ELVIS IN VEGAS 1973 (AUGUST 6TH - SEPTEMBER 3RD)

In this topic I want to give a little overview/review of the shows we have of Elvis' second engagement in Vegas 1973.
It may take some time to complete this, because of the amount of shows that excists (41 shows). I will try to put on shows as often I got time for it.
I have added the total running time for the show. This however, maybe different from others, because of the adjustments, some cdr's and cds have some silence time before the show starts and after the show ending and so on. I have cut the silence time out from this collection of shows. I also mention incomplete tracks, but as we know, there's maybe some cdr's out there with complete versions of the tracks. So if anybody has a different version with complete tracks, please let us all know.

August 6th 1973 - Opening show - Audience Recording with good sound

Elvis does a serious and good show with some new songs in the setlist. The opening show takes off with a more modern (disco) version of Also Sprach Zarathustra. After the classic CC Rider, Elvis' doing a medley of Trouble/Raised On Rock. Unfortunately, this medley was out of the setlist already the day after. Memphis Tennessee is also one of the songs that fell off the setlist the day after, but here's a complete and cool version of the Chuck Berry classic.

The Rock Medley was set to Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/Mama Don't Dance/Flip Flop & Fly/Jailhouse Rock/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On. During the Lake Tahoe engagement and the June/July Tour earlier this year Elvis had many variations of this kind of medley. However, Elvis continued to use this setup for the medley until it was changed for the August 11th Midnight Show (where he put Hound dog in as the ending song, he also had Hound Dog as the ending song on August 7th ms).

Another highlight for me in this show is Help Me Make It Through The Night.

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 0:55
02 OPENING RIFF 0:32
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:25
04 TROUBLE 1:57
05 RAISED ON ROCK 2:55
06 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:11
07 LOVE ME 1:43
08 STEAMROLLER BLUES 3:08
09 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 3:09
10 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:10
11 MEMPHIS TENNESSEE 2:37
12 ROCK MEDLEY 2:59
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
13 LOVE ME TENDER 1:51
14 HOUND DOG 1:13
15 FEVER 3:14
16 MY BOY 4:00
17 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:10
18 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:20
19 INTRODUCTION OF PETULA CLARK 0:26
20 INTRODUCTION OF GUY MARKS 0:20
21 INTRODUCTION OF PHYLLIS MCGUIRE 0:19
22 INTRODUCTION OF LIZA MINELLI 0:19
23 ELVIS TALKS 0:54
24 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:19
25 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:22
26 ELVIS TALKS 0:11
27 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER 4:13
28 HOW GREAT THOU ART 2:38
29 A BIG HUNK OF LOVE 2:17
30 HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT 2:06
31 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:38
32 CLOSING RIFF 0:58

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 62:42

These celebrities attended this Opening Show, I've added a link to Wikipedia to them, for those who want some more information about these people:

Petula Clark http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petula_Clark
Guy Marks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Marks
Phyllis Mcguire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_McGuire_Sisters
Liza Minnelli http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liza_Minnelli

Last edited by AHM1977 on Sun Aug 28, 2011 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

Great posting..looking forward to more...

August 7th 1973 - Dinner show - Audience Recording with good sound

The show starts out with the classic version of Also Sprach Zarathustra, and the setlist is changed back to the more usual songs with most of the songs that Elvis used earlier (see tracklist). After the opening and CC Rider we see the first sign of longer versions of I Got A Woman/Amen where Elvis have some fun with J.D. Sumner's ending of Amen (it's very clear that J.D.'s deep voice here impressed Elvis). Elvis seems to be satisfied with having Trouble on the setlist, but without Raised on Rock.
I think Elvis is in a good mood and give us a good show, but without any surprises. I guess Charlie Hodge gets a little wet right after Elvis had introduced him . Elvis also talks about how the rumours spread when he was sick for two days (in his own funny way of course).

