1974 Memphis Concert Reviews

[poormadpeter2]

As requested. These are the four reviews (repeated in several different newspapers) found in the newspaper archive.

Detroit_Free_Press_Sun__Jul_7__1974_.jpg

The_Los_Angeles_Times_Sun__Sep_15__1974_.jpg

Greeley_Daily_Tribune_Wed__Oct_30__1974_.jpg

The_Ithaca_Journal_Sat__Dec_21__1974_.jpg

[Juan Luis]

Good stuff! the "medley" was praised as well in one review. Thanks!

[poormadpeter2]

Good stuff! the "medley" was praised as well in one review. Thanks!

The one that surprised me was that it was picked as one of the year's best albums, alongside Paul McCartney, Lou Reed etc.

[Joe Car]

I wore that album out as a 15 year old kid. Thanks again Shane for your time and efforts. Much appreciated!!

[rlj4ep]

Thanks so much for the articles and thread! The articles you've posted provide honest evaluations of the album while adding keen insight to Elvis on stage at that point in his career.
Great find! Thanks

rlj

[elvisjock]

I wore that album out as a 15 year old kid. Thanks again Shane for your time and efforts. Much appreciated!!

I was 9, and same. Loved that record.

[ICanHelp]

Great Stuff. Thanks PMP. I agree with the reviewers that the Memphis album finds Elvis is better voice than The Garden release and certainly the Aloha album. Also agree that the medleys constitute "little classics of rock." Possibly my favorite concert album.

[poormadpeter2]

Great Stuff. Thanks PMP. I agree with the reviewers that the Memphis album finds Elvis is better voice than The Garden release and certainly the Aloha album. Also agree that the medleys constitute "little classics of rock." Possibly my favorite concert album.

It's mine too - and it appears to have been the Elvis live album most consistently praised by the critics, with the exception of In Person. Sadly, those positive reviews didn't translate into sales, which is a shame, and is probably just down to the fact it was the third live album in the space of just over two years. I think the original album is far more successful than the releases of the entire concert that we have, and while I neither feel one way or the other in the Jarvis debate, I think he did a fine job here in putting this one together - including his editing of songs such as the Amen section of I Got a Woman, for example. It's undoubtedly the most joyous album Elvis made in the 1970s.

[midnightx]

Jarvis' edit of the Memphis live album should be commended; he did a fine job editing out much of the concert bloat and pieced together a respectable, streamlined album. Steamroller Blues was perhaps one of the handful of the concert's highlights, but due its recent place on Aloha, was sadly omitted from the Memphis LP. As far as the "Medley" goes, while it is terrible in a number of ways, I have always stated that it also served a purpose -- however, it did not reach its potential. Elvis clearly lacked interest in presenting much of his gold standard hits with any care and attention that the material deserved, and this was a way for him to knock multiple songs off within a few minutes. It did not do the material in question any justice, and the Loggins And Messina cover was a poor choice, but had Elvis used the opportunity of freeing up time during his concerts with this medley for the purpose of presenting alternative, more inspired performances of other songs, the medley may have served a positive purpose. But the way it played out, Elvis simply tossed away some great tracks and did not use the freed-up concert time for many exciting, intriguing alternate song choices.

[elvis-fan]

I wonder if the LP would have had the same reviews if it had not been edited down as it was... either way, for me, I love the show.

[midnightx]

I wonder if the LP would have had the same reviews if it had not been edited down as it was... either way, for me, I love the show.

Most of the worst parts of the concert were edited out. I suspect the reviews would not have been as kind if the concert was fully presented and not streamlined the way it was.

[drjohncarpenter]

I wonder if the LP would have had the same reviews if it had not been edited down as it was... either way, for me, I love the show.

Most of the worst parts of the concert were edited out. I suspect the reviews would not have been as kind if the concert was fully presented and not streamlined the way it was.

Don't forget the overdubbed audience cheers here and there.

[poormadpeter2]

I wonder if the LP would have had the same reviews if it had not been edited down as it was... either way, for me, I love the show.

Most of the worst parts of the concert were edited out. I suspect the reviews would not have been as kind if the concert was fully presented and not streamlined the way it was.

Don't forget the overdubbed audience cheers here and there.

