| Elvis' 1969 |
| After the '68 TV Special it became apparent that Elvis needed a live audience again, but Elvis didn't rush in to it, he still had a couple of movies to make. One of which being "Charro!" that was part of the contract, in the making of the '68 Special. Clint Eastwood turned down the part, and Elvis thought this could be his big chance to make a good film, but cuts were being made, before he finished the script. But that's another story. In the early part of January and February of 1969 Elvis spent 3 weeks in the American Sound Studios in Memphis, laying down some of his best recordings in years, meanwhile Col. Parker had been in contact with the big Hotels in Vegas, especially with Kirk Kerkorian, who was at the time of the '68 TV Special he was building Las Vegas's biggest Hotel. He also owned the M.G.M Movie Studio at the time as well, to which Elvis was still under contract. On February 27th the contract was signed, to have Elvis for four weeks in August of 1969. With the International being a new building and it would have a few technical bugs, and other problems, the Col. Arranged that Elvis would not open the Hotel. That was left to Barbara Streisand. It is reported that the original contract was for five years, and Elvis was to be paid $1 million a year for two four week stints, which worked out at a cool $125,000 a week. While other top names in Vegas were only getting half that. In addition the International would provide, all accommodation for Elvis and his entourage, plus pay for the Extra musicians, backing singers in the show. Not forgetting the old Colonel, he was supplied with his own suit, and his staff were supplied with a year round office When it came to getting a band together, Elvis wanted Scotty Moore, D, J Fontana along with the Jordanaires as the backbone, to the group. On each case Elvis was turned down, because they were all making more money than Elvis could offer, doing their own thing in Nashville. So Elvis had to re-think his plans. So Elvis handpicked the best musicians from Los Angeles and Nashville. In early July Elvis moved to Los Angeles, for daily rehearsals, which were held at RCA Victor's studios in Hollywood and continued until the late July. Then Elvis moved to Vegas. Before Elvis even stepped on the International Stage 12,000 advanced reservations had been made for the first 3 days shows, and the remainder of the engagement was already 80% booked up. The Restaurant staff who organised where you sat, the better the tip you gave the better the seat you got, they were anticipating on making around $20,000 in an evening, when Elvis was only getting $17,857 for the days work. For the opening, Elvis only gave one show, a 10.pm show with the best seats being occupied by invited celebrities and press. Throughout this engagement Elvis wore a modified two piece martial arts outfit. The newspaper reports were all excellent, Elvis was back where he belonged. Las Vegas July 31st OP/S At 12.30am after the opening show. A press conference was held in the Internationals Convention Hall, where Elvis & The Colonel, accompanied by Vernon Presley. Answered the press, the Colonel announced that he was contemplating a world tour. Elvis opened his show with Blue Suede Shoes, which would remain his opening number throughout the engagement. The other songs performed that night were I Got A Woman, One Night, Johnny B. Goode, Runaway, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Funny How Time Slips Away, Words, Yesterday/Hey Jude, All Shook Up, Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight? Don't Be Cruel/ Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, Mystery Train/Tiger Man, In The Ghetto, Memories, Suspicious Minds, What'd I Say and Can't Help Falling In Love. Las Vegas August 1st D/S Las Vegas August 1st M/S MD Opening Theme; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Elvis welcomes everyone; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Dialogue; Hound Dog; Dialogue; I Can't Stop Loving You; My Babe; Dialogue; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Life Story (Dialogue); Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight (cut); Words; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; Elvis introduces Nancy Sinatra & Tom Jones; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love. Sound ++ 71:33 minutes Las Vegas August 2nd D/S Las Vegas August 2nd M/S Las Vegas August 3rd D/S CD Opening Night Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Life Story (Dialogue); Baby, What You Want Me To Do; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday; Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound ++++++ Las Vegas August 3rd M/S Las Vegas August 4th D/S Las Vegas August 4th M/S Las Vegas August 5th D/S Audio Opening Theme; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound ++- Mention of Polk Salad Annie on this show Las Vegas August 5th M/S Las Vegas August 6th D/S CD Return Of The Tiger Man Intro; Blue Suede Shoes; Dialogue; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Dialogue; Love Me Tender; Dialogue; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Dialogue; Hound Dog; Memories; Dialogue; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Life Story; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound +++- Las Vegas August 6th M/S Las Vegas August 7th D/S Las Vegas August 7th M/S Las Vegas August 8th D/S Las Vegas August 8th M/S Las Vegas August 9th D/S Las Vegas August 9th M/S Las Vegas August 10th D/S Las Vegas August 10th M/S Las Vegas August 11th D/S Las Vegas August 11th M/S Las Vegas August 12th D/S CD Winner Back In Vegas Opening Theme: Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound +++ 69:01 minutes Las Vegas August 12th M/S MD Opening Theme; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Dialogue; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Instrumental; Memories; Dialogue; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Life Story (Dialogue); Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound ++ 68:46 minutes Las Vegas August 13th D/S Las Vegas August 13th M/S Las Vegas August 14th D/S Audio Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Monologue; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound +++ 76min Contains part of shot me dorrick in this show Las Vegas August 14th M/S Las Vegas August 15th D/S Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling IN Love Sound ++++ Las Vegas August 15th M/S Las Vegas August 16th D/S Las Vegas August 16th M/S Audio Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; My Babe; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love. Sound ++- Las