Houston Astrodome 74 confusion?

I'm pretty sure I'm the only one being confused by this...the main reason for my confusion is Madison's Event Number 8 release, which claims its photos are from the evening show and recording from the matinee. Shouldn't it be the other way around?


Now picture wise it' s pretty obvious: the matinee took place during daylight (Astro roof lets the light in) and the evening show at night. (Duh! )
So even though the liner notes of Event claim the photos on the booklet are from the evening show, they are from matinee, such as this one (not actually on the booklet, but you get the idea):

Here's one from the evening show:

houstonba.jpg

The band and Voice are now in yellow...and it's night time!

But at which point can we hear the Colonel being introduced on his donkey on Event Number 8? If it was not edited out, the show on the CD is then the evening show, right? Or did I miss that moment on the recording?

Sorry if I'm bringing up an obvious point...

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Last edited by Scott Hayward on Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm pretty sure the recording is from the March 3, 1974 AS.

Elvis calls himself "Event Number Eight."

Yes its the A/S the songs sung prove that. HEY FTD please give us the Evening Show what a great way to excite us!!!!

8) Yes its the A/S the songs sung prove that. HEY FTD please give us the Evening Show what a great way to excite us!!!!

As we don't have any audio from the evening show (only a "very-iffy" tracklisting) I don't see how the songs prove that?
I wonder where the track listing below even originates from...? It's pretty hard to imagine them doing American Trilogy without the orchestra...?

March 3rd, 1974. (8.00pm) Houston, TX. Astrodome
See See Rider: I Got A Woman: Love Me: Tryin’ To Get To You: All Shook Up: Steamroller Blues: Teddy Bear-Don't Be Cruel: Love Me Tender: Johnny B. Goode: Hound Dog: Fever: Polk Salad Annie: Why Me Lord (with J.D. Sumner): suspicious Minds: Introduction of Band: I Can't Stop Lovin’ You: Help Me: An American Trilogy: Let Me Be There: Funny How Time Slips Away: Can't Help Falling In Love

And where is that Colonel intro!!??

Maybe Charlie played the flute

I'm still of the opinion that the recording we have on Event Number 8 is from the evening show:
1) No colonel intro
2) No mention of "we have another show to do tonight..."
3) Mention of "this is the largest audience we've ever played to..." (evening show had 200 additional spectators)

All of this is circumstantial...but then this "event number 8" thing. I found this 1974 schedule, regrettably in low resolution.

1974.jpg

The schedule for March 3, the final day of the Livestock show, can be seen in the lower right hand corner. To me it looks like there only were 8 events on that day, thus making "event number 8" the final event of the day, and that would be Elvis' evening show.

So, in conclusion:
1) The show on "Event number 8" CD is the evening show, not the matinee
2) The photos on the cover of said CD are from the matinee, not evening show, despite what the booklet claims
3) We now don't have a song list for the matinee...

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If the evening show is event number 8 then the afternoon show would be event number 7 then, right?

If the evening show is event number 8 then the afternoon show would be event number 7 then, right?

I would rather think the matinee would have been one of the first events of the day...

I'd like to bump this up again...apparently there was a detailed review of the matinee show in one of Weekly News Service magazines at the time. The song listing of that review, I'm told, was totally different from what we have on Event Number 8. This would support my hypothesis. Anyone have access to that review?

You are not the only one confused. Confuse because if i recall Elvis doesnt metion anything during the concert that the Colonel was riding a donkey.

I'll try to check this evening the review.

Off topic: In the matinee show Elvis sang How Great Thou Art, in the evening show he did instead Trilogy and Steamroller Blues. Maybe the evening show was better?

What is more evidence than Elvis saying before Love Me.."good evening ladies and gentlemen..we hope you enjoy our part of the show this afternoon.."...and when you listen closely to Fever you make out that he laughs a bit ..not much..a bit..this was the moment the Colonel came in riding on a donkey..led by Vernon by foot..
His reference to the greatest crowd was meant in general..not regarding AS or ES..

He said virtually the same thing in Memphis.

I'm still of the opinion that the recording we have on Event Number 8 is from the evening show:
1) No colonel intro
2) No mention of "we have another show to do tonight..."
3) Mention of "this is the largest audience we've ever played to..." (evening show had 200 additional spectators)

All of this is circumstantial...but then this "event number 8" thing. I found this 1974 schedule, regrettably in low resolution.

1974.jpg

The schedule for March 3, the final day of the Livestock show, can be seen in the lower right hand corner. To me it looks like there only were 8 events on that day, thus making "event number 8" the final event of the day, and that would be Elvis' evening show.

