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We were so lucky because not only was I in the audience for Elvis' TV musical renaissance of the '68 NBC Special but together we also saw Elvis at his most dynamic 'Return To Splendor' first at his August 22nd 1969 Midnight Show (still not fully released) and then the following night at his August 23rd Dinner Show. Joan Gansky has written this insightful article for EIN looking back at this special event from 1969 as well as providing her take on the new RCA vinyl album of the August 23rd Dinner Show. It was incredible when I heard the news that RCA were about to release the 1969 Las Vegas performance that we had attended after all these years. We actually heard of this marvellous surprise nice and early as RCA had asked us if they could use Paul's photo of the marquee as the inner cover of the new double album.
That in itself was lucky as Paul was very fortunate to get the photo with his newish Pentax camera which he put on the roof of a car and clicked getting it with only one shot - and it worked!
I was nervous - yet excited - to listen to this previously unreleased August 23rd concert we had attended - that has been sitting in the RCA vaults for fifty years! Nervous, because those '69 Elvis concerts have remained some of the most special Elvis memories in my heart! So how would it be possible to live up to my expectations and memories?.... Fans often talk about the difference between Elvis' Midnight and Dinner shows, and to be honest we did notice that Elvis seemed more "into" the Midnight shows! In 1969 and subsequent visits we attended as many of the shows as we could but, if we had to make a choice (due to $$'s - or lack there of!), we would always attend the Midnight show, and in the following years, also the 3 a.m. shows (for $10 in the balcony) when they happened!! Reviews often seem to imply that after the dinner was served the Showroom tables were being "tidied up" even as the show started! But that is not my recollection. I actually remember feeling somewhat rushed by the table staff, so everything could be totally cleared away BEFORE the start of the show. Even after the lights were turned down, it seemed we waited a few anxious minutes for the show to actually begin! Maybe Elvis picked up this busy / hectic atmosphere in the showroom? Also, I think he realized that many in the audience were his fans - attending the late shows specifically to see HIM - not just for a Vegas "dinner and a show"!
Joan and Paul Gansky ready for Las Vegas action in August 1969
We were so fortunate to have been in the audience for Elvis' first season of live performances at the International Hotel. As fans, we had only being able to see Elvis "sing" on a movie screen for so many years. This realization still takes my breath away - we were actually there in 1969, in the audience! A dream come true indeed! Knowing Elvis looked incredible and his voice was perfection and he would throw himself body and soul into each performance in '69. This created extra excitement in my anticipation of finally hearing this recording of one of the shows we attended. FIRST, I felt kind of melancholy and also in awe after listening to the new Vegas album. Paul and I listened together and we talked over our feelings about it. We both felt somewhat shocked at how much we had "forgotten" and the memories we held were different to the proof found right there on the record!
We have to keep in mind that 50 years have passed us by "in a flash"... Remember, during that time, that Paul and I saw Elvis many more times in Vegas (20+) and also on tour in Anaheim, Long Beach and Inglewood Forum California. Also, we have seen the movies "That's The Way It Is" and "On Tour" too many times to count... along with a multitude of performance video clips on the internet. So, with the passing of the years, all these "viewings" have had a huge impact on our collective memory cells! My observation is that because this album was recorded the 2nd night we went to see Elvis, it was probably over-shadowed in our memory by the very FIRST show we attended - seeing Elvis perform the night before. (please see my review from 1969 below)
