Memphis Press-Scimitar --- Monday, July 2, 1973
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FANS SHOW THAT THEY STILL LOVE ELVIS IN NASHVILLE
By Jane Sanderson, Press-Scimitar Staff Writer
NASHVILLE - Young Lisa Presley sat on Memphian Linda Thompson's lap in the Nashville Auditorium yesterday laughing and waving spontaneously as she watched her father, Elvis Presley, create a scene of mass hysteria.
The blond little girl, who is 5, looking much like her famous father, was seated behind a curtain at one side of the stage with Miss Thompson, former beauty queen and Memphis State student who is said to have been Elvis' constant companion for many months. In adjoining seats were Elvis' father, Vernon Presley and his wife.
Rock king Elvis had come to home Tennessee not to perform in his hometown Memphis, which he has bypassed for years on concert tours, but to give two Sunday concerts in Nashville, his first appearances in that city.
"I've worked here, but I haven't played here before", he told the audience, adding he would sing a medley of his recordings, most of which he recorded right there in Nashville.
If Elvis had done nothing more than stand on the stage, no doubt the screams and applause would have come just the same. As it was, he spent more than an hour doing his thing, and doing it with all the drive a superstar could muster, exhausting not only himself but an audience that cheered wildly. Many rushed toward the stage only to be quickly herded back to their seats by security guards.
Rolling of kettle drums announced Elvis, following a comedy routine by Canadian Jackie Kahane and songs by The Sweet Inspirations, and with strobe lights flashing and frenzied electronic sounds, the White Knight arrived on stage flamboyantly costumed, as usual, in a stark white suit studded with nail heads, a flowing cape, and a guitar slung over one shoulder as a prop, which he soon shed.
Elvis lost no time jumping into his hit songs, each bringing forth more response than the one before. Electrifying the matinee audience of nearly 10,000 right from the start, Elvis ripped right into "I Got A Woman", "Amen", and "Steamroller Blues".
It was noticeable that his gyrations of early days were now more subdued, but the theatrics of his new Las Vegas image were all there. Elvis stalked, crouched, swung around, kneeled, threw scarve to clamoring fans and even karate chopped the air, all to the delight of the screaming crowd.
Every movement of the rock idol - shift of the knee, pat of the foot, or sudden side glance -- brought deafening response and agonized calls of "Elvis".
Good-humored all the way, Elvis wheeled around on hearing his name yelled from the balcony behind him and answered, "I'll be up there in a few minutes, honey. It takes me a few minutes to make the rounds.... I swing from a rope."
Most of the audience didn't know why Elvis pointed a finger off stage when he began "Help Me Make It Through The Night", but he was singing directly to his hidden daughter. Some might have detected the meaning later, however, when he murmured, "Hello, Lisa", and smiled in the same direction as he started "Love Me Tender".
All the old Presley favorites were there, "Hound Dog", "Blue Suede Shoes", and "Jailhouse Rock", to name a few, and it seemd that the indefatiguable Presley was working harder in one concert than most performers do on an entire tour.
Especially effective were his dramatic presentations of "How Great Thou Art" and "He Gave Me A Mountain", with emotions peaking in "Fever", which appeared to make the temperature rise. Dropping to the floor and rising, Presley tugged at his belt and said laughing, " I nearly lost it", much to the delight of the crowd.
Of the few fans who broke through security lines, one took Presley a handkerchief to mop his brow. Another took him a Hawaiian lei which he promptly donned, and others tossed notes to the stage.
Presley kept on in high key, ending with "Can't Help Falling In Love", after which he was whisked away from the auditorium, leaving an even stronger legion of fans, representing many states, carrying life-size Elvis posters, photograph albums, T-shirts and pennants inscribes "I Love Elvis".
Here's the wire press photo that ran with the concert review:
