Customer Reviews

Live in Las Vegas

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What can I say...? I'm speechless. It's what I had dreamt of ever since I watched "That's the Way It Is" at the Movies.

As I stated in my review to "That's the Way It Is" (Special Edition), the two compilation sets go together.
If you really want the most complete Concert and Rehearsal set of the Las Vegas period you have to buy them both.
Sorry for that, it's BMG's fault, not mine.

The original "From Memphis to Vegas", "On Stage" and "That's the Way It Is" (Original Album) left me disappointed, even though I loved to listen to the King in any form.

Chopped performances with no dialogues in-between, nor jokes, nor interaction with the audience.

While the NBC-Special Album was a smashing hit, even that one was marred by deletions and it did take years for anybody to realize that it would have been a good idea to re-release the entire uncut session.

The very first complete live recording I bought was "Elvis Live at the Madison Square Garden", but it was two years later than "That's the Way It Is" and the sound was mediocre to say the least.

Then came "Aloha from Hawaii", "Live in Memphis" and the sad "In Concert" (his last Live album). Amazingly though, if one was a mole digging deeper than official sources, one could find complete and uncut concerts on Bootleg record labels throughout the world. Unfortunately, they were all dreadfully bad in sound and recording techniques. You would hear hisses and roars throughout the performance.

The only other complete recording of a Concert I could get my hands on, just after Elvis' death was contained in a silvery boxed LP set called "Elvis Aaron Presley", but we never got to know where and when exactly it was recorded...

Then we finally got "An Afternoon at the Garden" and "The Alternate Aloha" Concerts which were, in my opinion far superior to their "original" counterparts. "The Lost Performances" was another good release although belonging to various unconnected Concerts (the recording quality was excellent though).

And now we've got them: the most memorable live performances in Vegas. Finally!

As usual BMG, thinking it's quite clever, decided to release this four CD set separately from "That's the Way It Is" (Special Edition)(3 CD set), which in my view should have been integral part of this specific Concert Festival.

Anyway, "Elvis, Live in Las Vegas" adds to the August 12, 1970 Concert included in "TTWII" (SE) one of the very first recorded live performances there on August 24, 1969, outtakes recorded live on February 16/17/18/19, 1970 but cut together as one single performance only to reach the one preceding the above mentioned by one day (08/11/70).
The whole work takes off from there venturing into performances recorded on February 14/16/17, 1972, also cut as one concert.
The cuts are so cleverly done that one doesn't even notice they don't actually belong to the same performance.
This in turn is immediately followed by a rare if not unreleased 1956 debut Vegas concert, which was actually a flop for Elvis at the time (the date was May 6).
We slowly slip towards a late career section of Elvis. We now are transported to the mid-seventies with a compilation of songs recorded live on August 19/20/21/22/27, 1974 and later on March 30, 1975 and again on December 6, 1975.
The latter ones seem to have been recorded from an audience seat position and therefore seem to be a bit unclear in sound quality and not as polished as all the others.
Nevertheless these are all memorable performances and even though there are some repeating songs and some of the material had been previously released as singled out songs such as to be found on "Elvis On Stage", they have really undergone an extremely good re-mixing work and a perfect stereo balance.
I played them all over my Home Theatre equipment in surround sound and I can guarantee you I felt part of the Concerts as if I had actually been there.
Never before have I listened to such a clear sound and fine vocals in another recording of this kind.

If you have never witnessed Elvis on stage, or if you simply never heard Elvis sing at all, start here and you will never regret it.

If you're not an Elvis fan yet, you'll become one for certain after having heard these recordings.

Nothing, ever recorded before can compare with these two sets.

Remember:
1. Elvis - That's The Way It Is (Special Edition)
2. Elvis Live in Las Vegas
One goes with the other! You'll have hours of powerful live performances right in your living room. How lucky can one be?

caveat emp·tor (mptôr) n. The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying.

Read the review. Be warned.

Disc 1. August 24, 1969 Dinner Show. This should have been the killer, as this is from Elvis first season comeback in Vegas. But it falls flat. RCA has better, more exciting, more explosive live performances from 69 (such as the Aug 23). Again, with CD 1 of the Vegas Box, we have Dennis Ferrante's infamous "selective-revisionist instrument-exclusion syndrome." This is the process whereby Ferrante decides to delete certain instruments from the mix, such as a piano, as if they were never part of the original show! Ferrante doesn't give you the show as it happened, but rather, as he believes it should have happened.

Remember those wonderful piano fills that Larry Muhoberac uses to dress up In The Ghetto, which we've heard on "Here I Go Again?" Well, you're going to have a difficult time even hearing the keyboard on MOST tracks on disc 1. Absolutely bizzare. Ferrante also eliminated the tympani drum from the mix.

