new years 76 soundboard

[drjohncarpenter]

i know that this has probably come up here before but i have bin wondering if many of you believe that the 76 pitts show was taped on soundboard ...

It's a fact.

A Witness To Concert Recordings
by The Crazy Canuck

The story begins on October 21st, 1976 at the Kalamazoo, Mi. Wings Stadium where I was seated first row on the side of the stage ( opposite side to back-up singers ) right behind the mixing board. Before Elvis made his appearance on stage that night I noticed a huge "open trunk" beside the sound engineers, this trunk in a standing position contained a big REEL TO REEL PORTABLE RECORDER with two sixteen inches reels ( approximate size ).

While J.D. Sumner and the Stamps and The Sweet Inspirations were entertaining the crowd the reel to reel tape recorder was in a stand-by position, but when the first notes of the 2001 theme hit the Wings Stadium then you could clearly see that the tapes were rolling, which went on until Elvis left the building some sixty-five minutes later. Moreover after they recorded the Kalamazoo concert we were able to notice that they did not use ALL THE TAPE on the main reel, indeed we could easily presume that more than one concert might be recorded on a full reel at that time. The same set-up was in use the two following nights in Champaign,Illinois and Cleveland, Ohio and further can be extended to the great New Years Eve' s concert in Pittsburgh, Pa. on December 31st, 1976.

Read more here:
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/ccwitness.htm

[DJL]

Anyone know who's the guy who taped it from the audience[the source FTD used]. also any details on who the guy is that filmed the up close footage,

I was under the impression that these were the same people. According to the FTD New Years Eve, it says, "recorded by John Herman". There was a story that was explained on Sirius Elvis Radio about his recording of this concert that it was all done on a 90 minute audio tape. He kept one copy for himself and sold the other one to FTD. I remember meeting John one time at an Elvis convention right here in Pittsburgh. He shared with me some of his amazing photos that I never saw released before. I remember him sharing that he had the audio recording going since he was next to one of the speakers at the show. While he was recording the audio, he was also filming the 8mm at the same time. It was really an interesting explanation and that he did this at a few other shows as well. I believe Atlanta in that same year?? Someone else can confirm that for you.

Finally, I share with you a few topics that discussed this show over the years.

PITTSBURGH NYE Concert 1976
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=34123&start=0

pittsburgh- 31 december 1976 - which is the most complete
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50508&start=0

I suppose I am very favoring towards the Pittsburgh concert being from the area. Even though I never saw Elvis live, I have been in the arena several times and saw the awesome plague that they had for Elvis in celebration of the dates he played in the Mellon/Civic Arena. Here is a shot of it:



The arena will be destroyed soon sadly with the new construction of the Consol Energy Center that was built directly across the street from the Mellon Arena. Sorry probably more information then you really wanted to know about the show and the building.
DJL

[Rob]

Here's a pic of the inside of the arena.

[DJL]

Nice photo Rob of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action from the arena.

I believe Elvis was far left with the set up of his stage based on your pic. Here is a pretty cool further away shot from the New Years eve concert that shows some of the set up of the arena and part of the stage



DJL

[TCB-FAN]

The real issue now is for Ernst to locate the individual with the soundboard reel and pay the guy an xxx amount of dollars for it.

[Robert]

The real issue now is for Ernst to locate the individual with the soundboard reel and pay the guy an xxx amount of dollars for it.

The answer to this question can be found in the other topic running regarding soundboard recordings.

[elvisbot]

Back in the late 1990's, i spoke with a fellow collector on the phone who is well known to most Elvis fans on this board (no, it's not Larry Patrick or Paul Lichter!). Believe me, this guys info could be trusted.
He had told me that Fort Baxter's label would be releasing NEW YEAR'S EVE '76 on CD and it was a soundboard recording. When i phoned him several months later to find out the status of this release, he told me that Fort Baxter was only able to locate the first half of the concert. Rather than release only half a show, they would be postponing the CD until they could locate the other half. Obviously, that never happened because the CD doesn't exist.
so, at one time, at least the first half of the show existed on a soundboard recording.

[midnightx]

Doesn't Tunzi claim to have soundboard reel of the show? Or is it just a reel to reel audience recording? I recall him discussing it in an interiew on WWElvis a few years back -- the interview is no longer posted on the website.

[drjohncarpenter]

Doesn't Tunzi claim to have soundboard reel of the show? Or is it just a reel to reel audience recording? I recall him discussing it in an interiew on WWElvis a few years back -- the interview is no longer posted on the website.

My understanding is Joe was actually referring to an alternate audience recording of the show.
The famous version was taped by super fan John Herman, and used on the FTD release.
The alternate has also made it out to collectors, taped by another super fan.

---

The excitement over a 12-31-76 soundboard is kind of silly.
Unless the dynamic Herman audience recording can be skillfully mixed with the in-line source, it will be second-best.
The audience really makes the show come alive -- photographer Bob Heis in particular, is quite audible, and hilarious.
"You're the best in the world, Elvis!"