I actually think they help. I had no idea they were overdubbed when I first heard it back when it was released on CD in the early 1990s and, unlike most Elvis live albums, it does actually sound as if the audience is enthusiastic. Compare that to Aloha, for example, where the polite applause is hardly giving the album any much needed life.

[Juan Luis]

I wonder if the LP would have had the same reviews if it had not been edited down as it was... either way, for me, I love the show.

Most of the worst parts of the concert were edited out. I suspect the reviews would not have been as kind if the concert was fully presented and not streamlined the way it was.

Don't forget the overdubbed audience cheers here and there.

I actually think they help. I had no idea they were overdubbed when I first heard it back when it was released on CD in the early 1990s and, unlike most Elvis live albums, it does actually sound as if the audience is enthusiastic. Compare that to Aloha, for example, where the polite applause is hardly giving the album any much needed life.

Same here. It works!

[Eggrert]

Although I'm generally not a big fan of Elvis' live shows, I do think that On Stage and Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis are two of the best releases of his career. More specifically, they have a coherence that's often lacking in his album releases, and they present some of his better live moments while editing out much of the bloat.

I've always felt that that the live Memphis album is one of the most entertaining albums in Elvis' catalogue, irrespective of any historical/artistic concerns. The much-maligned medley is actually one of the highlights of the album, imo. It's fun, and that's what rock 'n' roll is supposed to be.

Between the judicious editing and the assorted overdubs, there's a joyousness to the Memphis album that's quite irresistible. It wouldn't be the first album I'd play to someone who'd never heard Elvis before, but it wouldn't be very far back in line either.

[fn2drive]

Those reviews must be from Pulitzer winners so they should be accorded all the respect they deserve. Elvis umpteenth soundtrack, i mean live concert recording. Elvis would never again sound as strong in voice as he did here. While nuance and delicacy were gone, the power vocals mostly work-though his riffing with the music reflects his boredom.The long form unedited concert is much better than what was released as it reduces the three 'God' tracks in proportion to the show. But there were 2 tracks too many for a secular concert. The obvious overdubs and faux excitment remain sad and laughable all these years later. Felton need to do something in the studio- see E how we juiced it up. And the R&R medley is like ordering hamburger in a fine steak restaurant-What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas- and that should have applied to the Vegas horns. But compared to the monstrosity of EIC a mere 3 years later, this was a masterpiece.

[Tmorelli01]

I first owned this album on an 8 track tape (remember those?) and was pleasantly surprised a few years later when I bought the LP and discovered some extra bits of dialogue that had been edited out of the 8 track release to make the four tracks equal in length. I think the Elvis in Concert 8 track had some similar editing to equal the track lengths. On that one there were actually a few songs that were repeated versus cutting content out. I use to pull my hair out trying to identify the differences in the two versions of If You Love Me Let Me Know and Houng Dog until I bought the LP and realized that RCA just included the same songs twice on the 8 track...

[poormadpeter2]

Although I'm generally not a big fan of Elvis' live shows, I do think that On Stage and Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis are two of the best releases of his career. More specifically, they have a coherence that's often lacking in his album releases, and they present some of his better live moments while editing out much of the bloat.

I've always felt that that the live Memphis album is one of the most entertaining albums in Elvis' catalogue, irrespective of any historical/artistic concerns. The much-maligned medley is actually one of the highlights of the album, imo. It's fun, and that's what rock 'n' roll is supposed to be.

Between the judicious editing and the assorted overdubs, there's a joyousness to the Memphis album that's quite irresistible. It wouldn't be the first album I'd play to someone who'd never heard Elvis before, but it wouldn't be very far back in line either.

I agree on all counts. Sometimes music is just meant to put a smile on your face, and this album, along with a couple of others in the Elvis catalogue (such as Fun in Acapulco, i would suggest) does just that.

[Eggrert]

I think the Elvis in Concert 8 track had some similar editing to equal the track lengths. On that one there were actually a few songs that were repeated versus cutting content out. I use to pull my hair out trying to identify the differences in the two versions of If You Love Me Let Me Know and Houng Dog until I bought the LP and realized that RCA just included the same songs twice on the 8 track...

That's pretty hilarious, actually!