Vegas August 16th M/S Las Vegas August 17th D/S Las Vegas August 17th M/S Las Vegas August 18th D/S Las Vegas August 18th M/S Audio Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Monologue; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Funny How Times Slip Away; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Intro.'s; In The Ghetto... (Incomplete) Sound +++ Las VegasAugust 19th D/S Las Vegas August 19th M/S Audio Opening Vamp; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; My Babe; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Monologue; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound +++ Las Vegas August 20th D/S Las Vegas August 20th M/S Las Vegas August 21st D/S From the 21st through to the 26th RCA were on hand to record Elvis' live act, but with the release of the "CD Opening Night" it possibly shows RCA were there from the beginning or shortly after to record. Tracks marked - Love Me Tender was recorded by RCA, and most have been released, but it is not known for defiant exactly what was recorded. Although from the Midnight Show on the 21st to the Midnight Show on the 26th the Complete shows were recorded. Las Vegas August 21st M/S MD Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Dialogue; Love Me Tender; Dialogue; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Dialogue; Hound Dog; I Can't Stop Loving You; My Babe; Dialogue; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Life Story (Dialogue); Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Words; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; Introduction of Nancy Sinatra, Mac Davis, Tom Jones & Shelley Fabares; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound +++ 73:52 minutes Las Vegas August 22nd D/S Las Vegas August 22nd M/S Audio Opening Theme; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; Memories; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Monologue; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Funny How Times Slip Away; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love Sound +++ From LP "Back In Vegas" continuity is lost on this tape due to cuts Las Vegas August 23rd D/S Las Vegas August 23rd M/S Loving You/Reconsider Baby; What'd I Say Las Vegas August 24th D/S CD Las Vegas Years (CD ONE) Opening Theme; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Monologue; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog I Can't Stop Loving You; Johnny B. Goode; Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love; Monologue (Life story) Sound ++++++ Las Vegas August 24th M/S CD Here I Go Again Opening Theme; Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Monologue; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Monologue; Hound Dog; I Can't Stop Loving You; Johnny B.Goode; Life Story(Dialogue); Baby, What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Words; Yesterday/Hey Jude; Introductions; In The Ghetto; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love.. Sound ++++++ Las Vegas August 25th D/S Memories recorded in this show was released on the LP/CD In Person At The International. Las Vegas August 25th M/S Words; Memories; Plus others Las Vegas August 26th D/S Blue Suede Shoes; Hound Dog; Inherit The Wind; My Babe Las Vegas August 26th M/S Audio Blue Suede Shoes; I Got A Woman; All Shook Up; Love Me Tender; Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel; Heartbreak Hotel; Hound Dog; I Can't Stop Loving You; Mystery Train/Tiger Man; Dialogue; Baby What You want Me To Do; Runaway; Introduction Of Del Shannon; Are You Lonesome Tonight; Rubberneckin + Reprise; Yesterday/Hey Jude; This Is The Story; Suspicious Minds; What'd I Say; Can't Help Falling In Love... In The Ghetto was also supposed to have been recorded during this show. Sound +- Las Vegas August 27th D/S Audio Rubberneckin' + false start; This Is The Story; It's Now Or Never; Loving You; One Night; Love Me; Baby What You Want Me To Do (incomplete); Runaway; Inherit The Wind Sound +++ Las Vegas August 27th M/S Audio Baby What You Want Me To Do; Runaway; Are You Lonesome Tonight (laughing); I Can't Stop Loving You; Johnny B. Goode; Suspicious Minds Sound +++ NB both Shows on one tape Las Vegas August 28th D/S Las Vegas August 28th CL/S Elvis closed the first of many Vegas engagements, at the Vegas International. RCA VICTOR also recorded this show. Elvis sang on this night "Rubberneckin'; It's Now Or Never; & This Is The Story. After the engagement the International Hotel presented Elvis with a Silver belt displaying his record-breaking statistics, Elvis displayed the belt at the New York press conference on June 9th 1972 Elvis would return to the International again in five months to break new records Total Attendance for Vegas Engagement 125,400 Voices From The Press "Elvis Presley, the original rock music king who lately has concentrated on records and movies, has made a kingly comeback to live performance." Mary Campbell, Associated Press "Elvis live again! And I was there to see it for you! I'm so excited my hands are trembling on the typewriter keys and my mind is a whirl. I only hope I can do justice to this historic occasion - Elvis back on a stage, giving a live performance, after so many years. His tremulous singing, his throbbing voice, his carefree gags, his panther-like, black-clad figure, slimmed by six weeks of strenuous rehearsals, his bodily animal grace... these are the things that are making me tremble! It's not often a writer is truly inspired and yet so excited it's hard to write! As much as I would love to produce flowing journalistic prose to describe to you the show that I have both witnessed and taken part in (so to speak, since every member of Elvis' audience is a part of his show), I will instead just try to relate to you, as fast as my fingers will carry me over the page, what I have seen tonight. Just before the loudspeaker echoed his name, there he was in the wings. Then, in just a moment, he sauntered...not in an unconcerned manner, but more in a shy way...with that feeling of uncertainty. Remember, it's been nine years. What was amazing throughout the show is that there was not one slip, or miss or mistake. Just smoothness all the way. It's not hard to imagine the rounds and rounds of applause followed the first couple of words in each number. Every song, save his new one, was familiar and loved. His encore number was 'Can't Help Falling In Love'. There was little else to say, little description left, except to say - pray this be the start of a trend for Elvis, that the world might share this incredible talent!" Ann Moses, New Musical Express |
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