"Tiger Man" was another welcome thrill! Actually, I was surprised there were such a number of songs that Elvis performed on the '68 Singer Presents show that were also on this August '69 album recording! i.e. Mystery Train / Tiger Man, Baby, What You Want Me To Do and Memories. Mystery Train / Tiger Man proved to be the most interesting for me as I had absolutely no memory of him singing them back-to-back at this '69 show. Of course I do have an indelible memory of Elvis jamming with the guys on Tiger Man at the Burbank '68 rehearsals! Whenever I hear this track, my mind goes back and I see the Burbank session! Mystery Train is such an exciting original Sun track - a favorite, and one I listen to often. It does not disappoint from the original at all - in fact it sure stands up extremely well on this live performance recorded in '69! The addition of Tiger Man just enhances the pure magic and high energy! Elvis is "on fire" - obviously thoroughly enjoying performing this "song-duo" for his fans in the Las Vegas audience! WOW!!! I can't BELIEVE I don't recall this particular performance!? On this Dinner Show I note that Elvis left out 'Funny How Time Slips Away' that I so enjoyed the previous night. Being there for this song on our first time seeing Elvis perform - it was pure magic for me...and I can only presume there was a moment of sadness that he did not sing it the following night. But, I can't say that I stayed sad long! I was so into just "being there" in the same room, breathing the same air, sleeping under the same roof - and Elvis IN PERSON AND ALIVE and singing..... right in front of me! The live version of 'Funny How Time' would only be released on the Madison Square Garden album two years later and it is odd that I never really considered why it didn't get released on 'On Stage' the following year. I guess that I had my precious memories - and I just LOOKED FORWARD TO AND EAGERLY ACCEPTED EACH AND EVERY RCA release as issued. Only looking back do I realize how many careless mistakes were made! When most of the LA radio stations stopped playing Elvis (early '90's?) I then switched to listening to Country stations mostly but always continued to listen avidly to K-RTH D.J. Brian Beirne aka "Mr. Rock 'n Roll" who always has been a devoted Elvis fan and continued to play Elvis recordings and talked a lot about Elvis on his regular radio show! In the late '90s Brian used to hold a quiz every year and the winner would accompany him to Memphis for Tribute week! Brian was also a guest speaker at Graceland.
There is always an emotion when listening to Elvis finish every recorded performance. But with regard to the finale I certainly do not like Elvis' voice being drowned out by audience noise, and for the concerts in Vegas, my memory is that the audience was well behaved (!) and saved their enthusiasm and appreciation until the end of each song. But on this particular recording, I was deeply involved in listening to "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" - which is a heartfelt version - yet it ends quite abruptly. The last notes, then nothing. I wanted more.. something, anything?! Maybe I was waiting for the roar of applause or even Al Dvorin (or whoever was "the voice" in '69) - suggesting we go buy Elvis souvenirs! So this left me more with some feeling of sadness as it was "the end", rather than being rejuvenated by hearing Elvis’ voice, humor and showmanship... and be left in a "happy place". .. as we always were after seeing him perform. ... Listening to the new album it is amazing to realise that we were hearing the stunning 'Suspicious Minds' before it was even released. In my article I wrote soon after (see below) I happened to comment that I hoped it would make a Number One for Elvis.
Looking back from 2019 I realise that two of my dreams - the U.S. Tour and Elvis’ Number 1 - came true. Fans sometimes question whether we could have asked more of Elvis and did all his dreams come true? To be honest I am so eternally thankful for all the available music recordings and documentaries Elvis left for us to enjoy - and still more seem to become available every year... and I also love and appreciate (many of) his movies, too! I do have times of feeling sadness, disappointment - even anger, when thinking of what could have been. Mostly due to mistakes made my others - mainly in not understanding Elvis' full potential as an artist and not giving him the chance to continue to grow in his life's work. Elvis needed new challenges and continued support and confirmation of his amazing talents. I think this approach to his career would not only have made my dreams come true, but fulfilled Elvis' own dreams for himself. I don't think we can begin to consider "expecting more from Elvis" - let's just keep in our thoughts the words to "Walk a Mile in my Shoes".. and happily delve into all the precious material we do have of Elvis to constantly enjoy and share now and forever! I would add, that IN GENERAL (not this particular LP) I have found most CDs of Elvis' live shows do NOT really compare to seeing him perform in person. Songs like ‘Polk Salad Annie’, ‘Suspicious Minds’ come to mind.... just listening to them.... they cannot compare to seeing Elvis perform them LIVE. While Paul and I were listening to this album together, I would comment a number of times..."WHY IS THERE NO VIDEO?!!" That continues to break my heart.