It's the same deal as those who seem desperate for a soundboard of 06-26-1977 -- the audience tape is actually the best way to revisit the gig.

[midnightx]

It's the same deal as those who seem desperate for a soundboard of 06-26-1977 -- the audience tape is actually the best way to revisit the gig.

Agreed.

[elvisjock]

Doesn't Tunzi claim to have soundboard reel of the show? Or is it just a reel to reel audience recording? I recall him discussing it in an interiew on WWElvis a few years back -- the interview is no longer posted on the website.

My understanding is Joe was actually referring to an alternate audience recording of the show.
The famous version was taped by super fan John Herman, and used on the FTD release.
The alternate has also made it out to collectors, taped by another super fan.

---

The excitement over a 12-31-76 soundboard is kind of silly.
Unless the dynamic Herman audience recording can be skillfully mixed with the in-line source, it will be second-best.
The audience really makes the show come alive -- photographer Bob Heis in particular, is quite audible, and hilarious.
"You're the best in the world, Elvis!"

It's the same deal as those who seem desperate for a soundboard of 06-26-1977 -- the audience tape is actually the best way to revisit the gig.

"I'd like to introduce you o the members of my group."
HEIS: "Who cares!"

[drjohncarpenter]

That's Bob!

"You're beautiful, Elvis!"

[DJL]

I'd like to introduce you o the members of my group."
HEIS: "Who cares!"

LMAO

Excellent quote from the show elvisjock. I always wondered who said that? Now you have solved that mystery. Was Heis celebrating the new year with a good drink that evening do you think or is this how he usually acted I wonder?

DJL

[drjohncarpenter]

Now you have solved that mystery.

Actually, elvisjock is following up on the post where I identify Heis.

Subsequent quotes that you see are from the show and are all by Bob.

[ekenee]

New years 76 is the December 31, 1975 show, not the one in Pittsburgh.

The new Year celebrated in Pittsburgh is 1977.

[Walter Hale 4]

Back in the late 1990's, i spoke with a fellow collector on the phone who is well known to most Elvis fans on this board (no, it's not Larry Patrick or Paul Lichter!). Believe me, this guys info could be trusted.
He had told me that Fort Baxter's label would be releasing NEW YEAR'S EVE '76 on CD and it was a soundboard recording. When i phoned him several months later to find out the status of this release, he told me that Fort Baxter was only able to locate the first half of the concert. Rather than release only half a show, they would be postponing the CD until they could locate the other half. Obviously, that never happened because the CD doesn't exist.
so, at one time, at least the first half of the show existed on a soundboard recording.

Thanks for the info. Either the second half was not taped or if it was, the second half was either recorded over or the tape is missing.

[drjohncarpenter]

New years 76 is the December 31, 1975 show, not the one in Pittsburgh.

The new Year celebrated in Pittsburgh is 1977.

The concert you are confused about occurred in 1976.
It was a New Year's Eve show, December 31, 1976.
It's printed as such on the tickets that were sold for the performance.

The person who created this topic inadvertently omitted "eve" from their subject line.
It would better read new years eve 76 soundboard
However, luckily, most of us were able to fill in the blank.

Hope this helps.

[DJL]

Actually, elvisjock is following up on the post where I identify Heis.

Subsequent quotes that you see are from the show and are all by Bob.

I understand Doc that you quoted Bob first from the show in this thread. But I did not know that Bob was the guy who said "Who cares?" at the introduction of the band in the Pittsburgh show as mentioned by elvisjock. That was what my quote was from.

DJL

[drjohncarpenter]

But I did not know that Bob was the guy who said "Who cares?"

Oh, yes -- it's all Bob, all the time.

Heis didn't even have a ticket in that section -- he was allowed to be "squeezed in" because the fans there knew he'd take some cool pictures and make copies.

[DJL]

Oh i see Doc.

Do you know if this was Heis' personality in general or do you think he was having a few drinks for the new year?

DJL

[drjohncarpenter]

Do you know if this was Heis' personality in general or do you think he was having a few drinks for the new year?

No idea, but my guess is he was just excited.

[Walter Hale 4]

A Soundboard of Pittsburgh '76 in any shape or form won't ever come out so forget it.

[stevelecher]

I agree that the AR is a great way to hear this concert, but I would like a soundboard too. I'm very happy to have Birmingham on a soundboard, as these couple shows feature Elvis in about the best voice he'd be in for his last 18 months or more.

Steve L.

[rickeap]

Iguess it is also Bob who mentions, from memory during You Gave Me a Mountain, `hey Joe I'm focussing allright'

[billyblues]

"I'd like to introduce you o the members of my group."
HEIS: "Who cares!"

"ELLLLLLVIIIIISSSSSSSSS"

and during (or was it after?) Are You Lonesome Tonight:
"Beautiful!!!!"