March 17 1976 - The First Concert for '76 Review

[Johnny2523]

Here i will use the Springtours '76-77 (Soundboard) CD for and to make the show complete the PA version : ''Setting out Again'' for the missing part (Burning Love) and ''Phoenix Over Tennessee'' for its better sound. Elvis was with a almost complete new band. Except ofcoarse James Burton & John Wilkinson. Elvis performs for about 77 minutes, a minute goes away because burning love is incompletely recorded.

See See Rider - a very fast version, I heard people sayd springtours '76-77 was speeded up but if i compare it to the audience recording it hardly runs any faster.
Anyhow, elvis gives a energetic version of see see rider, which quite suprises me at this tempo. Footage of this song (starting at the guitar solo) could be seen on various bootlegs and on youtube. heres a link ... Those moves at the end are cool!. Good Start of the concert!.

I Got A Woman-Amen - Starts of quite good, Again at a bit faster tempo then usual. i gotta admit the band is rocking. This version is great!, I would compare this atleast as good as the March '75 season. I love elvis remark during the song ''iiii will love her, Cmon baby, Well i got a woman'' Elvis was up for it!, Amen could never really be performed bad, because it simply wasnt really a song in elvis shows either. Elvis shakes his legs asking if they got a whip!. He says he just got through eatin and then its time for the JD Divebomb. Usually JD overloads the mic on most of the recordings, here its in fine quality and not that annoying. ''i like to ah (crowd yells)...okay,hello joseph, I like JD to do that part again, because he's the lowest bass singer and hes just goofin off, and he's really low down! amen, amen, amen, JD Divebomb, and then the strong ending of I got A Woman.

Love Me - Elvis thanks the audience, ''I love you to but i cant do anything about it now'', ''we hope you enjoy.... ELVIS, wait a minute youu got a thing to say, elvis makes a funny noise, and welcome the audience, saying i'll do hound dog later hun he's in the back eatin a elbow! lol!. Love me is in a slower tempo then usual. The mix on this soundboard recording is great since we can hear the crowd's reaction to elvis. Elvis performs it with more conviction then i heard him do in most shows thou. Its a fun version with sometime a little giggle of elvis which makes this version quite tastefull to listen to, Without being to distractive. Its nothing like the 1972 versions, but it certainly is a better version then was done in '76 overall. a long ending by the backround singers, and elvis ending it strong to!. Clip from this version : ..

You gave Me A Mountain - ''okay let me get some water.. Mountain!'' - A song that couldn't do no harm, and still showcased elvis range, aswell as emotion. It's a beautiful strong version. ''This time lord you gave me a mountain, hit it!' This is really a beautiful and strong version!. A Highlight Indeed,

''Your a good audience, this next song is a song we been doing recently, its one of my first records, we been doing it alot lately because we got alot of requests for it, its called trying to get to you, Its funny my band is getting ''Turn Around, Turn Around''.

Trying To Get To You - Elvis been doing this song for about 2 years now, But still sounds strong, and elvis does this great!, This is one of those 50's song he almost always gave respect to. Great version! Elvis is really into this version, Certaintly A Highlight

All Shook Up - Well, nothing really much to say about it, Just a run through, its quite funny as elvis goes a bit to fast and the band isn't so u hear elvis giggling.

''I'm doing a imitation of elton john!, Honey did u get those glasses for me, see i feel my eyes are cased.

Teddy Bear-Don't Be Cruel - A False start and elvis says ''wait a minute, we got a couple of new guys and there anctious to play. Then elvis restarts the song, Its performed faster, and would continue to do so from this stage, Elvis did slower versions in '75 still. But from on here it seemed like he had a rush. Altough this version is quite enjoyable. I gotta dig the drumming on here thou.

Until It's Time For You To Go - The First raretie for '76. elvis hardly done this song in 1976 And only a few times in 1975. and altough this dont sound like 2 years earlier, It's still beautifully sung,aside froma little giggle, u can feel elvis emotion in it. this is one of the songs i always liked, I do say this is a highlight.

''elvis introduces his new record ''Hurt'',

Hurt - The first live version. Beautifuly sung, Altough i prefer the later arrangements, and this isn't as strong performed as later versions. But it does make a beautiful version and again a highlight. Here's footage of the performance for illustration ..

Polk Salad Annie - It's incomplete in soundboard, (The ending fades out) - A fast paced, Strong version, Not that it's December 28 1976 great, But one of the stronger ones throughout '76 thou. the band is kicking it and JB gives a awesome guitar solo in here!. For illustration footage of this version ... After the fade out elvis goes ''wow we havent done that song in awhile, its rough on the legs'' Its deffinatly a highlight.

Introductions - Elvis introduces the members of his group like usual, but i will comment on the solo's and not much on the talking here. altough i will note the new bandmembers here.

