Elvis at the International Hotel Las Vegas 1969 Box Set

At what specific age does one stop knowing how to enjoy music?

 

33.

 

Don't take it too seriously: I certainly didn't when I wrote it.

 

RE: THE MYSTERY OF SOME SHOWS WITH "MISSING" KEYBOARDS

To expand on my theory of some shows "missing" the electric piano, this is how I think engineer Al Pachuki recorded these performances on 1-inch 8 track tape:

1. Drums (multiple mics submixed to mono)
2. Bass
3. Lead guitar
4. Rhythm guitar
5. Elvis
6. Imperials (at least 1 mic) & Sweet Inspirations (at least 1 mic)
7. Horns (at least 1 mic) & Strings (at least 1 mic)
8. Acoustic piano (1 mic) & Electric Piano (1 mic or direct injection)

My theory is simple:

1. With only 8 tracks to work with, Pachuki fed the signal from the acoustic piano and electric piano to the same track on the 8 track tape.
2. As Al Pachuki was trying to optimize signal to noise ratio (cutting down on unwanted mic hiss), he turned off either the acoustic piano mic or the electric keyboard when it wasn't being used. But Larry was constantly switching from acoustic piano to electric keyboard during the show. This must have kept Al Pachuki very busy!
3. The recorded evidence suggests that sometimes when Larry switched from acoustic piano to electric keyboard or vice versa, Pachuki was either late in turning on the correct mic, or didn't turn it on at all! On some shows, only the acoustic piano is heard, and in those instances it appears Pachuki forgot to turn on the electric keyboard altogether! Sometimes, after Larry finishes a song when an electric keyboard was played and heard on tape, Pachuki is "late" in turning the acoustic keyboard mic back on. In those instances, we hear the acoustic piano fade up suddenly while it's being played.
4. On the shows where the electric keyboard is very faintly heard in the center of the stereo image, the electric keyboard mic was turned off! And because it is heard very faintly, we are hearing the house PA-amplified Fender Rhodes keyboards being picked up by other mics on stage (perhaps Elvis' vocal mic or Tutt's drum mics etc) in a phenomenon called "mic leakage."
5. Ultimately, Pachuki should have just left both the acoustic mic and the electric piano mic (or direct injection) always "on". If he had done that, there might have been a bit of extra mic hiss from having two mics on instead of one, but we wouldn't be missing keyboards or have late piano fade-ins. But the evidence suggests he didn't, and that's why we hear bizarre piano mic fade ins or the electric keyboards are missing altogether -- or heard faintly via mic leakage.
6. Fortunately, there are several shows where Pachuki "got it right" and we are able to enjoy Larry's talent on both acoustic and electric keyboard in full.
7. With modern technology, it might be possible to digitally extract Larry's electric keyboard heard faintly via mic leakage and amplify it (on the few shows where Pachuki apparently forgot to turn on the electric keyboard mic), and present it at full volume. (This would be similar in theory to engineers who take a vintage MONO recording, digitally separate the instruments via computer software and create a stereo mix.)
8. My theory above about the 1-inch 8 track tape configuration also explains why audience applause was so poorly recorded at the 1969 shows. The audience response that is heard might just be from "mic leakage" bleeding into vocal or instrument mics.
   
9. It must have been Pachuki's original intent to just loop fake canned applause in post production for the In Person LP, so he didn't worry about mic'ing the audience for a proper applause track on the 8 track 1-inch tape. Indeed, on the original In Person LP we hear what appears to be overdubbed, looped, stereo applause.

 

I’m 21. I hope that I don’t only have 12 years left to enjoy music and sound quality. (I know you were joking RoyalPinapple BTW).

Regarding Matt Ross-Spang I should reiterate again that I have a lot of respect for him. He helped revitalize Sun Studios from an admittedly already great tourist destination and museum back into a successful working studio with proper vintage gear. Based on interviews he clearly does his homework on the sessions he works on (hell, he’s more knowledgeable about the Elvis material he’s worked on than some of the people at Sony are).

But I say all that and still feel that he just isn’t a good match for working on Elvis’ material. Some mixing engineers (like Vic for instance although I could name several working today) are great at studying the sound of the original recordings and mixes and have a knack at getting that sound but through a more focused lens than was possible at the time. The end result is a seamless, transparent presentation that allows me to just enjoy newly mixed older recordings without distractions. Matt has a specific mixing “sound”. He loooves his echo chamber effect. He likes to mix to analog (which is admirable) and fast. But while it’s one thing where a working artist today might want that “sound”, it’s another when dealing with a 40+ year old recording which already had a team of musicians and engineers deciding how they wanted it to sound. Whenever I’ve listened to any of Ross-Spang’s Elvis mixes, I don’t just hear Elvis or the band, or even Felton or Al or whoever was on the production staff, I hear Matt in there and I’m not interested in hearing Matt because I just want to hear Elvis.

 

I bought it but haven’t heard it yet.

