Hampton Roads or Madison Square Garden?

[drjohncarpenter]

I think he sounded better in Hampton, but looked better in New York.

Hmm. This topic was created October 2014. Did this one from Tuesday inspire you?

madison Square Garden Vs Aloha
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90574

[charro1971]

MSG. I think he moved better, sang better and looked healthier overall. The fact that he was performing in New York inspired Elvis to put on 4 amazing concerts.

[rlj4ep]

MSG

[vinelvis]

I think he sounded better in Hampton, but looked better in New York.

Hmm. This topic was created October 2014. Did this one from Tuesday inspire you?

madison Square Garden Vs Aloha
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90574

Yes.

[elvis-fan]

What's not to love about either one of these outstanding performances??? If only Sony would release the Hampton Roads evening show already... what's the DEEEELAAAAYYY???
If they can issue a mainstream release of a soundboard recording from May/June '75, what's the problem with issuing a multi-track recording of one of his finest on-tour performances??

EPCD225.JPG

hampton2012.jpg

[Juan Luis]

What's the best sounding CD of this? Triangle?

[Steve Morse]

The Richmond show is good !

[ElvisLife]

Here is one the of Hampton shows:

[James27]

Performance-wise and look-wise I prefer MSG. But the setlist was better in HR. MSG would have benefitted with How Great Thou Art, A Big Hunk O' Love and two songs neither show had: Little Sister and Burning Love. Any cover pop ballad could have easily been replaced for these.

I understand to a degree that Elvis chose to play it safe with singing other singer's signature songs in Vegas during the first two seasons, but once he was established as the nr. 1 draw, he should have sung his songs 95% of the time, not other people's hits, no matter how well executed many of them were. He had dozens of his own classics he could choose from. That I will never figure out. That's the only thing that kind of spoils these early 70s shows (to a degree) for me. His energy, talent and the atmosphere he creates plus his humour makes up for a lot, though. Call it a form of seduction where you forgive, only because you love somebody so much. Well, it's that annoyance, and the Vegas endings to most songs. The older and grumpier I get the more these stick out like a sore thumb...

[Stvimpe]

What's the best sounding CD of this? Triangle?

Hi Juan Luis,

Yes, I think Triangle is the best release so far. I've copy-pasted a review from Elvis News below. I highlighted some remarks on sound. Best wishes!

Review from Elvis News

Quite some time passed between the original announcement and the actual release of this CD, a re-release of the “Live In Virginia” CD from the Vicky label, was it worth the wait?

Design

For this release the producers went all the way. The CD comes in a double cardboard sleeve (about the same size as the Japanese remasters from a few years back). Inside the sleeve a reproduction of the MGM Press book for the “On Tour” movie, a record sleeve around the CD and a 40 pages booklet. On the outside a small slip like you can find on a lot of CDs from Asia. Besides the 100 pictures of our man the booklet contains a lot of images of various “On Tour” releases. At the looks of it quite a lot of "On Tour" material has already seen the light (and not even all known “On Tour” releases d are featured here). The liner notes are very informative; on Elvis, his achievements (Elvis was “sitting on top of the world” in 1972), “On Tour” (a retrospective) and details on the performed songs. The booklet looks good, but the printing could be a bit better on some pages, but that is the only negative thing we can find. This release is the first real CD release from the Triangle label, not counting the digi pack bootleg of the Greensboro bootleg which was originally released on a factory made CDR. Just like the cover the CD is a beautifully designed picture disc.

Content

The concert on this CD has been released before as “Live In Virginia” by the Vicky label in 1990. So besides the package, is the CD itself worth buying a concert you already own? This concert, just like a lot of “On Tour” material has always been popular among the Elvis fans. The April 9th. Concert was featured in the “On Tour” movie (and in the “Lost Performance” video) and according to the producer and director, “the best show from the tour”. Elvis is in a good mood, delivers some very strong performances; "Until It's Time For You To Go" (by then his latest single) gets a good treatment, for the cameramen he makes Glenn do the intro of “Teddy Bear” three times. Elvis’ favorites “How Great Thou Art”, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and the audience’s favorite "Suspicious Minds" are highlights on this release. With the cameras pointed straight at him, Elvis knew he had to perform at his best. He does, and he enjoys it. The addition of “Sweet Sweet Spirit” by JD Summer and The Stamps is good to have. Besides the fact that it is a great song, it belongs into an Elvis concert.