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 1:05
02 OPENING RIFF 0:31
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:21
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 4:12
05 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:21
06 LOVE ME 2:19
07 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:50
08 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:13
09 TROUBLE 2:05
10 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:03
11 ROCK MEDLEY 2:30
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
12 LOVE ME TENDER 1:53
13 HOUND DOG 1:09
14 FEVER 3:03
15 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 3:03
16 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 3:57
17 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:32
18 ELVIS TALKS 0:20
19 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:20
20 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:24
21 A BIG HUNK OF LOVE 2:06
22 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:43
23 CLOSING RIFF 0:51

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 49:00

August 7th 1973 - Midnight show - Audience Recording with good sound

Elvis seems in good mood and gives us a good show with some variation from the usual songs. Elvis does three good, classic country songs in this show, Release Me, Funny How Time Slips Away and Faded Love. He also gives us a strong Bridge Over Troubled Water after some start problems.
And for the first time is Hound Dog included in The Rock Medley as the ending song (I found this a little strange, since this setup for The Rock Medley goes out again, and don't come back until the August 11th Midnight Show, could this show be dated wrong??).

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 0:55
02 OPENING RIFF 0:31
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:19
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 2:59
05 LOVE ME 1:31
06 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:50
07 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:02
08 TROUBLE 2:00
09 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 0:59
10 ROCK MEDLEY 2:39
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/HOUND DOG
11 LOVE ME TENDER 1:47
12 FEVER 2:30
13 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER (INCL. 1FS) 4:37
14 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:00
15 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:33
16 MY BOY 3:44
17 ELVIS TALKS 0:12
18 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:11
19 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:02
20 RELEASE ME 1:58
21 MYSTERY TRAIN/TIGER MAN 2:10
22 ELVIS TALKS 0:19
23 FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY 2:22
24 FADED LOVE 2:16
25 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:33
26 CLOSING RIFF 0:43

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 55:54

Very interesting setlist..released on Top Acts In Vegas Vol. 6..and no hint for being wrongly dated..

August 8th 1973 - Dinner show - Audience Recording with good sound

Great show with a serious singer and a lot of highlights from the early days : I Got A Woman, Love Me, Trouble, Blue Suede Shoes, Love Me Tender, Hound Dog, Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel and The Rock Medley. The band tries to end Love Me after 1 min. & 20 sec., but Elvis stops them. After requests from audience Elvis does a great version of How Great Thou Art.
The whole show is really great with just one weak moment (the way I see it), and that is The Rock Medley. It seems like Elvis just can't wait to finish it.
We also got a little taste of the pre-show here, with the TCB band.

01 TCB JAZZIN' 0:46
02 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 1:11
03 OPENING RIFF 0:42
04 SEE SEE RIDER 2:32
05 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 4:08
06 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:28
07 ELVIS TALKS WITH AUDIENCE 0:13
08 LOVE ME 2:17
09 ELVIS TALKS 0:17
10 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:59
11 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:26
12 TROUBLE 2:08
13 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:07
14 ROCK MEDLEY 2:18
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
15 LOVE ME TENDER 1:45
16 HOUND DOG 1:06
17 FEVER 3:41
18 TEDDY BEAR/DON'T BE CRUEL 1:58
19 WHAT NOW MY LOVE (INCL. 1 FS) 3:08
20 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:16
21 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 2:01
22 MY BOY 3:59
23 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:20
24 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:34
25 ELVIS TALKS WITH AUDIENCE 0:10
26 HOW GREAT THOU ART 3:07
27 RELEASE ME 2:17
28 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:44
29 CLOSING RIFF 1:05

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 61:59

Very interesting setlist..released on Top Acts In Vegas Vol. 6..and no hint for being wrongly dated..

No, we have seen and heard Elvis does so many variations of this medley, so I think it's just me. I'm not even sure if they rehearsed it with Hound Dog as a ending either. I think it's very possible Elvis went over to Hound Dog just by impulse.

My thoughts exactly...

August 8th 1973 - Midnight show - Audience Recording with fair sound (sound is distant, but not too bad, could have been better)

Good show with an energic Elvis, so you can really feel the energy in The Rock Medley and even Hound Dog got it's own drive here. The ballads are all high quality performances including Bridge Over Troubled Water with reprise.
A really highlight for this show must be Make The World Go Away, always beautiful and rarely sung in shows after 1970. Elvis talks a little more during this show than earlier in this Vegas season.

