Las Vegas: 19 August 1974 O.S. - a lost opportunity?

Check out the set-list from opening night August 1973. The CD is called "Fire In Vegas". I was there that night...it was a great set-list.
I had reservations to be there for opening night August of 74...but my dad had an emergency appendectomy 1 week before we were due to leave. I would have enjoyed that list a great deal...

The set list for 8-19-74 was so blues oriented. I always hoped Elvis would cut a real blues album. He really only skimmed the surface with blues.

Someday we'll start a thread with concert setlists. To be fair, there were other attempts to revamp the setlist but, IMO not as drastically as in 19.8.74 OS.

This show can be filed in the "what if" category.

If he'd stuck to his guns and continued to perform more rarities like he did on this occasion, he probably would've kept more interest in his work, thus resulting in better - bigger shows.

I don't think he should have dropped the 2001 Theme. The dramatics of that number really helped set the stage for him, but some alternate opening songs other than C.C. Rider / I Got a Woman would certainly been welcome.

With a song repetoire as large as his, I often wish he'd dug deeper and pulled out a different variety every so often.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big Boss Man

This show can be filed in the "what if" category.

If he'd stuck to his guns and continued to perform more rarities like he did on this occasion, he probably would've kept more interest in his work, thus resulting in better - bigger shows.

I don't think he should have dropped the 2001 Theme. The dramatics of that number really helped set the stage for him, but some alternate opening songs other than C.C. Rider / I Got a Woman would certainly been welcome.

With a song repetoire as large as his, I often wish he'd dug deeper and pulled out a different variety every so often.

---

Boy thats for sure-he kind of went the way of Sinatra, and Dean Martin they kept their set lists pretty much confined to their hits-songs expected by the audience to be sung. They would tweek it here and there adding a new song but not anything like an overhaul. Elvis had so many great songs to draw from that would have been great live.

Elvis had at least 50 or more "Greatest Hits" to choose from for his live show in the 70's, yet he continually played the same 5 or 6 every time, not too mention, half heartedly sung and sped up lightening fast tempos.

Yes, once in awhile, he would stray and sing a familiar old song, Wooden Heart, Return To Sender, Crying In The Chapel, but why does almost every "Live" concert on soundboard or audience recording I own have:

See See Rider
I Got A Woman/Amen
Love Me

In the same order and sequence ???

I can understand his signature song Can't Help Falling In Love for the finale, but Elvis could have kept his live repetiore alive and fresh and it would have kept him, and most likely the band, more tight and enthusiatic.

Just my opinion ...