"Holding Down The Fort" around the corner

Well I had been listening to the audience recording of the show before I got mine...so yeah, you are right, maybe "fantasic" is too much...but its pretty good

For those that have heard both, which Fort Worth 1976 show do they like the best? The one on June 3rd on this disc or July 3rd on Rockin Across Texas FTD book?

Well I'd say thet July 3rd on Rockin Across Texax was a slightly better show.

Well I had been listening to the audience recording of the show before I got mine...so yeah, you are right, maybe "fantasic" is too much...but its pretty good

Yes, pretty good. Comparing two Fort Worh shows, the later one seems to be slightly better but of course none of them is as exceptional as Tony Brown said. His memory let him down I think... no wonder.

...or when he was asked, he simply told the first place that popped up in his head, just to illustrate that there were very good shows even in 1976 (which is indeed true). He did not expected that recordings will show up... to prove that he was wrong...

He did not expected that recordings will show up... to prove that he was wrong...

Well, usually when you're asked to tell people about something that happened more than 30 years ago, you don't expect that your words will be taken apart like a doctor's dissertation
I'm sure that Tony Brown has just chatted freely about the past and that this IS how he remembers it, from his own point of view.

He did not expected that recordings will show up... to prove that he was wrong...

Well, usually when you're asked to tell people about something that happened more than 30 years ago, you don't expect that your words will be taken apart like a doctor's dissertation
I'm sure that Tony Brown has just chatted freely about the past and that this IS how he remembers it, from his own point of view.

If i remember correctly, Brown was asked in 1978, not after 30 years.

If i remember correctly, Brown was asked in 1978, not after 30 years.

Brown's comments about Fort Worth in 1976 were published in 1980, in the Jerry Hopkins biography, "Elvis - The Final Years." Guess you and Tony have something in common.

by the way doc, what was the subject of your dissertation?

I've received this fantastic CD set in early november and i'm completely pleased with it. The pre-show is very amusing (esp. the Sweets),it makes this CD set more unique and i've listened to that more than the 'main event'.
The concert is good,too. This CD set is highly recommended for any real Elvis fan.
Though i always appreciated that Madison release unheard concerts,earlier i wasn't a big fan of this label,because they have used mostly x-generation copies of the master tapes for their CD's,so the sound quality wasn't the best on those concert CD's. Of course it wasn't their fault that they couldn't get/afford the master tapes. But their latest 2 concert CD releases were great,i hope they will continue this quality. If many people buy their CD's they will be able to afford the master tapes so we have to support this label.
I'm looking forvard to the Huntsville shows.

I'm looking forvard to the Huntsville shows.

Haven't heard any news from Madison regarding the Huntsville show's since FBjr said they were releasing 4 of the shows from Huntsville...any news on either of these?

Ive got the CD.

Good show but the sound is not good at all.

Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it.

I dont think i will play this again.

Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it. I dont think i will play this again.

What show are you talking about?

Ive got the CD.

Good show but the sound is not good at all.

Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it.

I dont think i will play this again.

If you are talking about Holding Down The Fort, the sound is not that bad..infact, there is a little hissing but thats about it...certainly is not bad enough to make you want to never listen to it again.

Good show but the sound is not good at all. Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it.

You must have a CD-R, because my factory-pressed discs sound excellent.

Judging sound quality is definitely a subjective thing, but if the assertion is that there's a crackle through the discs (I guess that's what bacon sounds like), I have to say, my discs -- like Doc's -- don't have that defect.

Good show but the sound is not good at all. Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it.

You must have a CD-R, because my factory-pressed discs sound excellent.

I'll 2nd that. No problems here.

I guess there are such things as defective factory-pressed discs though.

Good show but the sound is not good at all. Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it.

You must have a CD-R, because my factory-pressed discs sound excellent.

Well, I remember strong discussion - not too long time ago - where others argued against me, that that CDR copy = identical sound to the original pressed CD.

That tends to be the (sad) truth, Deadie....

Ive got the CD.

Good show but the sound is not good at all.

Sounds like someones cooking bacon all the way through it.

I dont think i will play this again.

What are you doing collecting obscure Elvis live discs for, anyway?

I hate to think what you think of an audience-recorded show.

This is a fine package and I hear nothing of the sort, putting aside a few fleeting imperfections like the noise and hiss that DR mentioned earlier.

I never had "Cajun Tornado" but to my ears, 2006's "Holding Down the Fort" is quite good. According to "Ray" on this thread, "the Cajun is from a far lower generation tape than Holding Down The Fort, (as) HDTF is from First Generation tape."

The notes back this up, saying that the TDK 120 tape is first-generation. As with most other recent Fort Baxter re-issues, they've found a way (or time just permits it, via advances in technology and engineering) to coax more than adequate sound out of the tapes.

Since we're talking about this again, the booklet alone is very exciting (great notes as always by the mysterious Sniffy McGillis), packed with great color photos of the show and really making this a true souvenir of "The Elvis Presley Show" circa 1976, as does the clever Disc One (about 30 minutes) of the opening acts.

