Bad Concerts

[elvis himselvis]

I was thinking about what was Elvis worst concert and even that i have never heard a bootleg of that concert ,i think it are the concerts he gave on december 5th 1976 in Las Vegas and the Baltimore concert on May 29 1977...
I made this point of view out reactions of people who were at those concerts,but does somebody of you have this concerts on cd and agree with me?Or do you know a concert that was worser?

[jak]

Most shows performed during the 76 summer tours were especially poor.
Jak

[dennyelvis]

I agree ... some really poor ones summer 76, but i guess the ones in may77 where he simply could'nt breathe, let alone perform proves he shold have rested ... who knows he may have lived !

[elvis himselvis]

I agree ... some really poor ones summer 76, but i guess the ones in may77 where he simply could'nt breathe, let alone perform proves he shold have rested ... who knows he may have lived !


Maybe,but i don't think so
The fact is that Elvis took too much and there was just a little bit more needed that would killed him,and i think that's what happened on august 16...:'(

[srj1967]

the concerts he gave on december 5th 1976 in Las Vegas


I have every December '76 Vegas show, and I have to say I liked them all.

His first truly bad shows came in late '74, especially in College Park, Maryland. The drugs were starting to take hold, and he is just rambling on and on ...

And several Vegas shows from August and September that year are embarrassing for the same reason.

Most of the '76 shows weren't great, although there are exceptions. I think that, overall, his '77 shows were an improvement. But from early '76, it was a downhill slide from which there was no escape. I prefer to listen to shows from '69 to '75.

[KPM]

I saw him live on 3-22-76 and it was a good show. He seemed all right
physically. He did the karate leg stretches on Polk Salad Annie. He was not slurring words or breathless. But he was blindsided by a woman from behind during, You Gave Me a Mountain and he did not like it. The crowd surged at the stage when the woman jumped at him and it was crazy for a while, you could not hear him. But all in all good show.

[elvis himselvis]

I have every December '76 Vegas show, and I have to say I liked them all.

His first truly bad shows came in late '74, especially in College Park, Maryland. The drugs were starting to take hold, and he is just rambling on and on ...

And several Vegas shows from August and September that year are embarrassing for the same reason.

Most of the '76 shows weren't great, although there are exceptions. I think that, overall, his '77 shows were an improvement. But from early '76, it was a downhill slide from which there was no escape. I prefer to listen to shows from '69 to '75.

I like the vegas shows in december 1976 even i only got the last vegas concert(12 december 1976) and i have heard I just Can't Help Believin' and What now My Love performed also in that last tour.
But do you have that bootleg from 5 december 1976?
Elvis was in poor shape and the beginning of that concert wasn't good.( i have heard)After a while,his voice became the old one and then the concert was good.I have heard also that Elvis looked very bad...
Do you have photos from that concert and do you agree with what i was saying in this reply?

[srj1967]

But do you have that bootleg from 5 december 1976? Do you have photos from that concert and do you agree with what i was saying in this reply?

As I said, I have all of the December '76 shows. I have them all on tape in very good quality, acquired long before the days of bootleg CDs. I enjoyed all of these shows.
And I have photos from this and other shows, but I never equate photos with his voice. Elvis never looked truly healthy again at all from late '75 onwards. Even in Pittsburgh for NYE in '76 ... great show, but he didn't look too well.

[Larry Dickman]

Without doubt the poorest performance I have heard would have to be August 1, 1976 - Hampton Roads (The Bicentennial Experience).

[jak]

Without doubt the poorest performance I have heard would have to be August 1, 1976 - Hampton Roads (The Bicentennial Experience).

I can remember playing that cd for the first time after I got it in the mail way back when it was first released.A truly sad concert.I wish it had never been released.It's a shame because he was trying to perform.Just listen to that cd then pop in the Hampton concert from just a few years prior.It's hard to believe it's the same guy.
Jak

[elvis himselvis]

SRJ,could you maybe post some photos from the december 5 1976 concert?
I have never seen a photo of that concert,and i want to see if Elvis look really as bad as some people say...
IMO,Elvis looks great on this shows in december...

