Upcoming FTD Release "Summer Of '76"

[YDKM]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

I most certainly will rob

[Elvis2000]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

In Springfield he started off poor and improved a little but not enough to make up for the poor start, Hampton Roads on the other hand, he clearly sounded unwell but he gave all he could and did a little better than he did in Springfield. Charleston I think is the strongest show of the set, Hampton Roads second and Springfield last, not much to differentiate them though. Rough FTD release.

I'm hoping we get some June 1975 shows, I'd take the Texas shows in one set.

[YDKM]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

Yes Rob it did sound better the 2nd time around, although it's an "impaired' Elvis and he has lost his cross and a ring from the previous night

[Way Down Under]

Yes I listened to the Springfield show last night and was shocked at how poor he sounded at the start....he does get better but Geez he sounded awful even just compared to the previous tour! Also he sounds a bit slurred and just plain unwell.
"I lost my cross, lost my ring,..well, well, WELL...smart alec",
" see I'm just trying to wake everything up myself, I have only been up for an hour and still not awake."

Yes, I thought his voice sounded pretty thin when I listened to the audience bootleg. Probably the effects of his sore throat had well and truly kicked in.

[Way Down Under]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

In Springfield he started off poor and improved a little but not enough to make up for the poor start, Hampton Roads on the other hand, he clearly sounded unwell but he gave all he could and did a little better than he did in Springfield. Charleston I think is the strongest show of the set, Hampton Roads second and Springfield last, not much to differentiate them though. Rough FTD release.

I'm hoping we get some June 1975 shows, I'd take the Texas shows in one set.

In light of Elvis' problems from the latter end of the tour, I'm really wondering now how the show from Hampton Roads from July 31 can be any better?

[YDKM]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

In Springfield he started off poor and improved a little but not enough to make up for the poor start, Hampton Roads on the other hand, he clearly sounded unwell but he gave all he could and did a little better than he did in Springfield. Charleston I think is the strongest show of the set, Hampton Roads second and Springfield last, not much to differentiate them though. Rough FTD release.

I'm hoping we get some June 1975 shows, I'd take the Texas shows in one set.

In light of Elvis' problems from the latter end of the tour, I'm really wondering now how the show from Hampton Roads from July 31 can be any better?

I am now wondering exactly the same, although normally when he sings "how great though art" he tries.

[YDKM]

Now I listened to the other 2 shows.
Charleston A/S is perfectly 'ok' nothing at all unusual(except the power outage during the last song) and Elvis is ok and does an 'ok' show.
Hampton Roads Elvis certainly does not sound as bad as Springfield and this FTD sounding version does sound the best.( and notable for this tour the last time he sung some of his regular repertoire songs such as "mountain")
So quite surprisingly Charleston is the best,followed by Hampton Roads and Springfield the worst show.

[GaryP]

I really don't understand their desire to slim down Elvis in these pictures. It certainly doesn't make the content of the discs any better, and it's not like there is a shortage of far more egregious 'fat Elvis' pictures out there...

This is nothing new - RCA were manipulating things back in the 60’s when they felt that Elvis’ face was a little on the chubby side for certain albums. They put a Girl Happy head on a Frankie & Johnny body for the F&J album and used a photo from Fun in Acapulco for the Paradise Hawaiian Style sleeve. And to make things appear more current around 1976, they allowed Pickwick to use the Elvis Now photo for the re-issued Frankie & Johnny album in the mid 70’s.

A shame they didn’t think about this kind of thing when they put together the Aloha album when they used a very unflattering photo of Elvis that wasn’t even from the Aloha show.

And lets not forget the photo used on the E.P Boulevard album in 1976 was also altered to make Elvis appear slimmer

Those were mainstream albums. This new FTD release will NEVER be seen by the general public. It will ONLY be bought by nerds, collectors and historians like us. Doctored photos don't belong on an archival release like this. It's very simple. Not that anyone will listen, just like no one listen when I complain about shows running too fast or too slow...

It's just very unnecessary. It's like they're doing it just to piss me off.

Besides, the slimming down of Elvis on that 1976 LP was subtle compared to the amateurish mess on this release.