What'd I Say - JB gives some cool riffs on this version, Elvis isn't singing here, and asks james to do it again because he never heard the first parts. So JB reprises it.

Drum Solo - Larrie London, at this point ronnie tutt wasn't at those march shows, And Larrie London, is the new drummer for this tour. I gotta admit he gives a cool Drum Solo!. Elvis calls him fantastic and i agree at this point, altough nobody can replace mr Ronnie Tutt

Bass Solo - The blues that we know so well by Jerry Scheff, Only a few times would Jerry do something else. altough i like the blues played by him thou.

Piano Solo - Shane Keister, The New piano player of the band after Glen D. left the band after December,31 1975 (Glens last Concert) - Shane plays the piano, and elvis starts singing what'd i say to it which is quite cool and refreshing for that elvis used to sing it on JB's solo.

on the Electric Clarinet - David Briggs, david would stay till February 21 1977, Fresh in the band here, he gives a cool clarinet solo.

Introductions conclude, nothing to be sayd about, only that hail hail rock & roll is cooly done by Joe's Orchestra, with some great JB Riffs!.

And I Love You So (with a break) - not a favourite version because of the break. Elvis does a beautiful emotional version and JB gives beautiful riffs on here that are more hearable then usual, but by the break because elvis is complaining about the bass that is roaring, and he cant hear himself, and that he could be singing Jambalaya, and notes the band is doing there best to drown him out and they suceed, the break screws it up. then elvis starts continueing the song, altough i would have preffered it being started from start. a Highlight if you would overlook the break.

then we go over to the audience recording.

How Great Thou Art - Quite rare for the beginning of '76 And How i wished the soundboard tape had captured this, A fantastic early '76 version of How Great Thou Art. Elvis really hits the notes fantastic!, Fantastic is all i can say, This must be one of the best versions delivered by elvis!.

Love Me Tender - Beautiful version, and again quite rare for the beginning of '76, Also certainly a highlight. all i can say is beautiful!.

Let Me Be There - Great version, i think this version is better then the March 20 & March 21 version from this same tour. Elvis doesn't mess up the lyrics, and its just sung greatly, Another Highlight!.

America The Beautiful - Introduced in '75, here we have the first version in celebration of the ''Biccential year'' or however u spell that word lol. Great version!, once again a Highlight.

Burning Love - Only back off and on in 1975, elvis reintroduced this song this year, The band works great, and i like the arrangement. Elvis is in great voice, and does a strong version, Doesnt forget the lyrics as he would only 2,3 days later, the end of the song is missing, the song cuts off just before ''I'm Just A hunka Hunka Burning love''

Heartbreak Hotel - Also sung off and on during the 1974-1975 period, in 1976 it would be sung quite a few times to. Great bluesy Version another one of those 50's song sung with the respect it deserved, I love the drumming on here!, A worthy highlight.

Hound Dog - The crowd goes nuts on this, Altough this is far from the strongest version, elvis does a uptempo version, and for once inawhile it sounds like he doesnt trow it away,altough its short, The crowd seems to really love hearing this, screaming whistleing and more screaming during his 'Shaking'' Part.

Hawaiian Wedding Song - This song always been one of my fav live songs, I dont really care much for the studio cut. Elvis sings a little O sole Mio, before proceding with a beautiful slow version of this hawaiian song. Quite rare in '76, not sung all too much,except for on some occasions. in '77 it would be again on most shows.

Mystery Train-Tiger Man - Wow, the drumming on this version is like we are in a jungle!, Awesome! Elvis in Great Voice, Uptempo & Elvis is showing he's still the king, Rock & Roll!. One of the best versions of '1976 if not the best one!. This would have been something i would also would have wanted to hear on soundboard!. The Crowd goes wild!. remember footage i saw years back on youtube, then it was deleted and could never find it again. it was from this show i believe and filmed quite close to the stage.

Elvis talks some with the audiences, thanking everybody. before

Can't Help Falling In Love with a false start - Performed at a slower pace, which does add something special to this version. It's beautiful!, Elvis ends it great!

Now this show is one of the bests from 1976.! Elvis performes a solid shows and the only trowaway, must have been teddy bear don't be Cruel!. If u want to listen to a 1976 concert i prefer this one!. Elvis performs 21 songs here! without introductions counted. I hope you all enjoyed my review. I listened to every track on the moment i wrote something about it here.

Ladies & Gentleman, Elvis has left the building, Goodnight

[karlos]

Brilliant Review Johnny 2523 -Lov This -

1976 turned out to be a busy year for Elvis. He started out with his first concert in Johnson City, March 17, and from here it went on with concerts over large parts of the States. All in all Elvis performed 129 concerts before the year ended.

[rlj4ep]

Thanks for your review. This early tour of 1976 was a very good tour with some really good shows.

rlj

[vinelvis]

Thanks for this review.