[elvis himselvis]

The hampton road concert from august 1 1976 is not a really good concert,but i don't think it's too bad.
Sometimes his voice was OK and afcourse he performed Return to Sender:)

[dennyelvis]

I know this concert has taken alot of flack since its boot release ... but i did recently restore this show, generally bringing some guts back to his vocals and removing unneeded hiss etc, and i gotta say ive heard plenty worse Elvis shows !
Plus as Himselvis says ... u get return to sender as well ...

[pete dube]

The 1976 Houston show is said to be the worst show Elvis ever gave.

[U.S. Male]

The Baltimore show from 1977 was definitely not one of his best that's for sure.

There's also the famous College Park MD show from September 1974 you might could put in the same category?:hmm:

[Unchained Melody]

Don't matter how you look at it...the good outweighs the bad by alot (y)

And for the Vegas '76 shows...i jsut got the EID's Love Letters From Nevade/Unchained in Hollywood dvd an have to say there were some really good shows from that enagement..

[Larry Dickman]

The 1976 Houston show is said to be the worst show Elvis ever gave.


Yeah Pete, that would make an 'interesting' soundboard.

[memphis 77]

I was thinking about what was Elvis worst concert and even that i have never heard a bootleg of that concert ,i think it are the concerts he gave on december 5th 1976 in Las Vegas and the Baltimore concert on May 29 1977...
I made this point of view out reactions of people who were at those concerts,but does somebody of you have this concerts on cd and agree with me?Or do you know a concert that was worser?

houston august 28/76- worst show i attended, he didn't even move around the stage, people were walkin right out of the auditorium, his voice was weak and he was not interested in performing at all that night, the band solos went on for 26 minutes[an eternity], but he was back in good form in mobile, gave a great performance.

[memphis 77]

Most shows performed during the 76 summer tours were especially poor.
Jak

summer 76 tour -p lease-mobile, roanoke, fayetville, both pine bluff performances, were very good shows, of course you had to be there.(y)

[jak]

summer 76 tour -p lease-mobile, roanoke, fayetville, both pine bluff performances, were very good shows, of course you had to be there.(y)

Elvis could still perform a somewhat decent show during 76 but even the best ones represent just a shadow of what he once was.When we say he gave a good show in 76 you have to take that with a grain of salt.The overwhelming majority of concerts during the 76 summer tour can only be rated "fair" at best.
Jak

[Stefan Kock]

Worst concert I've ever heard is Atlanta, June 6th 1976. Just listen to his voice, which is about 10 times worse than in Hampton Roads on August 1st 1976.

In Hampton Roads he had a throat problem (a cold infection), but in Atlanta he is purely still asleep when he took the stage ! (he sounded fine de day before)

* December 5th 1976 is a mediocre performance. he starts out pretty bad (better than Atlanta though) and ends on a decent note.

* Baltimore may 29th 1977 is also mediocre, but way better than most people make it out to be. In fact he sounnds quite decent at the start of the show (although tired, as usual in '77). After he comes back during "School Days" he really puts some effort into the performance, which results in a interesting and , at times, more than decent 2nd half of the show.

[poormansgold]

I Never See Elvis In Concert, What I hear, There some bad ones and good ones thru that 7 years of concerts, I got All Vegas Concerts from 1976 shows
He tried give great shows, they only one night shows THe opening night show was great, next night he did two shows after doctor told him do one show a night. the closing show great, It's liked he was say bye to Las Vegas
i loved such A Night good song .
He Was A Human there times We think that he wasn't human liked we are.
We love him so much That kill Him?
I'm A fan that love to hear his music.

