul Simon classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water". As a surprise we get "It's Over", just before the end of the show; how fitting ?.
The recording was taken from an early generation copy of the original master tape, as recorded by a member of the audience and remastered autumn 2008; with an enjoyable quality as a result. The approximate running time is 56:54 minutes.
Conclusion
A well documented and nicely remastered previously unreleased standard performance of a standard set-list. Nevertheless, I enjoyed listening to it for this review. Elvis knows how to entertain an audience; he did in 1973 and that magic still works in 2009.
Tracklisting:
- Also Sprach Zarathustra
- See See Rider
- I Got A Woman/Amen
- Love Me Tender
- Steamroller Blues
- Surrender (exc)/You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
- You Gave Me A Mountain
- Love Me
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Long Tall Sally / Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
- Hound Dog
- I'm Leavin'
- Fever
- What Now, My Love
- Suspicious Minds
- Band intro
- I'll Remember You
- I Can't Stop Loving You
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- A Big Hunk O'Love
- It's Over
- Can't Help Falling In Love
- Closing Vamp