It's a good possibility that Elvis met the delegation from the Japanese fanclub just prior this show, since he after the band introduction says hello to the Japanese fans* (and fans from other countries too).

*The track on the cd Word For Word vol. 2 "Meeting Japanese Fans" which is only dated August 1973

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 1:18
02 OPENING RIFF 0:35
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:27
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 3:09
05 LOVE ME 1:44
06 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:53
07 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:12
08 TROUBLE 2:03
09 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:01
10 ROCK MEDLEY 2:33
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
11 LOVE ME TENDER 1:42
12 ELVIS TALKS 0:14
13 HOUND DOG 1:20
14 FEVER 2:59
15 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 2:56
16 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER 5:06
17 ELVIS TALKS 0:25
18 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:04
19 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:55
20 ELVIS SAYS HELLO TO FOREIGN FANS 0:16
21 MY BOY 3:51
22 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:14
23 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:09
24 A BIG HUNK OF LOVE 1:56
25 RELEASE ME 2:04
26 ELVIS TALKS 0:13
27 MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY 1:51
28 ELVIS TALKS 0:18
29 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:38
30 CLOSING RIFF 0:46

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 61:03

August 9th 1973 - Dinner show - Audience Recording with fair sound (could have been better)

Good show with no extraordinary surprises. Elvis says he just woke up about an hour ago when he welcomes the audience and we got no reason to not believin' that....
He change some lyrics during Fever, and goes right into a strong version of What Now My Love.
After the Band Introduction, Elvis introduces Floyd Cramer and James Darren.

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 1:01
02 OPENING RIFF 0:35
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:29
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 3:20
05 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:14
06 LOVE ME 1:34
07 STEAMROLLER BLUES 3:00
08 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:19
09 TROUBLE 2:14
10 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:04
11 ROCK MEDLEY 2:46
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
12 LOVE ME TENDER 1:41
13 HOUND DOG 1:20
14 FEVER 3:04
15 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 3:07
16 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:05
17 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:50
18 INTRODUCTION OF FLOYD CRAMER 0:24
19 INTRODUCTION OF JAMES DAREY 0:28
20 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:22
21 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:17
22 A BIG HUNK OF LOVE 2:10
23 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:42
24 CLOSING RIFF 1:13

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 49:32

Link for Floyd Cramer : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Cramer
Link for James Darren : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Darren

Last edited by AHM1977 on Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

August 9th 1973 - Midnight show - Audience Recording with good (with a minus) sound

A good and serious Elvis in action here. Very standard setlist for this show, so there isn't so much to say about it.
The Introduction Of The Band are a little incomplete though.

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 1:05
02 OPENING RIFF 0:31
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:18
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 2:59
05 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:11
06 LOVE ME 1:29
07 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:49
08 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:09
09 TROUBLE 1:57
10 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:00
11 ROCK MEDLEY 2:32
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
12 LOVE ME TENDER 1:39
13 HOUND DOG 1:21
14 FEVER 3:04
15 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 2:55
16 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:00
17 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND* 1:07
18 MY BOY 3:52
19 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:11
20 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:06
21 RELEASE ME 2:03
22 MYSTERY TRAIN/TIGER MAN 2:16
23 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:38
24 CLOSING RIFF (MIXED) 0:41

*INCOMPLETE TRACK

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 51:04

Your knowledge is amazing, mate..GREAT !

The intros are complete on my copy of the import The King will Never Die..

The intros are complete on my copy of the import The King will Never Die..

Are you sure? On my copy the intro of J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet is missing...................

You are right..slight cut after "group" at the very beginning of the intros....no intro of The Stamps..

August 10th 1973 - dinner show - Audience Recording with good sound (distant, but good)

Elvis delivers a good show with standard setlist. As the last set before Can't Help Falling In love Elvis does Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel as a input song. One of the members of Joe Guercio's Orchestra has birthday, Elvis mentions it after The Band Intros. I hasn't be able to identify his name, so if someone knows it, please let us know the name.