The 69 material was professionally recorded on 1 inch 8 track open reel tape, at 15 inches per second. These are good recordings. The potential for a good mix was there. But they blew it. Of course, since the original recording was good, the sound here is crisp and clean. But the vibe is WRONG--no piano--just throbbing bass and rythm guitar. It just sounds sort of lifeless. Crisp and clear, but lifeless.

I was really looking forward to hearing this 69 material. RCA has never released a complete, unedited show from the 69 season. And they still haven't, as this show does have it's monologue cut and resequenced. Why would Jorgenson be so worried about people having to listen to a monologue? If he is, then why does each track number begin with talking and babble instead beginning with music? This seems inconsistent, and confirms that Jorgenson is perhaps not the best man to be producing Presley's posthumous legacy.

Disc 2. A very good show. Elvis was at a peak in Aug 70. This mix is well done. In fact, all the instruments are so clear now--compared to disc 2 of TTWII Special Edition. To hear how much Ferrante deleted from the mix of last years concert on TTWII, compare "Walk A Mile in My Shoes" with the one on this box. On this box, you can actually hear and follow the piano!! That surpised me. The backup singers are also audible in this box!! In short, the mix on the Vegas box in more honest and "accurate" than the one released last year for TTWII. In other words, Ferrante, "got it right" with his mix for Disc 2.

Disc 3. Nothing new. Same crap. The mixes aren't really that great. But not bad. You've heard it before. You've purchased it on "On Stage 99," and "Burning Love 2000." Now you are repurchasing it again. Isn't RCA great! These MIGHT be the same exact mixes Ferrante did in 99. Not sure about that though. The 72 material is better recorded than the Feb 70 date...but we already knew that.

Disc 4. Repurchase the 56 Vegas performance shall we? I'm not sure it sounds better than the 50's box version...they sure hyped it like it would be a massive improvement...but it's not. The mid 70's Vegas soundboards are interesting, but perhaps of lesser interest, as the King is not quite in his prime. Still some good performances here. Sound quality is better than expected, considering many of these nonprofessional soundboards were dubbed off a cassette by the house soundman at the Hilton.

Packaging is "nice." Includes several apparently rare photos inside, along with some that have been around the block a few times. The notes could have been more "in-depth." They were kind of "fluffy," considering the supposed "historical significance" of the box.

Overall, I'd give the box a 6.5 out of a possible 10.

Summary:

Disc 1. 1969 Mediocre, quasi-uninspired 69 show. Substandard mix. Remember, Elvis was in his prime in 69, so I have very high standards for this performance. This dinner show, doesn't even compare to some of the blistering performances from the Aug 23, which were included on the 1990 release, Collectors Gold. The disc is a let down. 32 years later and they still can't get the 69 material "right."

Disc 2. Excellent explosive performance. Excellent mix. Aug 1970--Elvis at his peak.

Disc 3. Feb 70 and Feb 72. Very good performances--but you've already bought it anyway. Why no alternates from the Jan 70 shows?

Disc 4. OK. More stuff you already have (Vegas 56 from the 50's box set), plus a host of rare performed, yet quasi-mediocre fidelity soundboards of respectable, but not exceptional performances--recorded in the mid 70's. Between song chatter shows Presley's sense of humore is still intact here, but his health and performances are audibly on the decline during this, the final phase of his drug-induced self-destruction supernova.

"Elvis Live in Las Vegas" should have provided a four-CD wealth of never-before-released material, but inexplicably comes up short. There are no complaints about the first two discs. RCA opens the vaults a crack by presenting excellent shows from August 1969 and August 1970, which feature Presley at his peak. Unfortunately, RCA waters the cream by adding a third disc of PREVIOUSLY RELEASED material from 1970 and 1972. To make matters worse, part of Disc 4 rehashes the same songs from Presley's 1956 Vegas engagement. We've heard this stuff before! Why didn't RCA release a set of previously unissued concerts and give Elvis fans value for money? Instead, we're asked to pay a four-disc price for what is essentially a 2 1/2-disc set. No wonder the bootleg market continues to thrive.

Like many Elvis fans, I purchased this 4-CD package the minute it hit the sales floor. And anybody who knows or has followed Elvis' career, will never deny the sheer power, charisma and excitment he brought to the Vegas stage. Every CD in this package is fantastic. Discs 1 and 2 have alot of unreleased versions of all his great classic Vegas material. The sound is absolutely fantastic. Disc 3 is mainly composed of the "On Stage: 1970" Album, with some few added extras like Kentucky Rain, and Long Tall Sally. Disc 4 has somewhat less sound quality, but has a real historic presence for the true Elvis fan. He does what I feel is a unique version of "Little Sister," that has somewhat of a twist from the norm. To say this CD Package is "good," would not even begin to do it justice. The material is energetic, powerful, and sung by one of the best male vocalists who ever breathed oxygen. Disc 1 also contains a segment of Elvis talking for about 6 minutes about his career and how he started which is also interesting. I can't see how anybody would be disappointed with this album. Elvis fan or no Elvis fan, the material in this CD set without a doubt, has something for everyone.

