Search - Elvis Presley :: Tucson '76

Despite stellar "Danny Boy", uneven show reflects decline

Todd Baptista | Westport, MA USA | 01/13/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This limited edition concert disc on the RCA/BMG subsidiary label, Follow That Dream, captures Elvis in concert on the Southwestern leg of his bicentennial tour. The sound quality is crisp and clear for the entire 75 minutes which unfortunately reveals a career in decline. On occasion, Elvis' labored breathing is evident coming through the microphone feed.
Although the set list presented here is above average, the performance lacks direction and focus with songs occasionally started and stopped and lots of joking with the audience- even during the tunes themselves. The band intro segment with "Love Letters" and several short renditions of songs stretched to over 35 minutes. "Burning Love", rarely performed during Elvis' final two years, is lyrically embarassing and a shell of its former self. There will be times even the most ardent Elvis fan will squirm and shudder.
During the final portion of the tape, however, things start to get interesting. Elvis begs off a request for "For The Good Times" but offers a passable "Help Me Make It Through The Night". Another fan asks for "The Last Farewell" from the then-new "From Elvis Presley Boulevard" LP. Again, Elvis isn't prepared, remarking, "I wish I knew it". The clever, persistent fan offers a compromise in "Danny Boy" which Elvis doesn't realize is from the same album. Selecting a key, he turns in a focused and well-paced 4 minute version of the song which will make listeners forget the earlier gaffes. With minimal instrumental and vocal backing, this impromptu, heartfelt rendition is clearly the gem of the disc and is the one cut everyone will go back to again and again. A trio of photos from the tour provide an attractive packaging for this limited pressing collector's label release as well.
Clearly, there are Elvis fans who purchase everything who will want this disc or possibly those who, like myself, were lucky enough to see the King in person on this very tour and will enjoy it as a souvenir. As an artistic performance, however, there is little of the Elvis Presley magic found in FTD's other concert releases (One Night In Vegas-1970 or Dixieland Rocks-1975) to merit a higher recommendation."

5 Stars For Elvis, 0 For His Voice

Anthony Nasti | Staten Island, New York United States | 12/23/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I really like this cd, which showcases two of the live performances from his 1976 tour, which has been called his "Bicentenial Tour", for it was to commemorate the 200th anniversary of America. I want to give the cd five stars, but I just can't because his voice sounds terrible. If you listen to his performances of "I Got A Woman", "Love Me", "You Gave Me A Mountain" and others, you don't hear Elvis. What you hear is drugged-up Southerner whose voice is a wreck. I'm glad this wasn't actually released as a real album back in 1976, because it would've flopped. Still, there are a few redeemable highlights. "Polk Salad Annie", rarely performed after 1972, is revived here with considerable effort with Jerry Scheff's pumping bass introduction sounding better than ever. Elvis also revives "Loves Letters", an old song from 1966 that is performed with just him and David Brigg's electric clavinet, with some cymbal tappings by Ronnie Tutt. "Burning Love" is done really good here, thanks to some amazing lead guitar by the great James Burton. The best, however, is his performance of "Danny Boy". This one performance is worth the price of the entire cd alone. While Elvis's voice isn't too great, he delivers a stellar performance of this classic song. You should buy this cd just for this one performance. Elvis also does a stellar performance of "Hurt", which he does twice.Still, there are so many performances by Elvis down the entertainment volume considerably. Elvis sounds absolutely rediculous on "Jailhouse Rock" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night". "All Shook Up" is massacred here. And his performance of the "Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel" medley really stinks. "Fever" is done off key, and the inexplicable performance of "And I Love You So" shows how bad he got. As for "Hound Dog", "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "Funny How Time Slips Away", well listen to them yourselves and tell me what you think.As a reviewer and an Elvis fan, this is possibly the saddest task I have ever had to undertake. "Tucson '76" shows that The King was losing his touch, never to gain it back. And aside from a few remarkable highlights, this cd falls down to the pits of rock hell. If you want to hear a great Elvis show recorded during the 1976-77 period, get the stellar "Elvis In Concert". I simply can't say that you should buy this album."

5 stars for deep fans; 3 for casual fans = 4 stars

Phil S. | USA | 11/27/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The mixing board provenance actuallys adds some sonic pop, and "Burning Love" is just fine. The '50s hits, typically, sadly done in throwaway medley set pieces, offer so little to the home listener, have no critical value.

There are several highlights, which take away lot of the specialty price

sting: the always magnificent "How Great Thou Art", a melancholy "Help Me Make It Through The Night", bespeaking a frazzled artist who can still deliver the goods; the above-named super hit from '72; "Love Letters", presumeable conceived as another medley piece, but emerging, through Elvis' genius, as artistically superior to the 1966 hit, which was really an inspired "cover" version, almost a tribute to Kitty Lester - not a bad concept at all; finally, an on-the-spot arrangement of "Danny Boy", much better than the studio version. (Though not as compelling as the home recording from '59).

Reviewers point to a vocal decline. The "decline" might be in interest in some of his material, or in his passion for touring. His voice is powerful...period. Range still unbelievable. The "hurt" in his voicebox might have come from a combination of stressors: the road, the RCA mixes, personal trauma, medical issues, and very significantly, at real shot at making a real movie ("A Star Is Born"), rejected at the outset by Management - it's not unreasonable to believe that this was not only a chance for a career rebirth, but a second comeback - stemming from an Oscar-winning performance."