The audio quality of this show is very good, not only did the producers pay a lot of attention to the design; they also tried to master the audio. As a source the producers used the incomplete tapes from the MGM vaults (they once hoped to release the concerts on their own label, but RCA didn’t allow it). Unfortunately it is - again - not the complete concert tape (with “Never Been To Spain” and “You Gave Me A Mountain”) RCA owns, but hasn’t released. Due to differences in sound quality the producers decided not to add the missing songs from a different source to the concert as “bonus tracks”. Or as they put it in the booklet: “an Elvis concert ends with the closing riffs, so does this CD”. The original announcement for this release also mentioned a DVD release, unfortunately that never made it … perhaps a next time.

Conclusion

Some labels really make an effort of their releases, the Madison label is known for the quality of their releases, but with this release, the Triangle label can become a stiff competitor. We wonder - or should we say hope - they can continue in this line. Returning to our opening question, was it worth the wait? We can definitely say “yes”. The package is great, with a lot of information and a very special look, and the concert is presented in a very good sound quality. If you already own the original release from over ten years ago, this is a nice collector’s edition, if not; this is your chance to get a great concert, in a great package. Hopefully Ernst Jorgensen will release the complete concert officially one day.

Tracklisting

2001 Theme / See See Rider / Until It's Time For You To Go / Polk Salad Annie / Love Me / All Shook Up / Teddy Bear - Don't Be Cruel / Are You Lonesome Tonight? / I Can't Stop Loving You / Hound Dog / Bridge Over Troubled Water / Suspicious Minds / For The Good Times / Introductions / An American Trilogy / Love Me Tender / A Big Hunk Of Love / How Great Thou Art / Sweet Sweet Spirit by JD Summer & The Stamps / Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Can't Help Falling In Love / Closing Vamp.

http://www.elvisnews.com/articles.aspx/hampton-roads/835#.VlIE-ZQqOrV

[Juan Luis]

Thank you Stvimpe! My best, JL

[James27]

It's annoying but I'm sure it has to do with the fact that the good to excellent unreleased stuff (multitracks studio and live) is getting more and more sparse in their vault, so more and more they will mix it up with mediocre releases, to "milk the cow" for as long as possible, knowing full well that the real fans will buy almost any new music, good, mediocre or even bad.

Now and then they treat us to astonishingly great stuff, like the Sun box set on FTD (why this was on FTD and not as a regular Sony release beats me, still today, but I'm so glad I got it, I should have gotten a couple of them and sell them in order to compensate for all the spending), and good stuff like the Stax and MSG box sets, so we get all hyped up again (and fall in love with Elvis' talent all over again), and then we have to expect lesser stuff again. In other words: they don't wanna put all their good cards, all the gems ("On Tour" shows being among them) on the table all at once, cause once they do that all they're left with is the other stuff and they can't keep up the interest for future years based solely on that. Just business and just my opinion.

What's not to love about either one of these outstanding performances??? If only Sony would release the Hampton Roads evening show already... what's the DEEEELAAAAYYY???
If they can issue a mainstream release of a soundboard recording from May/June '75, what's the problem with issuing a multi-track recording of one of his finest on-tour performances??

EPCD225.JPG

hampton2012.jpg

[Z0S0]

Its Madison Sq Garden for me !

Hampton is a very close second though but he is sharper, in better voice, more professional & just more up for it in New York!

i dare say that other shows from the June tour would have also been top of the line!

i wish he had added/replaced songs for ALL of these shows, no more so than MSG!

imagine a perfectly rehearsed & tight 'LIKE A BABY' ?

[Stvimpe]

Though question, OP... Hell, I like them all... Greensboro, Hampton Roads, Richmond, San Antonio, MSG. Despite some imperfections soundwise, and despite some classics being performed at lightning speed, still dynamite shows IMO.

[billyblues]

Hampton for sure. I'm amazed every single time I watch the material that is officially available from that concert. I don't like his hairstyle and he's way too pale, but seriously, who cares - he sounds great, he moves great, HE'S GREAT. Best "See See Rider" opener that I ever heard!

MSG is OK, but the energy is outstanding with the Hampton concert, IMO.