Elvis at the International Hotel Las Vegas 1969 Box Set

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by emjel, Apr 9, 2019.

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  1. Yikes, only 25? I just purchased my first and thought maybe I’d acquire all of them. How many FTD titles are there?
     
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  2. This.
     
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  3. monkboughtlunch

    monkboughtlunch Senior Member

    Location:
    Texas
    Slap back was a hallmark of mono 1950s Sun Studio Rockabilly singles. Dumping slap back effects on a 1969 RCA live show is not authentic to what the audience heard. It’s also not authentic to the type of reverb the RCA engineers would have used in post production in 1969.

    When Elvis was asked about his Sun singles in 1970 at The Astrodome press conference , he laughed and said they had a lot of echo on them.

    Another problem with dumping slap back effects on a live 1969 concert is that the effect clouds the attack and decay of voices and instruments, make the rich timbres on the original recording become “blurred.” That’s why the Anesini mixes have superior instrument and vocal definition.

    Ultimately, Ross-Spang’s historically incorrect use of slap back feels more like: “Hey, look at me. I work at Sun Studios so I’m gonna put some slap back on this concert.”
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2019
  4. Sixpence

    Sixpence Zeppelin Fan

    Location:
    Connecticut
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    Also comes with a nice booklet with insights from Ann Moses. From what I recall the title was originally going to be in the 7" format but someone screwed up.

    And the release originally had another name, which albeit was assigned rather innocently, was pulled at the final hour due to its likelihood of being misinterpreted and causing offence. Hence the super creative "Live In Vegas" title instead. PM if you don't know, it's probably not ideal mentioning it in the thread.
     
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  6. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Hundreds (although many are out of print).
     
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  7. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    That's a great point that a bit of extra volume is required with some of the more dynamic mixes to really bring them to life.

    And as someone who tends to generally prefer a punchy mix, I'm not of the opinion that the "loudest mix wins". I'd rather listen to the more natural Anesini mixes than something so compressed that it loses all sense of life and becomes headache-inducing (I'm looking at you, Prince From Another Planet).

    Overall though I'm finding the new mixes to not overstep the mark: pumped up enough to simulate the sense of impact in the sound without becoming too flat sounding. There's a bit more slapback echo (not reverb) on some of the other shows compared to the RSD sampler, at least on the monologue: not a positive addition.

    Agreed - I know opinions on this one are mixed, but I think the FTD mix of Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis is far, far superior to the Legacy, and I wouldn't be unhappy to hear the MSG and Aloha shows given a similar sort of mix by FTD.
     
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  8. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Yeah, I always thought it was odd that the generic Live In Vegas title was assigned to the release at the last minute. The FTD team couldn't come up with something more creative?
     
  9. monkboughtlunch

    monkboughtlunch Senior Member

    Location:
    Texas
    I see four toms and two bass drums. He liked his toms lower to the ground, but by contemporary standards, he was using more drum kit than Ringo, Densmore or Bonham did in 1969.
     
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  10. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    I was very unhappy that Sony gave the nod to Brauer to mix Price From Another Planet (we can probably thank Rob Santos for that one). Anesini could only do so much with the final mastering. Hopefully Anesini gets to do a fresh remix of the MSG tapes for the FTD edition. That said, his mastering of the original mix/album is the best out there.

    A number of us have beaten this topic into the ground on the FTD thread, but yes, the Legacy mix for the Memphis concert is really problematic with respect to Elvis vocals. The FTD edition is smothered in reverb, but it works, and is preferable because Elvis' vocals are vibrant and alive on the recording. I was stunned when I heard the Legacy Edition; I couldn't believe that it made it past quality control. It is still the cheapest way to get the wonderful Richmond show from 3/18, so in that respect, the Legacy release still has value.
     
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  11. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England

    On this I tend to agree with you. On the songs it mostly sounds fine (if unneccessary and historically inaccurate), but it sounds jarring on the spoken/monologue sections. To use @PacificOceanBlue's phrase from above, it's a head-scratcher.
     
  12. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    Like "Live 1969"? ;-)

    I thought the original title was pretty creative, but the innocence of its assignment would not have born the push back. I bet someone in corporate caught glimpse of it and said "no way!" and I can appreciate why.
     
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  13. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    The irony is that I've never thought Ronnie's drums ever sounded more "full" and "rounded out" than they do on the Vegas '69 recordings, particularly the snare. But that probably has more to do with the recording production over the years than the kit itself, which from what I understand got bigger and punchier as the years rolled on.
     
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  14. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Ernst likely came up with the original title (which I agree was creative and innocent), and being from Europe, didn't initially connect it with the racist connotation and undertones some consumers would have picked up on in the U.S. If only someone at Sony had taken a listen to the final mix of the Legacy Edition of the Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis before letting it out the door. ;)
     
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  15. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Definitely. Look at his final kit from the 1977 CBS Special.

    That said, I still think Bob Lanning got the best "full" and "rounded out" sound for Elvis' stage presentation in February 1970.
     
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  16. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    I'm guessing the level is different from show to show as I honestly didn't notice anything untoward on the RSD release (of which the accompanying digital download has been on regular rotation outside the house).
     
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  17. monkboughtlunch

    monkboughtlunch Senior Member

    Location:
    Texas
    I think a better title for this box would have been:
    • Elvis: Return Of The King
    • The Complete RCA 1969 Live Concert Recordings
     
  18. monkboughtlunch

    monkboughtlunch Senior Member

    Location:
    Texas
    Listen to Scotty’s guitar on Mystery Train.
     
  19. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    I'd still like to see a faithful vinyl re-issue of From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis, even as a RSD limited release (Black Friday?), but I guess since both In Person and Back In Memphis got re-issued in the past couple of years that's not likely to happen.

    On another vinyl note, I would really like to see The Return To Vegas come out. The tape's already formatted for LP release as it is. Maybe FTD's next vinyl release after Sings Memphis, Tennessee?
     
  20. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    It must have been a rush and a thrill for this band to be working at such a high level two hours a night for a month during this initial Las Vegas engagement. Within a few years, it simply became a gig and a paycheck, but early on, it must have seemed like anything and everything was possible working with Elvis.
     
  21. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Now, that would be a cool RSD release.
     
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  22. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    It does vary from show to show: I didn't notice any on the monologue from RSD but it's there on the same passage from most of the other concerts.

     
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  23. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    Presume you mean Burton's?

    On the RSD show the slap-back effect isn't so obvious, in fact until I started reading about it online I'd never have guessed, and that sort of thing usually sticks out like a sore thumb to me. Part of that is no doubt due to James' picking style.

    Somewhere out there is an old interview where he talks about his early days learning to play guitar, and trying to mimic the echo sounds he heard on records with his fingers. Part of his famous picking style is born out of trying to get that sound, and as a player myself I hear that all over Mystery Train/Tiger Man.

    But I haven't heard all the shows on the new set. A quick "glance" at iTunes previews seems to show that the effect is higher on some shows than others.
     
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  24. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    A major tour should have followed in the fall, hot on the heals of a successful engagement and #1 single, and with a new double LP in the wings.
     
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  25. monkboughtlunch

    monkboughtlunch Senior Member

    Location:
    Texas
    Yes, I meant Burton's.
     
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