I wonder what they'll come up with if they ever decide to put out a 1977 release again.

Taylor Swift’s body with Elvis’ head? That’ll sell some copies.

[Elvis2000]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

In Springfield he started off poor and improved a little but not enough to make up for the poor start, Hampton Roads on the other hand, he clearly sounded unwell but he gave all he could and did a little better than he did in Springfield. Charleston I think is the strongest show of the set, Hampton Roads second and Springfield last, not much to differentiate them though. Rough FTD release.

I'm hoping we get some June 1975 shows, I'd take the Texas shows in one set.

In light of Elvis' problems from the latter end of the tour, I'm really wondering now how the show from Hampton Roads from July 31 can be any better?

The only positive from the Hampton Roads performance is his effort, he tried to make up for the state he was in but with his voice in poor shape it didn’t come off that way, maybe it could’ve been the same for the July 31 performance.

[murph1031]

Mine is sitting at the PO along with the new vinyl. Dog prevented delivery again. Hope ship Graceland packed it better than the blue vinyl issue.

[YDKM]

Would you please listen to it at least one more time for me just to make sure?

Appreciate it!

In Springfield he started off poor and improved a little but not enough to make up for the poor start, Hampton Roads on the other hand, he clearly sounded unwell but he gave all he could and did a little better than he did in Springfield. Charleston I think is the strongest show of the set, Hampton Roads second and Springfield last, not much to differentiate them though. Rough FTD release.

I'm hoping we get some June 1975 shows, I'd take the Texas shows in one set.

In light of Elvis' problems from the latter end of the tour, I'm really wondering now how the show from Hampton Roads from July 31 can be any better?

The only positive from the Hampton Roads performance is his effort, he tried to make up for the state he was in but with his voice in poor shape it didn’t come off that way, maybe it could’ve been the same for the July 31 performance.

Next week I will give my 31st July 76 tape another play and listen as best as I can to evaluate that show performance.
The ironic thing is with disc 1 running just 56 mins, disc 2 running 68 mins and disc 3 running just 60 mins their would have been enough space to fit the Hampton Roads 31st July show on over space on 3 discs!

[Rob]

Next week I will give my 31st July 76 tape another play and listen as best as I can to evaluate that show performance.

Do you have to wait until next week? Can you please do it sooner?

I appreciate it so much!

[YDKM]

Next week I will give my 31st July 76 tape another play and listen as best as I can to evaluate that show performance.

Do you have to wait until next week? Can you please do it sooner?

I appreciate it so much!

Impossible I am away for my birthday long weekend staying with friends in Maitland....so you will have to wait till Tuesday.

[Rob]

Damn it!

[rlj4ep]

Now I listened to the other 2 shows.
Charleston A/S is perfectly 'ok' nothing at all unusual(except the power outage during the last song) and Elvis is ok and does an 'ok' show.
Hampton Roads Elvis certainly does not sound as bad as Springfield and this FTD sounding version does sound the best.( and notable for this tour the last time he sung some of his regular repertoire songs such as "mountain")
So quite surprisingly Charleston is the best,followed by Hampton Roads and Springfield the worst show.

I am actually looking forward to receiving my copy. It is ordered and Hopefully it will be here sometime during the next week.
Thanks for all of your thoughts as you've listened (and re-listened) to these shows.

[Markus K.]

The highlights from the shows for me are the drum solo, the bass solo and the hamronica solo from the Springfield show.
Ronnie Tutt really gets down to it, Jerry Scheff gives 'Battle of New Orleans' a great go and David Briggs was off to some mischief when he brought out a hamonica in preparation to play instead of the electric piano. He then proceeds to play it first neverthelesse until Elvis asks him to go on and play the harmonica. That is the most fun part.
That I enjoy the three solos most of all three discs speaks volumes in itself.

Ronny Tutt Drum Solo - Sample

Drum Solo - Ronnie Tutt.mp3

Jerry Scheff Bass Solo ('Battle of New Orleans') - Sample

Bass Solo ('Battle of New Orleans') - Jerry Scheff.mp3

David Briggs E-Piano [edited by me] and Harmonica Solo - Sample

E-Piano Solo [excerpt] - Harmonica Solo - David Briggs.mp3

[JohanD]

Elvis is tired... sometimes out of breath and we can hear that.
On disc 3 he's more "awake" but can't reach a lower note... but we know that already by having it for years now on the Fort Baxter release. (Wich still sound excellent soundwise)

These are not the best shows Elvis gave, far from it, but a prelude for what's comming later in Houston for example....
Still, glad to have two unheard "new" soundboard recordings in the collection.

[Elvis2000]

Elvis is tired... sometimes out of breath and we can hear that.
On disc 3 he's more "awake" but can't reach a lower note... but we know that already by having it for years now on the Fort Baxter release. (Wich still sound excellent soundwise)

These are not the best shows Elvis gave, far from it, but a prelude for what's comming later in Houston for example....
Still, glad to have two unheard "new" soundboard recordings in the collection.

The FTD tops that old boot comfortably.

[JohanD]

Elvis is tired... sometimes out of breath and we can hear that.
On disc 3 he's more "awake" but can't reach a lower note... but we know that already by having it for years now on the Fort Baxter release. (Wich still sound excellent soundwise)

These are not the best shows Elvis gave, far from it, but a prelude for what's comming later in Houston for example....
Still, glad to have two unheard "new" soundboard recordings in the collection.

The FTD tops that old boot comfortably.

That's a matter of taste ofcourse, but to me, i'm still very fond of te old Baxter sound... The FTD is good yes, but the sound on the old boot, untampered with, brings me back to the glory days when it was so exiting to hear something really new...

[Way Down Under]

The highlights from the shows for me are the drum solo, the bass solo and the hamronica solo from the Springfield show.
Ronnie Tutt really gets down to it, Jerry Scheff gives 'Battle of New Orleans' a great go and David Briggs was off to some mischief when he brought out a hamonica in preparation to play instead of the electric piano. He then proceeds to play it first neverthelesse until Elvis asks him to go on and play the harmonica. That is the most fun part.
That I enjoy the three solos most of all three discs speaks volumes in itself.

Ronny Tutt Drum Solo - Sample

Drum Solo - Ronnie Tutt.mp3

Jerry Scheff Bass Solo ('Battle of New Orleans') - Sample

Bass Solo ('Battle of New Orleans') - Jerry Scheff.mp3

David Briggs E-Piano [edited by me] and Harmonica Solo - Sample

E-Piano Solo [excerpt] - Harmonica Solo - David Briggs.mp3

Thanks Markus for those uploads. Loved Ronnie Tutt's solo, he was at his wrist snapping best. It was no random solo either but kept that consistent rhythm going throughout. To be honest I've heard Jerry Scheff give better solo's than that. Overall, it's a bit slow and his rhythm is off in places.
David Brigg's "Oh Suzannah" solo is a bit rough, but a rare and fun treat all the same.

[Way Down Under]

Oh, that reminds me, I've asked this before but got no answer. Did Jerry Scheff play "I Fought The Law" at all during this tour? It's an age old rumour that's never been confirmed or denied to date. Cisco are you out there?

[JimmyCool]

The highlights from the shows for me are the drum solo, the bass solo and the harmonica solo from the Springfield show.

This is true for the vast majority of Elvis' 1976 concerts.

[Sugarfoot]

I find it amusing that out of the 10 photos on the cover 5 are correctly dated. 50% success rate is pretty good. Not that it matters.

[Sugarfoot]

David Briggs was off to some mischief when he brought out a hamonica in preparation to play instead of the electric piano. He then proceeds to play it first nevertheless until Elvis asks him to go on and play the harmonica. That is the most fun part.

Oh, that's what this was about.

briggs.jpg

[Markus K.]

David Briggs was off to some mischief when he brought out a hamonica in preparation to play instead of the electric piano. He then proceeds to play it first nevertheless until Elvis asks him to go on and play the harmonica. That is the most fun part.

Oh, that's what this was about.

Great photo of that moment and thank you so much for the share, Sugarfoot. I had no idea such a photo existed.