[memphis 77]

I Never See Elvis In Concert, What I hear, There some bad ones and good ones thru that 7 years of concerts, I got All Vegas Concerts from 1976 shows
He tried give great shows, they only one night shows THe opening night show was great, next night he did two shows after doctor told him do one show a night. the closing show great, It's liked he was say bye to Las Vegas
i loved such A Night good song .
He Was A Human there times We think that he wasn't human liked we are.
We love him so much That kill Him?
I'm A fan that love to hear his music.

well said HE WAS HUMAN , it's easy for a performer of ELVIS PRESLEY'S caliber to be expected to put on an excellent show without any flaws, especially for first timers who have never witnessed a show[the expectations are very high], and for joe public, but he had bad shows just like other performers, but the last year and a half his personal life had affected his carrer and live shows[he was usually in a bad mood-hence no banter with the audience, musicians, just look at the stares he gave the sweets and james in houston on the 28/76[pics are in shavers 76 zine ELVIS PRESLEY VOL9 WINTER 76], and lets not forget the bought he had in 73 with tonsolitis. A great entertainer, always , i believe.

[poormansgold]

when I was young boy my mother meet this tall and loving man at work, She works at Elks club On weekends to keep us kids living right, we didn't have alot as kids there 4 us kids i'm the baby of famliy , next few years we grow as famliy, this tall loving man move in with us, He was lead voice of the band and guitarist too. and in 1974 my mother and him got marry and next few years things got good, he got ill in 1975.
His voice got bad, He had stop playing the guitar's, we found out he had brain Tumor, THe Doctor think that time He had it long time,
WAtch this Tall loving Man die slowing for 10 years, i was hard on my mother and me, I still living at home at time.
He Had A stroke in 1982, that's was hard on me because I was only one at home. My mother went Texas to care of business for my sister. I found Him
on floor not moving He can't get up I help him up and I tried call my mother, I call my Aunts to call, they help me soon they come, they live 32 miles away, I cried that day. i know he is done. short the story he live for next few years in nursing home, he can't not talk or walk, 1985 wasn't good year for me I lost two people, this time year I got the blues because we buired him on my brithday.
I liked tell everyone that how you or who are we are Human.
because I had stoke at brith, My Dad was told I wasn't making it thru the night and my mother say he will , that's is 46 years ago,
Next time we think about something liked this about bad the concerts are, My Step-father was a entertainer too, he had his own Kid TV Show In 1950's or 1960's In Montana.

So Enjoy The Concerts we got or getting, there One Elvis Presley and there one Lloyd G. Larsen.

Tom

[elvis himselvis]

Elvis is and was a great performer and afcourse he had some bad concerts,but i think most of his concerts were good.
Even the bad ones have some good performances

[memphis 77]

when I was young boy my mother meet this tall and loving man at work, She works at Elks club On weekends to keep us kids living right, we didn't have alot as kids there 4 us kids i'm the baby of famliy , next few years we grow as famliy, this tall loving man move in with us, He was lead voice of the band and guitarist too. and in 1974 my mother and him got marry and next few years things got good, he got ill in 1975.
His voice got bad, He had stop playing the guitar's, we found out he had brain Tumor, THe Doctor think that time He had it long time,
WAtch this Tall loving Man die slowing for 10 years, i was hard on my mother and me, I still living at home at time.
He Had A stroke in 1982, that's was hard on me because I was only one at home. My mother went Texas to care of business for my sister. I found Him
on floor not moving He can't get up I help him up and I tried call my mother, I call my Aunts to call, they help me soon they come, they live 32 miles away, I cried that day. i know he is done. short the story he live for next few years in nursing home, he can't not talk or walk, 1985 wasn't good year for me I lost two people, this time year I got the blues because we buired him on my brithday.
I liked tell everyone that how you or who are we are Human.
because I had stoke at brith, My Dad was told I wasn't making it thru the night and my mother say he will , that's is 46 years ago,
Next time we think about something liked this about bad the concerts are, My Step-father was a entertainer too, he had his own Kid TV Show In 1950's or 1960's In Montana.

