Rockin' the International (topic 'revamped')

[onelove]

Here's a cool little discovery made along the way when studying the pictures - always wanted to find a more uncropped version of the cool "Back In Memphis" LP cover and I think I did... only that it's from a different angle. This is also one of the reasons I think the "black suit, red striped belt" photos we have are all from the one and same show, and from the RCA assigned cameras.

Elvis surely wore the suit combination more than once, though...

dbl.jpg

[drjohncarpenter]

This also means at least 2 professional RCA photographers were there.

[Kimi]

What a great thread !!!

Thank´s so much

[Alexander]

It is amazing how poor the quality is of the photo's that survived over the decades. Almost all are audience snapshots and almost no pictures with any professional standard, not even from July 31. Thanks for this great thread.

I disagree. The 7-31-1969 OS photos by Peter Borsari are excellent. He was a world-class photographer.

Peter Borsari
http://www.peterborsari.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Borsari

Other excellent photographers at the 7-31-1969 OS were Hank De Lespinasse, on assignment for Newsweek, and Jean-Marie Vincent, for Time:

690811_Newsweek p 83_DETAIL.JPG

690815_Time p 57_DETAIL.JPG

JAT published a few dozen of Hank De Lespinasse's photos from 7-31-1969 OS, and the 8-01-1969 press conference, in Elvis '69: The Return and a few more in Elvis: The Lost Photographs, 1948-1969, including some color shots which prove the stripes in the scarf that legendary night were blue.

Here's one example credited to Hank in Elvis '69: The Return:





It is a fair assumption that most of the sharp, professional images from this 1969 engagement were made between 7-31 (Thu) and 8-03 (Sun). The rest of your quest may be a difficult road!

Here is a favorite I do not have specific details on, could it be by Bosari?





Anyway, neat idea, and good luck.

Fortunately there are exception but the gross is poor imo.

[onelove]

Just because the (fan) shots from the engagement are "poor" quality it doesn't make them any less interesting. You should know that in Vegas photography was strictly prohibited so whenever an opportunity came for someone to take a picture, they used it - the photos are what they are because of the circumstances they had to deal with at the International although if you knew how to use a camera, you could get really nice shots even from the dark audience.

I think all August 1969 shots - professional or not - have a charm of their own and give me one of those anyday over having nothing at all. I was actually just going through my files from the following two Vegas engagements and while there seems to be more really nice, professional quality (extreme close-ups, which I assume you're after) photos from both (Jan/Feb in particular), we actually have photos from many more shows in general from the August 1969 engagement than either of the 1970 ones. Funny that...

[G.I. Blues]

Another one. Not the best quality, but a great action shot nevertheless.

[onelove]

Thanks "GI". The photo is reversed but that's one I was using to try figure out what suit Elvis is wearing on the shot(s) - came to the conclusion that it could be the black two-piece suit (short jacket) with pockets in front as the collar looks somewhat higher than on the "herringbone" suit. If you have any clearer shots, that would certainly be great.



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A quote from the opening post (updated);

Elvis in black 'herringbone' suit (red scarf) -- band in full black, Sweets in full white dresses with "long sleeves".

Someone's selling some really cool shots on ebay that could be from the same show as the shot above - the Imperials and Elvis both seem to have the same suit combinations, and the new photos show band wearing full black. The Sweets have full white dresses with basically long sleeves (although the "sleeves" are not strictly part of the dresses as such, I think).

The quality is, as usual, very bad and it doesn't help that they come from an "auction photo" that is a photo of the photos... so I'm sure Alexander will enjoy. You may even see Elvis in them if you look hard enough.

Nevertheless, I personally love seeing shots like this - always better than nothing.

--> http://www.ebay.com/itm/elvis-presley-8-photos-tirage-unique-originale-concert-las-vegas-05-et12-08-1969-/251363812097?pt=FR_SK_dvd_Photo&hash=item3a86736301

a.jpg

b.jpg

c.jpg

d.jpg

[G.I. Blues]

Only have this one in addition

[Jove]

Here is a less cropped version

[The fool]

Is there already a photo of Elvis wearing this scarf?