So, in conclusion:
1) The show on "Event number 8" CD is the evening show, not the matinee
2) The photos on the cover of said CD are from the matinee, not evening show, despite what the booklet claims
3) We now don't have a song list for the matinee...

The 1974 schedule for March 3 cannot be clearly read, so assumptions are useless. It doesn't look like eight events to me.

Parker riding on the donkey that afternoon appears to be a "surprise," not planned.

Silent footage from YouTube shows Elvis and the band playing as Parker rides across from stage right into the singer's view, and Presley continuing with whatever song he is doing as Parker pauses for a moment, then rides off --> Click HERE.

If someone can match up the soundboard audio to the YouTube moment, the query will be solved.

Here's the whole video:

Elvis at the Astrodome, Houston, TX - Sunday, March 3, 1974
Footage sequences: afternoon entrance, afternoon show, evening exit, more afternoon show and Parker donkey trot, afternoon exit.


It is correct that images used on the Madison CD are from the afternoon.

The 2012 upgrade, issued on the Venus label, presents photos from the afternoon and evening:

120000_8th Wonder_Venus_FRONT.JPG

Exiting afternoon performance, Sunday, March 3, 1974.

120000_8th Wonder_Venus_BACK.JPG

Evening performance, Sunday, March 3, 1974 (main image).

740303_Houston_AS_entrance.JPG

Entering for afternoon performance, Sunday, March 3, 1974.

740303_Houston AS exit.JPG

Exiting afternoon performance, Sunday, March 3, 1974.


The last shot is new to my eyes. It's less cropped in the smaller version. Enjoy.

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The 1974 schedule for March 3 cannot be clearly read, so assumptions are useless. It doesn't look like eight events to me.
Parker riding on the donkey that afternoon appears to be a "surprise," not planned.
Silent footage from YouTube shows Elvis and the band playing as Parker rides across from stage right into the singer's view, and Presley continuing with whatever song he is doing as Parker pauses for a moment, then rides off

You of course know best, and I agree that my conclusions are for the most part useless. Sorry to have taken everyone's time.

However, I still think the Colonel is explicitly introduced: if you look at the footage, you can see members of Voice leaning against the piano, and as the Colonel reaches the front of the stage, they applaud and then resume leaning - to me it doesn't look like they're doing a song...

But as has been proven time and again here, my research is - what was the word? - useless. Thanks for helping out.

pic2.JPG

pic1280.jpg

pic1'.jpg

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Note the "4 1 0" that appears at the top of the photo. Could be a clock, but more likely is a distance marker. 410 feet from home plate.

Note the "4 1 0" that appears at the top of the photo. Could be a clock, but more likely is a distance marker. 410 feet from home plate.

What I see in one photo, above the Texaco sign, is the time: 4:09pm.

pic1'.jpg

It makes sense, as Elvis' first show was slated for 2pm:

740300_Texas Monthly_p105.JPG

Texas Monthly - March 1974

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You of course know best, and I agree that my conclusions are for the most part useless. Sorry to have taken everyone's time.

...

But as has been proven time and again here, my research is - what was the word? - useless. Thanks for helping out.

What is your problem, really?

I spend about 2 hours today researching your revived query, I post it all up with precision and care, I even find a NEW image to share, and this is your reply?

I should know better. My bad.

Note: My "useless" comment was only in regards to relying on the schedule file, which was too small to read.

What is your problem, really?

Funny, this is a question I hear daily.
I wish I knew -

Elvis said : "give to your donkey, it will move faster"

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Thanks for your contributions Scott Hayward and DrJohnCarpenter, this is an interesting thread with good pictures I've never seen before. I'm gonna listen to the Venus show later on my ipod, I've not listened to a March 1974 tour show in a while

Note the "4 1 0" that appears at the top of the photo. Could be a clock, but more likely is a distance marker. 410 feet from home plate.

What I see in one photo, above the Texaco sign, is the time: 4:09pm.

pic1'.jpg

It makes sense, as Elvis' first show was slated for 2pm:

740300_Texas Monthly_p105.JPG

Texas Monthly - March 1974

I did not see that shot earlier. Mystery solved. 4:09.

I did not see that shot earlier. Mystery solved. 4:09.

Happy to help.

Here's another shot, taken at the evening show:

740303 ES_Astrodome_Houston.JPG

This is a weird one, it looks like the only people watching are the half-dozen photographers in front of the stage.

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Last edited by Francesc on Fri May 10, 2013 10:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Here it is review from the matinee concert.

Thanks! The song lineup is totally different to that of the recording - and no American Trilogy as in some listings I've seen. To me this seems a quite credible account of the show...?