So Enjoy The Concerts we got or getting, there One Elvis Presley and there one Lloyd G. Larsen.

Tom the thread is about bad shows period. , and the views are about how/why he had bad shows, many a night he wasn't interested in performing and wanted to be loaded, alot of the meds he was takin was nothing more than to be on the palnet zarp[dilaudid, percidan, seconal, tuinol] c'mon he just lost his passion for life-he knew all the meds he was takin and what they were for, and many of them had no relation to his so called illnesses, it's time fans wake up and acknoledge that he wasn't any differn't from the junkie on the corner, he just had the docs in his pocket to get this crap in great quantitieslegally[via perscriptions], in late 76 he was advised through RON PETREFESCO that he would be busted if he went back to COLORADO because he had liquid cocaine in his possession-hence he never spoke to RON or CAPT KENNEDY ever again, and charlie and billy were advised to ignore their calls.

[nashville cat]

I haven't heard the first night's concert at College Park, MD, and I don't want to if it is worse than the second night.

At times, his singing was okay, but he sounded ridiculous when he was talking. The audience was laughing at him. I felt really sorry for him. Not the way I want to remember EP.

"They let it be known they would not be having him back...."

[poormansgold]

There Things we did, we sure not do, liked I say He was Human Liked We are, we needed remember Him what he did for another's, not he did for him self, The man was in pain, he wasn't same man after he lost his mother, and after his marriage went to hell, that's went things snowball after that, I had over 200 concerts on Tapes, I listerning All them some aren't good sound, I can l tell It's be bad one or good one after few songs.
I was Trying Get some point cross how things change so qiuck in life, From Strong Man to nothing. With Elvis He was Big on Life It self, It took total On Him that last few years his life.
The Book What Happened, tells that Elvis Was hook On Sleeping pills, Few that we got he might have Bone Cancer, that where The med. come in play more.
my last post I was trying tell about this man that was in music world in deffent way he wasn't superstar like Elvis, he was my superstar too me.
he been gone over 22 years this week.
If I say Some thing wrong, I'm not Human All . exuse me, this been hard week for me.
Tom

[U.S. Male]

Don't matter how you look at it...the good outweighs the bad by alot


Yes...that is true.(y)

I know that every entertainer that has have performed has had at least 1 or 2 bad shows, so hey...it proves Elvis was human:D

[stevegirton]

I dont care what any body says I love all of his shows. there are no bad, just diffrent. although some were out of this world good.

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

He wasn't same man after he lost his mother, and after his marriage went to hell, that's went things snowball after that.
Tom

Just to sidetrack a little and I'm not having a go here, but.... why do people say Elvis was not the same after his mother died? his mother died almost 20 years prior, he had some great years in that time but nobody says he was inspired by his mothers death to do great things so why blame his decline on his mothers death, his divorce maybe contibuted?

Yes there were some truly dreadful shows in 1976 & 1977 and I'm not a big of the later shows :blush: I agree there are some great individual performances at this time but I cant say that I like a complete show like I do shows from 1969-1975 :hmm: I would still donate a body organ to see one though :D

[poormansgold]

You Have good point there Jumpsuitjunkie, we have look everything he did, I'm Done talking about this , I dear with close thing now again. each this time of year. Gettng harder to let things go..
Tom

[elvis himselvis]

I agree with Jumpsuit Junkie
I think he had his best shows in the period 69-75
But afcourse,there are good shows in 1976-1977

[jak]

I dont care what any body says I love all of his shows. there are no bad, just diffrent. although some were out of this world good.

You must be very young or you dont have many import recordings.Elvis performed many,many terrible concerts.I felt the same way you did when I was much younger.
Jak

[srj1967]

This isn't directed to anyone on this thread at all, but I hate reading the expression "Elvis was a human being ..."

Sorry, but every person to have ever walked the earth was a human being. This is an over-used cliche, and as a journalist it just bugs me.