Throughout the '70s', Elvis released several live albums that showcased his incomparable performing skills. This 4- cd boxed set captures him in Vegas, where he gave some of his best performances for the last 8 years of his life.

Disc 1 is from 1969, when Elvis began his long - running stint at the International. Here is where you'll find electrifying live versions of "Blue Suede Shoes", "Love Me Tender", "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Don't Be Cruel", and others. Similarly, his vocal performances shine on "In The Ghetto" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight" (dedicated to Mrs. Parker, the Colonel's wife who was recuperating from surgery). Also included are two monologues that are very interesting and at times very funny.

Disc 2 is essnetially the same setlist as the one featured on "The That's The Way It Is" (the boxed set). But it was recorded on a different than that performance, and there are some welcome additions to the set. He gives a powerful reading of B.J. Thomas's "I Just Can't Help Believin'". Also included are strong cover versions of "Something", "You've Lost That Feelin'", and "Bridge Over Troubled Water", plus the expected hits that became all too prominent in Elvis's early shows.

Disc 3 is very good as well, its only flaw being that none of the tracks are previously unreleased. The first 15 tracks are from 1970's "On Stage". Among the highlights are "Let It Be Me", "Release Me", and his smash hit rendition of "The Wonder Of You" (# 9 in November of 1970). The rest of the tracks are from 1972, when Elvis was going through many problems with his marriage to Priscilla. That pain is documented in several of the songs featured here, such as "It's Over" and "You Gave Me A Mountain" (the latter became a highight in Elvis's mid - '70s' shows). But he also spices things up with rocking versions of "Hound Dog", "A Big Hunk O' Love" and "Little Sister"/Get Back". But the best tracks are the slower numbers, especially his stunning renditions of "The Impossible Dream" and "An American Trilogy".

Disc 4 begins in 1956. The first four tracks are from Elvis's first performance in Vegas. This was around the same time when Elvis was creating the controversy generated from his swiveling on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Milton Berle Show", so his act didn't really go over well with the older crowd. But soon the set gets back on course by covering the 1974 - 1976 seasons. These are very interesting performances because performs his more recent material and some rarely heard songs from the late '50s and early '60s'. Of the former, he barnstorms his way through top - notch versions of "If You Talk In Your Sleep", "Help Me", and "Promised Land". Of the former. he revives "Tryin' To Get To You" (this song is really great live), "My Baby Left Me" and one true Elvis classic, a tender rendition of "It's Now Or Never". He also performs scorching versions of "Burning Love" and "Big Boss Man", plus he does good cover version of "Hawaiian Wedding Song" (another staple in his latter - day shows), "Green, Green Grass Of Home", and "You're The Reason I'm Living". The final 4 tracks are really done with emotion and panache that only The King could pull off. I remember almost crying when I heard how beatifully he pulled he did "And I Love You So". I was very surprised at the inclusion of "Just Pretend". It was never one of his most popular songs, and I was sure he never performed it after 1970. But this version, from December 1975, is even better than the one featured on disc 2. Elvis's voice is very strong on this number, and is heartugging. Next comes the highlight. "How Great Thou Art" features Elvis doing what he does best. Elvis always loved gospel music, and his appreciation for it is shown fully here on this great track. Closing the album (and the set) is a gorgeous rendition of "America The Beautiful" that thus ends the most wonderful compilation of Elvis live.

This set also comes with a booklet that features an insightful essay on Elvis's career in Vegas, plus a brief summary on each disc and a wonderful collection of pictures that show Elvis in different stages of his career. This is a perfect doucment of Elvis's masterful concerts. I highly recommend for everyone.

The Elvis-Live in Las Vegas box set is one of the single best collections of Elvis live recordings available. Even though the material on disc 3 and part of disc 4 has been previously released, it is very desirable to have, however, if you do not happen to own the Onstage or Burning Love or King of Rock 'n Roll box set albums that these songs are taken from. I also think these are included simply because these are excellent recordings, and good performances, and to me, would be essential to this box set. If you are looking for all previously unreleased performances, you will be mildly disappointed, but it is perfect to give as a gift to someone that has not heard any of Elvis' concert material in Las Vegas. The most disappointing track is "When the Snow is on the Roses", which everything has been done to clear up the sound, but it still sounds like it was recorded in a tunnel. The rest basically leaves nothing to be desired, and the sound is really good. The fourth CD is good to have, including four songs from Elvis' last appearance in Las Vegas from his two week stint in 1956, which contain some great performances, and are largely appreciated by anyone who hasn't heard Elvis live in the 50's. The rest of the tracks are from Elvis' later Vegas years, and are still very good, namely "My Boy", "My Baby Left Me", "America the Beautiful" and any version of "How Great Thou Art" is always welcome. A great box set, and even if some of it has been released before, you have to admit, it's still great music all the way around.