 

I personally like to be referred to as Mr. Woolly Burger, but seriously and all kidding aside, I think you would be surprised by how often I have butted heads with my fellow Elvis experts on any given number of threads on Elvis. I respect everyone of them and just because they do not share my view on Elvis's music or career exactly as I do does not make me regard them any less. I sometimes even change my perspective on a particular issue, whenever their point sways me enough.

I have not listened to the music on the CD box set as I just got it yesterday, but I will be very surprised if I don't enjoy it to some degree. What you see here on this thread is a very strong consensus regarding the skill and dedication of Vic Anesini as both a mixing and mastering engineer and some of the frustration many fans feel that Sony decided to split that job up on this project. It seemed like a no brainer to many of us that these live recordings from 1969 would have been a perfect match for his mixing skills, given his great track record with the previous live recordings from this era. We do all appreciate the fact that he was chosen to master the project.

 

Woolly Burger? You’ll always be my funky little angel.

 

There is an FTD Live In Vegas title that features Elvis's August 26, 1969 dinner show and it is mixed and mastered by Vic Anesini. It also sounds fantastic.

 

Maybe my phrasing was off, thank heavens I will be able to buy this on CD as I do not and will not purchase downloads/files.

 

Haven’t you heard? That’s all any of us have left!

 

I think that is truly what it boils down to. I like both, but slightly prefer the more in your face style. Not surprising since I also love Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.

 

That statement is a bit of a head-scratcher. His ability to enjoy music and his ability to effectively mix a live Elvis recording are not synonymous. I have not heard the box set yet, so I can't comment on the results from my own perspective, but based on the analysis of others, it appears there are some inconsistencies and deficiencies with his work on this set (especially when compared to Anesini's stellar work on the same recordings).

 

Perhaps the worse engineered live recording from the post-Ferrante era. Somehow the life was sucked out of Elvis' lead vocals (in addition to oddly burying them in the mix on occasion), which was quite a feat considering Elvis' lead vocal from this particular recording was always so vibrant.

 

As the writer of the aforementioned statement, I can agree it is a head-scratcher. Wasn't intended to be taken seriously!

I do think a lot of people will find the Ross-Spang mixes entertaining. My point was really that they do a good job of capturing the uninhibited energy and liveliness and sense of fun of the performances, whilst still retaining a decent balance overall. When I want something with a more relaxed and precise sound, I'll still turn to the excellent Anesini mixes on FTD. I think there's room for both.

The one thing I do unequivocally dislike about the new set, as mentioned above and elaborated on by @MaestroDavros, is the somewhat jarring addition of the slapback-style echo. For some this will be a very insignificant complaint, and personally I think it sounds fine on most of the music but somewhat conspicious on the spoken portions, but I'm guessing there will be more than a few people here who wish it had been left off altogether.

 

If you've already got it all surely you could roll your own compilation? Why pay twice to rearrange songs when you can DIY?

 

I've just bought this box set and can't wait to hear these shows, most for the first time. I only have Hot August Night and Return To Vegas from FTD and the Viva Las Vegas 2CD and Live In Las Vegas 4CD box sets from BMG / Sony Legacy.

 

Just received my copy today. I like how the packaging was put together. Look forward to listening to it.

There is one photo of the band where I noticed the size of the drum kit. Looks like he is playing a kit made for a child!

 

Crank up those "relaxed, vintage" sounding mixes, like on Hot August Night and they sound pretty raucous, and the wide-soundscape shoots out the ambience around the room such that it envelops this listener.

I am enjoying the RSD show mix though, no question. And my Graceland Exclusive version of the new LP just shipped also, so I'll get deep into that mix too soon enough.

As to the box-set itself, I've taken the easy way out and thrown it onto a birthday wishlist. I'll get to it, in time! But so far from what I've heard the mixes and overall sound trumps all those old Dennis Ferrante/Lene Reidel works from the old days.

 

Kiddie drums? Dude, Tutt had double kick drums! Look at the cover of the box set.

 

The August 22nd DS that was included on FTD's In Person is also a nice show to check out, with a very touching moment when Elvis discovers his Crown Electric days employers, Mr. & Mrs Tippler are in the audience. It always seem to up his game a little when certain people where in attendance (I've no doubt Tom Jones' attendance at the Hot August Night show helped bring out a little bit extra from Elvis that night.)

 

The double bass drums look like 22" size.

Look inside the booklet. There is a photo with the drummer towering over the kit....and he is sitting down. Could it be the angle of the photo?

 

I'm a huge Elvis fan with a collection containing all his masters but I think I only have about 25 FTD's. I have most Legacy sets though.

 

Yeah, I know. I just haven't transitioned into that paradigm -- and, honestly, I don't know that I will.

I'm a physical media guy, and if I burn something, it's generally for listening in the car, so I don't expose my collection to the elements.

And having a compilation on CD-r doesn't quite cover the whole pathology of collecting for me.

It's probably a stupid approach -- but at this point, I'd imagine that I'm going to ride it out.