I do think that looking back tends to give one an entirely different perspective. In this case, we now know all too well what happened in Elvis' all-too-short career. When I wrote the review, (at age 26) Elvis' life and future career possibilities seemed filled with such promise. So, after hearing the record and also re-reading my article written at that time, my feelings were complicated. I felt sadness, but always so very thankful that I was "around and involved in everything Elvis" during his lifetime, and still am, today.
Review / Spotlight by Joan Gansky / Paul Gansky May 2019.
Click to comment on this review
A prelude - Joan Gansky's story An eye-witness review by Joan Williams (now Gansky) written in late August 1969 - 50 years ago!! Earlier this year (1969) I wrote a report on a preliminary visit to Las Vegas when Paul and I went to check on the International Hotel being built, and I promised to write an article on my next visit. I was planning to see a live Elvis performance in the elegant night-club inside this palatial International Hotel – surely a place truly fit for a KING! August 22nd 1969 - An enormous stage, a magnificent 2,000 capacity audience, elegant ladies (all seemed fresh from the Beauty Parlor!) glamorously dressed in their finest gowns - pure excitement apparent in their sparkling eyes, many accompanied by their smartly suited escorts! Certainly a few teenagers were present among the sophisticated crowd, but somehow the 25-40 year age group seemed to predominate.
To our great joy and total surprise, after a small tip to the Maitre D, we were seated at a table at the foot of the stage! Then there was an arduous hour and a half wait for the show to commence! Each minute seemed an eternity. My heart was thumping wildly in anticipation... I perched myself on the edge of my chair, nervously sipping my drink, yet unaware of the taste of it! I tried to absorb each and every split second, every moment in this room . . . my long held dreams had come to reality! Being an Elvis fan, living in England through the late 1950's and early '60's, it seemed unbelievably far fetched to even consider the possibility of ever seeing Elvis perform live on stage in the USA or anywhere!
The Las Vegas crowd is a mighty critical audience to win over, but any tension that may have existed in the cool and somewhat impatient atmosphere during the comedian's set quickly melted away. Elvis held his audience enthralled - he had a complete connection with them, even from the stage.
He became so engrossed in talking about his past experiences that he had to be reminded by old friend Charlie Hodge (guitar player) to finish what he had begun to say! Elvis briefly listed a few movies he had made, and explained how these had become like a habit, but now he was back. He assured us he had missed performing for a LIVE audience so much, and couldn't wait to get out of his movie contracts, and get back on stage. He also sang "a song from my TV Special, that didn't do too well" (?) - the beautiful Memories. A surprise song was the poignant Yesterday - followed by Hey Jude where he had some lucky females in ecstasy as he bent over the stage to their tables and kissed them!
This time his velvet notes echoed around the huge showroom, caressing each of us, his awed audience. He received tumultuous applause and a deserving standing ovation.
After we returned to Santa Monica, my fiancé and I thought it would be nice to drive up to Elvis' home in the Trousdale area of Los Angeles, to catch the breath-taking view, and maybe take a "night-time" photo of Elvis' home. It was a beautifully clear night, mild with a soft breeze. When we arrived at the top of the hill and pulled close to the curb next to Elvis' home, I was taken by surprise to find a guard on duty at the gate. He chatted to us and was pleased to hear we had so enjoyed the Las Vegas show. He told us that we echoed the opinion of other lucky fans who had been to Vegas and then talked to him about it during the preceding 4 weeks!
A tall dark figure climbed out of the car, Elvis was wearing black (probably a Western type outfit) and a wide striped belt. He stretched, tossed his head and waved to us a couple of times. He then flung his light colored jacket across his right shoulder (an inimitable Elvis mannerism!). Another quick wave, and was it my imagination? - or did I see a large yawn!??? Another wave, and he disappeared through the open door, safely inside his peaceful home. Review by Joan Gansky AUGUST 1969. Click to comment on this review
NOTE that Joan attended two Shows in 1969. The August 22 Midnight Show has only parts of this show officially released on ‘Today Tomorrow And Forever’ BMG box-set & Collectors Gold. This was one of the rare times Elvis performed 'Funny How Time Slips Away' in 1969.
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