'ELVIS LIVE 1972'

So while I have to acknowledge that I could easily compile exactly the same tracklist from my recent ‘On Tour’ box-set purchase, for me there is the fascination of owning a tactile newly created LIVE double-album something along the lines of RCA’s 1972 considered LP “Standing Room Only”.

On this brand new ‘ELVIS LIVE 1972’ Ernst Jørgensen has cleverly included nearly all of the concert highlights from RCA's ‘On Tour’ recordings by selecting the three distinct sections from Elvis’ performances at Hampton Roads, Richmond and Greensboro. By adding another six key tracks, nicely compiled together on the fourth side, record fans now get to spin a brilliant 30 track concert.

With the band and Elvis more relaxed than at both the ‘Madison Square Garden’ or ‘Aloha’ performances this is an incredibly enjoyable 80 minute concert.

While there is little point in going over the specific highlights of all three concerts featured on each side, since Elvis was on fire at every MGM filmed concert, the only specific track that I miss is not having the Hampton Roads version of ‘An American Trilogy’ included. However the Greensboro version is still sensational and it is quite fascinating to hear Elvis go from ‘An American Trilogy’ to his very first live version of ‘Burning Love.’

 

The Package.
There is the tactile enjoyment of owning a beautifully illustrated 12” gate-fold sleeve.

The front cover photo of Elvis from Jacksonville April 16 1972 has a real impact. I love the way Elvis’ belt sparkles and the position of his white boots.

Inside both sleeves feature a pile of stunning Elvis photos plus ticket stubs for each performance. While I have seen plenty of these photos before I have to acknowledge ‘art designer’ Roger Semon for making sure that none of these photos were included in the recent ‘On Tour’ box-set. The B&W shot of Elvis working out in Greensboro with The Sweets behind him, shown right, is particularly impressive. I admit that the one shot of Elvis in his Richmond ‘Burning Love’ jumpsuit that adorns the back cover is included in the On Tour box-set but here to the side of the tracklist it works so well.

The photos are all dated but there is almost no text except for Elvis’ movie quote “I never saw a guitar player worth a damn”.

While the text notes that this album "Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Elvis’ historic 1972 tour” for some reason there is no mention of its connection to the movie 'Elvis On Tour’ at all. Surely a mention of the award-winning movie or perhaps the aborted 1972 “Standing Room Only” album would have been of interest.

Sidenote: Elvis vinyl album collectors will remember the impressive FTD 2009 version of “Standing Room Only” and one of the delights was having photo-sleeves for each LP. I would have loved RCA to have done the same here. That would have made this packaging perfect.

 

AUDIO quality
Some fans have posted that the audio is mastered a little low. However, comparing the mastered volume I found it only 2 to 3dB down on peak audio compared to new and old Elvis vinyl releases.
The peak audio level is very close to FTD's 'Standing Room Only'.
I also note that the audio has not been "compressed" in anyway and so plays exactly as my CD does.

My European printed copy has no clicks at all on any side, it is a quality vinyl print.

In fact the noise-floor of the vinyl is so beautifully low that....
a) I could not hear anything as the 'Also Sprach' started building up
b) I can crank it up to rattle my bass-speakers yet still appreciate the as-quiet-as-a-pin-drop on 'American Trilogy.'
c) Playing the CD and VINYL in parallel (having adjusted for equal overall level) it is very hard to spot any difference even on headphones.

Coming in at around 20 minutes a side they could have mastered it slightly louder but with such a low noise-floor I have no complaints.

The Music All the three sections from each concert are complete with no edits, so we do get the whole performances with all Elvis’ between song crowd interaction. As noted in my 'On Tour' box-set review. Side A. The first part of Elvis' Hampton Roads evening concert is full of multiple moments of “Elvis MAGIC”. Includes the excellent 'Never Been To Spain, Until It's Time For You To Go as well as some Polk Salad. (see Hampton Roads full concert review here) Side B. The second part of Richmond performance includes the rarely performed It's Over( the only time Elvis performed it in the tour). Also a lovely Bridge Over Troubled Water  plus a fine Suspicious Minds - as well as Elvis joking before Love Me when he is lying on the stage, ”That’s a funny looking thing up there, I hope that think don’t fall. I’d be flatter than a pancake!” Side C. The Greensboro last section includes For The Good Times with some wonderful crowd interaction, An American Trilogy as in the movie, plus the very first concert performance of Burning Love, plus Release Me and Funny How Time Slips Away which are all great. Note that the end to Greensboro, with Al Dvorin announcing about getting your Elvis souvenirs and then the final “That’s the whole show, Thank You and Goodnight” is the perfect ending. For the final Side D, Ernst has compiled.. a) From San Antonio the brilliant Proud Mary "bring that bass up", the delightful How Great Thou Art and I Can’t Stop Loving You. b) Finally three more sensational tracks from Hampton Roads. The truly fabulous Are You Lonesome Tonight, the sensational A Big Hunk O’ Love and the beautifully paced and sweaty  Lawdy, Miss Clawdy. On Side D the edits between all the tracks are seamless thus creating a brilliant and continuous final side.

The best way to play the double-album is Side A, Side B, Side D and then Side C which creates one of the best and most enjoyable concerts Elvis could have ever performed. It certainly beats both ‘Madison Square Garden’ and ‘Aloha’ for me.

Overall Verdict: This would have made a great RCA double-album to follow up 1970’s ‘On Stage’. While I do have all these tracks on the ‘Elvis: On Tour’ box-set there is something magnificent in owning something so tangible and so playable. Ernst Jorgensen has done a very neat trick in choosing the tracklists from each performance and Roger Semon has similarly created a good-looking sleeve. Elvis put on some fabulous concerts for MGM’s cameras and this double-album is a very fine celebration of the event. For the price of £26 (US$33) I felt this was good value-for money. What a set-list, what a performance!

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Please note that these images are only personal photos and so cannot show the true quality of the images.

Review by Piers Beagley.
-Copyright EIN April 2023
EIN Website content © Copyright the Elvis Information Network.

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Compilation Produced by Ernst Jorgensen Art Direction: Roger Semon Design and Artwork: Paul Bevoir Mixed by Matt Ross-Spang Mastered by Vic Anesini

SIDE A - April 9, 1972 - Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia 1. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) * 2. See See Rider * 3. I Got A Woman / Amen * 4. Never Been To Spain * 5. You Gave Me A Mountain * 6. Until It's Time For You To Go * 7. Polk Salad Annie * Side B -  April 10, 1972 - Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia 1. Love Me * 2. All Shook Up * 3. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel * 4. Heartbreak Hotel * 5. Hound Dog * 6. Bridge Over Troubled Water * 7. Love Me Tender * 8. It's Over * 9. Suspicious Minds *

SIDE C -  April 14, 1972 at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina 1. Introductions * 2. For The Good Times * 3. American Trilogy * 4. Burning Love * 5. Release Me (And Let Me Love Again) * 6. Funny How Time Slips Away * 7. Can't Help Falling In Love * 8. Closing Vamp * SIDE D  - April 18, 1972 Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, Texas April 9, 1972 - Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia 1. Proud Mary 2. How Great Thou Art 3. I Can't Stop Loving You 4. Are You Lonesome Tonight? * 5. A Big Hunk O' Love * 6. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy * Tracks 1-3 recorded April 18 Tracks 4-6 recorded April 9

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