Elvis at Wembley

Can anyone who attended last nights show at Wembley give a quick review of the evenings events.

Did it live upto peoples expectations ?

Also,did they use Hurt?

How big was the crowd? Did it sell out?

I have just returned from 'Elvis The Concert' at Wembley. The show was a sell-out with 10,000 people in attendance.

First off, let me say that I have seen this Concert some 15 times now and last night's concert was one of the best. I thought the band played better than ever with James Burton the standout.

Before the concert commenced, James was signing autographs at the front left hand corner of the auditorium.

The 2001 theme was the BEST I have ever heard it - LOUD and EXCITING. It certainly got the evening off to a great start. The first half of the show contained mainly the rock songs and the second half mainly the big ballads. 'Steamroller Blues' was really great with James doing the business.

The highlight of the first half, if not the whole concert, was 'If I Can Dream' from the 68 TV Show. Elvis singing his heart out with an identical arrangement to the original. Brilliant and a showstopper.

During the interval they showed the official video of ALLC on the big screen. Also, before and during the interval, LMP's album was played in full.

During the second half, the first surprise was the 'Trouble'/Guitar Man' Medley. This time they played 'Guitar Man' in full. Excellent, with the same arrangement as the 68 TV Show. The next surprise was 'Mystery Train'/'Tiger Man' from TTWII with James running through those famous licks. Then 'What Now My Love' from the Aloha Show which was also played well.

There were several standing ovations and much 'Olympic Waving' from the more than enthusiastic crowd.

Of course, 'Suspicious Minds' and 'American Trilogy' had everyone on their feet.

All in all a GREAT evening. The Stamps and the rest of the cast were also excellent. Unfortunately 'Hurt' was not featured, as most of us thought.

One negative aspect was the Concert Programme which this time around cost £10. It was bigger than normal but nothing in it about Elvis' achievements. I find this unusual as all previous Programmes have had this information.

I will be going to see the Show again next Sunday at the London Arena amd I can't wait.

ELVIS IS STILL THE KING.


Brian

Brian -

Thanks for the run-down on the show.

Sounds great !

What sort of age-group was the crowd ?

Or just a mixture ?

Colin B

I agree totally with Brian's comments. The show was fantastic. It makes you appreciate the <b>talent</b> of the artists who worked with Elvis. He knew how to pick 'em!

There seemed to be a mixed selection of age groups attending. I'm sure some of them must have had gone after hearing <b> A Little Less Conversation</b>, as you wouldn't guess some were Elvis fans just by looking at them.

The 2001 theme really blows your mind! The atmosphere was electric and the crowd were cheering along to Elvis. During <b>Suspicious Minds</b> everyone was on their feet, dancing!

The only disappointing thing was that the great man only appeared on video screen.

I took plenty of shots during the show and will post them on my website within the next few days.

Me and my girlfriend will also be at the London concert next Sunday. It's a show you just can't miss! FANTASTIC!!

I too was at the show last night, and posted a small review of the show on Tigerman-GB's post. At the risk of repeating myself, I shall add my own comments to this thread.

I certainly agree with Brian and Getlo's assessment. It was undoubtedly a fantastic show and the musicianship was first-rate. I did notice a slight balls-up on the intro of Steamroller Blues, and it is a tribute to the experience and talent of Messrs. Burton, Scheff, Tutt and Hardin (not to mention the rest) that they all managed to pull together very quickly indeed. And the highlight numbers were pretty much as described above, when the audience were able to stand to numbers like Suspicious Minds and American Trilogy. It was a great experience, my first one, but I think that it will be it for me. I enjoyed it immensely, and Wembley was completely packed (as I said in my other post the queues for the beer, the t shirts and the bogs were the worst I have ever known), but the event for me was not without its down sides.

First was a lovely lady who sat next to my wife and I who was obsessed to the point where she compared Lisa Marie Presley's appearance on the Jonathan Ross show to that of Elvis' own on the Hy Gardner show on 1956. Hmmm, I thought, this is an interesting concept. She went on to explain that it was because both covered their mouths whilst speaking. Ah, I said, that's easy. It's because both were completely knackered (Lisa Marie had just flown into London for her appearance). But this particular lady was unfazed. No, she said, it's because she and Elvis had such a close bond. At this point even I began to lose interest. I pointed to the stage. "Look," I said, "the show is about to start," even though showtime was still 15 minutes away. It seems that rabbits and this particular lady have the world's shortest attention spans because she soon had her camera out and was busily photgraphing the curtain.

Secondly was a brainless git who sat behind me and poked me in the back when I stood up for Suspicious Minds. Since over 10,000 people were doing the same thing, I thought it not unreasonable to join in, but this guy was determined to be the evening's Miserable Bugger. He continued to do this throughout the song and I was just about to tell him that if he didn't stop doing it I would happily bang his head off the floor when Suspicious Minds ended.

Finally, and I mentioned this in my other post, I never lost the overwhelming impression that Elvis had not only left the Building, but was never in it. I was astonished that an 11,000 seat arena was almost sold out for a guy who has been dead these past 26 years. But too many people were wearing fake sideburns and shades for my liking and I realised first hand why it is so many take the piss out of this side of Elvis' image. Musically the show is fantastic and to hear the songs played as they should sound was brilliant, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but that, for me, is the way it should stay.

Thanks for your post Stephen.

How did things turn out with the "Miserable Bugger"?
I've been in that situation. What are you supposed to do, stay sitting while everyone else is standing?
You should have thumped the guy!

I agree about the "once in a lifetime opportunity". I saw the show in Detroit, MI and again in Toronto from a much closer vantage point.
The second show was a bit of a let-down compared to the first. Not so much because of the show itself, that was great but some of the magic (from seeing it for the first time) was gone.
I certainly did enjoy meeting many of his band members and really like the concept of the show for those who never had a chance to see him in person.
Being able to shake James Burton and Ronnie Tutt's hands was the thrill of a lifetime
- right up there with meeting the Jordanaire's back in the 80's.

I am sorry you had a miserable bugger behind you Stephen. I am pleased to say me and my girlfriend were on our feet dancing, as were all the others around us. Seems like you got a some bad seats.

Speaking of bad seats, I don't know who employed the staff at the Wembley Arena. We were guided to our seats, only to be told by another member of staff that we were sat in the wrong seats - this was after being seated for around 15 minutes. I could have put up with that - but then <b>another</b> one of their staff told us we were also sat in the wrong seats! Thankfully it was third time lucky, eventually we were shown the correct seats.

I must admit, I also took a photograph of the closed curtain - but it was to post the pictures later... honest!

They have said that it will be the last time the show tours. Although they have been saying that ever since it first started.

Seeing the musicians performing live on stage makes you realize how much we are now missing. To have been able to see Elvis in concert must have been mind blowing.