1975 and 1976 Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland. My tickets were far from stage, I enjoyed the shows. Nothing unusual, just what you would expect.
Good show, but this ain't the Elvis of the '68 Comeback Special. Elvis in fine voice - and fine shape - but the sequined jumpsuits and Vegas-friendly MOR setlist have him rushing headlong towards self parody. Worst of all, Elvis treats his own songs like obligatory novelties he can't wait to get out of the way and sprints through passionless performances of classics such as "Hound Dog", "Blue Suede Shoes" and a show-closing "Can't Help Falling In Love With You". The show played well in 1973 - my parents still rave - but looking back on it today, it's difficult not seeing Aloha From Hawaii as anything else other than Elvis' last public grasp of glory. Good God, he deserved so much more.
Points taken although on the harsh side. True, the 50s stuff were throwaway performances but what do you expect? I don't blame him for feeling awkward going from the dramatic performance pieces like It's Over or What Now my Love and then switching over to Hound Dog. He was over these songs and included them to passify the audience.
I never cared for the way he rushed thru his Rock 'n Roll stuff from the 50s either, for the reasons you stated. It seems like the only one he still had any like for was 'Big Hunk o' Love'. Yeah, its tempo was rushed a bit in the special, but he didn't butcher it up by doing it as a mash-up or medley with another song or songs.
I watched Aloha From Hawaii when NBC broadcast it in April 1973. The following year, I was fortunate enough to see Elvis in concert.
It would also depend on any restoration efforts, as well as using MPEG-4 AVC compression vs. MPEG-2 (presumably used on the DVD). Not sure if there’s a noticeable viewing difference between the two if the source is videotape though.