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 1:10
02 OPENING RIFF 0:41
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:28
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 3:09
05 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:13
06 LOVE ME 2:24
07 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:54
08 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:11
09 TROUBLE 2:03
10 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 1:03
11 ROCK MEDLEY 2:38
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
12 LOVE ME TENDER 2:20
13 HOUND DOG 1:09
14 FEVER 3:01
15 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 3:03
16 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 4:22
17 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:30
18 ORCHESTRA MEMBER'S BIRTHDAY 0:17
19 MY BOY 3:59
20 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:15
21 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:14
22 MYSTERY TRAIN/TIGER MAN 2:17
23 ELVIS TALKS 0:10
24 RELEASE ME 2:12
25 TEDDY BEAR/DON'T BE CRUEL 1:51
26 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:40
27 CLOSING RIFF (MIXED) 1:00

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 57:26

August 10th 1973 - Midnight show - Audience Recording with fair sound (not to bad)

Again Elvis delivers a good standard show with good presentations all over. The recording has just the start and ending of The Band Intros. Before he sings Can't Help Falling In Love, Elvis gives his gratiude to the audience.

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 0:54
02 OPENING RIFF 0:37
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:18
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 3:12
05 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:11
06 LOVE ME 1:26
07 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:44
08 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:03
09 TROUBLE 2:01
10 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 0:59
11 ROCK MEDLEY 2:30
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
12 LOVE ME TENDER 1:35
13 HOUND DOG 1:10
14 FEVER 2:49
15 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER 4:01
16 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 3:57
17 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND* 0:17
18 MY BOY 3:47
19 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:15
20 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:05
21 MYSTERY TRAIN/TIGER MAN 2:21
22 RELEASE ME 2:01
23 ELVIS TALKS 0:21
24 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:33
25 CLOSING RIFF 1:06

*INCOMPLETE TRACK

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 51:24

Last edited by AHM1977 on Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The CD-R... I Don`t Take No Kind Of Bull... is complete..

The CD-R... I Don`t Take No Kind Of Bull... is complete..

You're right, it is..........I think this may lead us to something cool.....

Which CD-R are you referring to..?
If not to a special one..then you could take the info about incomplete
band intros out..cause a complete source does exist..as you correctly answered..
Seems like you jusu had an incomplete tape source..or do you have both..?

[quote="Ciscoking"]Which CD-R are you referring to..?

When I retracked it for my Summer Festival 1973 series, I took a version of the show that I already had on my PC. Should have used the cdr..............

I see....all right...

Well done and much appreciated. Thanks guys!

August 11th 1973 - dinner show - Audience Recording with fair sound

A good show where Elvis puts in I'ts Over and My Way beside the standard setlist for this season. Too bad the sound isn't better on this recording.

01 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA 0:57
02 OPENING RIFF 0:31
03 SEE SEE RIDER 2:12
04 I GOT A WOMAN/AMEN 2:51
05 ELVIS WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE 0:23
06 ELVIS TALKS 0:22
07 LOVE ME 1:29
08 STEAMROLLER BLUES 2:41
09 YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN 3:04
10 TROUBLE 1:54
11 BLUE SUEDE SHOES 0:57
12 ROCK MEDLEY 2:28
LONG TALL SALLY/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON/
MAMA DON'T DANCE/FLIP FLOP AND FLY/
JAILHOUSE ROCK/WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
13 LOVE ME TENDER 1:28
14 HOUND DOG 0:55
15 FEVER 2:48
16 WHAT NOW MY LOVE 2:50
17 SUSPICIOUS MINDS 3:47
18 INTRODUCTION OF THE BAND 1:43
19 MY BOY 3:42
20 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU 2:11
21 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY 4:02
22 ELVIS TALKS 0:24
23 IT'S OVER 1:58
24 RELEASE ME 1:58
25 A BIG HUNK OF LOVE 1:55
26 ELVIS TALKS 0:44
27 MY WAY 3:20
28 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 1:32
29 CLOSING RIFF 0:59

TOTAL RUNNING TIME 56:21

I think we gained another expert here..that is one reason for this section.

Obviously it is successful....