Hearing such contemporary '70s songs (especially the Stevie Wonder medley ) reminds me how late in the game Elvis was still alive, as I remember all those popular songs at the time. The Elvis world, in comparison, seems like more nostalgia-driven then usually acknowledged...but it's still Elvis live on stage and the '76 fans eat that up.

I agree that this is a more effective show for '76 as Tony Brown had maintained, as mentioned in the notes. (Not that we're sure that means anything anymore ) It's not as good as late '76 but definitely reasonably engaged, despite a less-than-stellar voice in spots.

The cover shot has grown on me. I accept that it was no longer 1956 and that's still a great profile our man had in the year of the bicentennial.... Well worth having...! Hats off to all involved!

Excellent post, Greg. Exactly the kind of stuff I like to read on this message board.

The cover shot has grown on me. I accept that it was no longer 1956 and that's still a great profile our man had in the year of the bicentennial....

Yeah, but the weird thing is that the booklet contains a couple of photos where Elvis looks excellent. Seems to me they choose the worst photo for the cover. It doesn't matter though, the overall packaging is just about perfect.

Well worth having...! Hats off to all involved!

Damn right!

It's a good thing Madison's soundboards are starting to sound better and better. To be honest, "Fly T-R-O-U-B-L-E!" doesn't sound too good, for example, but the latest soundboards from Madison have all been great. Hopefully they will stay in business for a long time.

Keith Richards, Jr.

Last edited by Keith Richards, Jr. on Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.

It's a good thing Madison's soundboards are starting to sound better and better. To be honest, "Fly T-R-O-U-B-L-E!" doesn't sound too good, for example, but the latest soundboards from Madison have all been great. Hopefully they will stay in business for a long time.

Keith Richards, Jr.

I agree, it seems to have been mastered by that same deaf bastard who ruined the How Great Thou Art Session Volumes : for the life of me I can't figure how that got through quality control.

... Yes, Jim, its one and the same. And the guy from 2001, up to

this very day, feels pretty shitty having handed over the tapes

to Madison [ yes, in reality, HGTA sessions are Madison releases].

Add to the mastering fiasco the fact mr. 2001 didnt bother to

check the final results, hes partly guilty as well. In his defence:

mr. 2001 was pretty ill at the time. But... has taken revenge with

The American Way release. This time a REAL sound engineer

did the work.

both tucson an memphis are better shows. Even my it's been a long long time. To give you an idea if you listen to tucson 76 you'll hear a weak nasal see see rider (odessa) and then a much stronger voice from i got a woman on. Holdong down the fort features an elvis with a voice between them, similar to memphis. But the cd is still interesting.

I have all soundboards, but I guess that if you had an ideal collection featuring Tucson and Goodbye Memphis you have a well represented picture of elvis from may to september 76. The rest of the available shows go from sad (biccentennial) to mediocre (old times are not forgotten) to just ok (my it's been a long).

The rest of the available shows go from sad (biccentennial) to mediocre (old times are not forgotten) to just ok (my it's been a long).

Hey, wait a minute! "Old Times They Are Not Forgotten" is not mediocre, it's my favourite '76 soundboard, in fact it's one of my all-time favourite soundboards! True story!

Keith Richards,Jr.

The rest of the available shows go from sad (biccentennial) to mediocre (old times are not forgotten) to just ok (my it's been a long).

Hey, wait a minute! "Old Times They Are Not Forgotten" is not mediocre, it's my favourite '76 soundboard, in fact it's one of my all-time favourite soundboards! True story!

Keith Richards,Jr.

Really Keith?? Once (1995) it was my favourite show. Brilliant sound and new line up (it was the first show to me with the solos, etc) captivated me.

Later, I started to notice weak vocals, tired elvis, too long introductions...

What annoy me more of these 76 shows is the tire vocals (out of breath), the lack of control of tonality and the Nasal tone. Just listen to And I love you so performed in march 75 or december 75. listen to the line "The shadows follow meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeand the night won't set me free" sang without interruption and sustaining the tonality. Then compare it to almost all the sounboards from 1976. "meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeand" becomes so forced and many a time he has to breath and interrupt the brilliant 1975 phrasing, while the back up voices mask him.

Later, I started to notice weak vocals, tired elvis, too long introductions.

When listening to the introductions on CD, it can seem long and tiresome. However, when attending the show, it was quite entertaining. Even though he was not singing (for the most part), he was still right in front of you making gestures to band members and still entertaining the crowd. Therefore, it is not near as bad as when listening to a show 30 years later.

Later, I started to notice weak vocals, tired elvis, too long introductions.

When listening to the introductions on CD, it can seem long and tiresome. However, when attending the show, it was quite entertaining. Even though he was not singing (for the most part), he was still right in front of you making gestures to band members and still entertaining the crowd. Therefore, it is not near as bad as when listening to a show 30 years later.

I have no problem with solos, with shows not suffering from QCS (quick close syndrome). To hear the solos and then burning love, danny boy, help me make it, etc, like in tucson 76 is ok, but Just when you are into the show, elvis stops it, spends 10-12 minutes introducing the band, singing half songs and then sings a tired hound dog, hurt and chfil......too short....