To be honest (and we all know it's easy to say) but this box is not what it could have been. No complaints about the first two discs (24 August '69 and 11 August '70), which are outstanding documents of Elvis at his best: vocally unsurpassed, committed for 200 %, completely in control, vibrant, exciting, hard-hitting, raw, risky, and tongue in cheek. Of course, one can always prefer a version of a song done on another date, but the main thing is that these discs allow us to get a very good idea of the power and magic of these often sneered at Vegas performances. (At the end one can only say: "Man, I wish I was there".) Quality of the discs is excellent. (Why they have placed Elvis' funny monologue at the very end of the disc will however remain a mystery.)

On the other hand the third disc (February `70 and '72) is a complete disappointment. It duplicates the recently issued "On Stage" and "Burning Love" CDs, and RCA may well argue that the new remastering is of better quality than the previous one (which claimed the same thing), for most buyers this will be of very little importance. Nothing to say against the performances on this disc (they are great), but we know there is a lot more in the vaults than this.

Disc four is interesting, but we could have done without the inclusion of yet again the recording of the ill-fated 1956 Vegas stint. The rest of the CD emphasizes the decline of Elvis along the seventies. The contrast between the last recordings from `74 and `75 with the first CD's in the box is huge. It's a sad witness of how fast a man can loose himself. Some of the songs are still great - "I'm Leavin'", "Green, Green Grass Of Home" among others (although here again in bootleg land there are much better versions from other shows around) and Elvis obviously still had a lot of fun on stage with the band, but no one will remain deaf to the fact that something essentially went wrong in the previous years and that this is a different guy singing. The recordings of `73-`75 are soundboards, but sound reasonably well.

The booklet is appalling. Artwork is tasteless, the notes are mostly redundant, some of the photos are badly printed (on one of them there isn't even a face of any description) and they will only help to increase the number of those who think that Elvis' best time was before he got trapped in the Vegas world. Yet, if they ever listen to the music in this box (especially discs 1, 2 and 3), they will definitely start to reconsider.

In all, some great stuff, but we haven't been exactly spoiled by RCA/BMG. Five stars for Elvis and his music, but only three for the package.

This is a great box set and if you are a fan of Elvis's music, one for your collection. Recently I watched a DVD of Elvis from this period and thought - how come there aren't decent recordings from shows like this? Now there are! The first to cd's are complete concerts from 69 & 70 and a great. You can hear the power of Elvis as a performer... he doesn't seem tired/washed/drugged out as he does in the cd Elvis in Concert (from 1977). After reading some reviews on this page I was almost scared to listen to the third cd - boy what a treat! Some of these were apprantly used on the cd Elvis Live 1970, but that is something like ten songs, this is 23! Quite a difference. Plus the sound quality is fantastic and still this was when Elvis was still with it and really working as a performer and you can hear it! The final disc has lots of gems from earlier and later years that nicely round out this package. If you are a casual fan, like me and don't have "everything" including bootlegs - then this item is a must for your collection.

Disc 1 is very well done, recorded on August 24, 1969. I agree with many others here that his performance of "in the ghetto" is extremely well done.

Disc 2 was taped on August 11, 1970. It should be noted that Disc 2 on "that's the way it is, special edition" was done on August 12, 1970.

Some of disc 3 can be found on the "On Stage" album. But "An American Trilogy," which is not found on that album, is incredible. It's probably the best performance I have heard. "Let It Be Me" and "See See Rider" are also extremely well performed on disc 3, both of which are found on the "On Stage" album.

The first four tracks of disc 4 were performed on May 6, 1956, 47 years ago!!! Considering the master tapes are that old, the sound quality of those tracks really isn't that bad. Actually the sound quality on the whole box set is surprisingly good I think, considering even the newest performances are upwards of 26 years old.

I think this set is really meant for the fan of late 60's/70's era Elvis material. If you are into the young 50's elvis then this set is probably not for you.

If you Elvis fans have the albums ELVIS IN PERSON AT THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, ON STAGE FEBRUARY 1970, WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES-THE ESSENTIAL 70S MASTERS, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS SPECIAL EDITION, then you pretty much have this box set already! The performances are almost exactly the same as those that Elvis gives on those records, so why bother? There are some nice performances from mid-70's Vegas shows on Disc 4, but these so closely resemble the studio releases that this box set is almost completely redundant! If you have the CDs mentioned above, you are not missing anything! Only for the Elvis completist who has to have EVERY unreleased performance (I am not one of them). Still, the 2 star rating was for the idea--I must admit, the performances are great!