[elvis-fan]

I first owned this album on an 8 track tape (remember those?) and was pleasantly surprised a few years later when I bought the LP and discovered some extra bits of dialogue that had been edited out of the 8 track release to make the four tracks equal in length. I think the Elvis in Concert 8 track had some similar editing to equal the track lengths. On that one there were actually a few songs that were repeated versus cutting content out. I use to pull my hair out trying to identify the differences in the two versions of If You Love Me Let Me Know and Houng Dog until I bought the LP and realized that RCA just included the same songs twice on the 8 track...

My cassette version of EIC has If You Love Me (Let Me Know) twice... goofy...

[midnightx]

I first owned this album on an 8 track tape (remember those?) and was pleasantly surprised a few years later when I bought the LP and discovered some extra bits of dialogue that had been edited out of the 8 track release to make the four tracks equal in length. I think the Elvis in Concert 8 track had some similar editing to equal the track lengths. On that one there were actually a few songs that were repeated versus cutting content out. I use to pull my hair out trying to identify the differences in the two versions of If You Love Me Let Me Know and Houng Dog until I bought the LP and realized that RCA just included the same songs twice on the 8 track...

My cassette version of EIC has If You Love Me (Let Me Know) twice... goofy...

Double the fun!

[ForeverElvis]

Although I'm generally not a big fan of Elvis' live shows, I do think that On Stage and Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis are two of the best releases of his career. More specifically, they have a coherence that's often lacking in his album releases, and they present some of his better live moments while editing out much of the bloat.

I've always felt that that the live Memphis album is one of the most entertaining albums in Elvis' catalogue, irrespective of any historical/artistic concerns. The much-maligned medley is actually one of the highlights of the album, imo. It's fun, and that's what rock 'n' roll is supposed to be.

Between the judicious editing and the assorted overdubs, there's a joyousness to the Memphis album that's quite irresistible. It wouldn't be the first album I'd play to someone who'd never heard Elvis before, but it wouldn't be very far back in line either.

I agree on all counts. Sometimes music is just meant to put a smile on your face, and this album, along with a couple of others in the Elvis catalogue (such as Fun in Acapulco, i would suggest) does just that.

I also agree, I first heard this LP about 1979-1980 and was entertained throughout. I had no idea until years later that songs had been edited out or that the audience reactions were sweetened. On that point I'm wondering if the audience was not overdubbed but their audio levels increased during mixing? When listening to the complete concert on the FTD or legacy release I hear the audience reaction way back in the mix, but it sounds similar (the actual reaction between songs, particularly at the beginning) to the original LP mix, just way up in volume on the original LP and CD.

I remember a few years ago one of my wife's friends came over (a non-Elvis fan), I was listening to this concert, she was walking through the house, stopped and listened for a few minutes and then later upon leaving commented how it sounded like such an exciting concert and something she would go to.

you never know what someone will connect to, Elvis or otherwise.

[stevelecher]

Elvis In Person>On Stage>MSG>Aloha>Live On Stage In Memphis>Dallas, June 1975>EIC.

[eligain]

I became an Elvis fan after seeing him live in Vegas in August of 73. After that I couldn't get enough live recordings. My first record was "Aloha", I followed that quickly with "In Person", "MSG" then "On Stage". I can't remember which came first but I recorded the audio of TTWII and then EOT on their TV debut. I bought "Live On Stage In Memphis" the week it came out. It's not my favorite live album, that goes to MSG but I loved this album and played the hell out of it. There were songs I could do without like the JD "Why Me Lord", "Help Me" and "How Great Thou Art"and, right off the bat, I hated the JD dive bomber routine. Hearing the snippet of "Mama Can't Dance" made me wish Elvis had actually tackled the whole song (without the horns). I also actually liked Duke Bardwell's bass playing. I knew nothing about Jerry Scheff's departure but I could hear the difference right away and I liked it. I loved the album cover and stared at it many times while listening to it wondering what Graceland was like inside.

[sitdown revamped]

Played it a lot when I was 17 or so. Looking back I just miss a version of That's Allright on it. But I guess this was due to slight set list shifts over the years, as it was played extensively in the early 70s, even as opening song. Anyway, for a Memphis show it would have been great to revisit this gem. Especially due to the fact, that almost 20 years ago back then this first recording by the man had hit the airwaves in town...