FTD Live In Memphis 74

[Sonny]

Maybe I should wait with this until I've listened to the entire cd, but I can't help myself...

I've listened very briefly to the first songs and must say that the sound quality i.m.o. is better than it used to be.

But, once again, we don't get the uncut concert!

Right after See See Rider part of the dialogue is cut out...

Well, I'm gonna listen some more and I guess we can discuss this later.
Let me know what you guys and girls think...

Sonny

[NightRider]

Maybe I should wait with this until I've listened to the entire cd, but I can't help myself...

I've listened very briefly to the first songs and must say that the sound quality i.m.o. is better than it used to be.

But, once again, we don't get the uncut concert!

Right after See See Rider part of the dialogue is cut out...

Well, I'm gonna listen some more and I guess we can discuss this later.
Let me know what you guys and girls think...

Sonny

Tell me more Sonny...please...

Mine is still not here yet :x

[mn-designs]

still waiting for my copie to arrive...same goes for the impossible dream...it seems that a lot of people have the cd's allready...i don't understand that because music service normally is very quick with sending the cd's but on these both releases it's kinda slow, i dropped an e-mail but didn't get answer yet..
so it's waiting...waiting...waiting...

[King]

just listened to part of the memphis cd as I was working.We all know the false-start of Help me that was not included here.How about Elvis` comment that Ed Bonja beeing one of the "luggage crew" ????Did I miss this part on the cd?
This complete concert dosent seem complete to me...........

[Sonny]

Well, I just listened to it...

Once again, the sound is awesome!

However, some of the false starts and dialogue are not included.

F.i. the "you've got some bad lyrangitis" dialogue between See See Rider and I Got A Woman is gone...

So are the Help Me false start (didn't know it was there until I read the post above) and the Why Me Lord false start...

Not an uncut concert, but a very good one nevertheless!!!

The sound quality and mixing are far better than before and let's not forget the 9 tracks that were missing from the RCA original and until now were just available on the import Steamroller Blues.

The new 7 inch packaging is almost just as nice as it is on the soundtrack releases. However, somehow I get the feeling it could've been better on this one. There's almost no info concerning the show (just a small newspaper clipping about the fact that Elvis is recording live in his hometown) and there are some pictures.
The front and back of the booklet look fantastic!

Well, this is it for now... (almost a small review isn't it Albert?)

The next one to listen to is The Impossible Dream. I just had a quick listen and the sound quality is a little bit better than the shows released on imports over the last years.

Talk to you later,
Sonny

[NightRider]

Thanks for the mini-review Sonny

[Jungleroom76]

Haven't received my copy of the MEMPHIS FTD yet, but I am a little disappointed reading these early reviews that the CD is not complete!

Perhaps I am too much of a perfectionist, but although I am EXTREMELY happy that FTD is releasing this show with the bonus songs that were originally deleted from the LP, it seems that once again, we are getting 99.9% from FTD (and I know I should be happy with 99.9%...it's better than nothing).

I am sure that I am coming across as too harsh on this, but FTD came this far with re-releasing this show...I would think they would have left everything from the original album intact for the sake of history. But as I said....perhaps I am just being too much of a perfectionist!!

Thanks to everyone for the early reviews...can't wait to receive my copy (despite my slight disappointment)!

TCB!
Mike

[Lonniebealestreet]

I'm gonna go out on a blasphemous limb here and say I am not bothered by the show being edited. I say that because when I first heard Steamroller Blues, I was sort of disappointed to hear how sloppy the show actually was. It's a great show, but it's not as tight as, for example, the Richmond show, which if we were to ever get on FTD, I guess I'd take that one unedited. I don't feel deprived for not having some false starts. For that matter, I wouldn't mind if one of J.D.'s dive bomber acts during Amen was left out, as in the original release.

I concede that for an FTD or import we are not accustomed to having edits like this, so I understand why it's sort of an issue. I guess it would have gone down easier if this had been a mainstream release, which would have been great, but I guess then we would not be getting the special FTD 7" packaging. It is a shame that Elvis's label doesn't have enough faith in the general public's interest to do that. Seems to me like it would actually sell better in the stores, but then perhaps still not enough to warrant mass-production. I wouldn't know. A possible explanation for the editing would be that this release, though not marketed to the general public, was assembled in that spirit since it is a remake of an official release, sort of meant to replace the deleted original album.

I guess I am also OK with the edits because the things missing are available on bootleg. So what we are getting from FTD (hopefully) is fantastic sound and a concert that has had its rough edges sharpened to make for the most pleasurable listen as possible.

Regarding the sound, reviews certainly seem to be mixed out there. Now, if they've really gone overboard with it, that will be disappointing, but generally I like it when some reverb is added to live shows because I think that at least semi-accurately reproduces the sound that you get in a place like the Mid-South Coliseum. So the listening experience for us should be similar to how it was for the lucky fans in attendance that night, and I think that is important in a live CD. (Soundboards in particular seem to benefit considerably from added reverb because it seems to really add some dimension to their usually rather dull sound, but that doesn't apply here obviously.)

Well anyway, I hope I get mine soon so I can stop talking about something I haven't heard!

[U.S. Male]

I received my copy of this title today, and I must say that I was very impressed with not only the sound quality, but the packaging as well. I thought the booklet that was included was a great idea. True, there are other nice photos of this show out there that were not included in the booklet (ok Unchained - time to go to work ), but still this release is a superb one, and I think it should have been a general release and not just for FTD.

As far as the sound goes, I was impressed right from the beginning of the 2001 theme. The sound seamed so crisp and level, and the audience sound was at a much better level as compared to the original release.

This is one title I am glad I bought!

[Jungleroom76]

Well, I received my copy of MEMPHIS and I must say that I am impressed with the sound quality! It is definitely an improvement over the original release on the RCA label a few years ago. After reading the early reviews on MEMPHIS, I was truly expecting the worst in terms of the sound quality, but I am definitely pleased with how the whole show sounds!!

And despite my earlier post on this thread, and having listened to this CD now as well as the STEAMROLLER BLUES import, I can say I have reversed my stance on the editing done on the FTD release...it's definitely not a big deal to me, as I had previously stated! What FTD chose to remove was edited out very well, and doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the CD!!

HOWEVER, I do have to say that I am somewhat disappointed in the packaging of the MEMPHIS CD!! After seeing what a great job FTD did with the first 6 soundtrack reissues, I truly thought they could have done a better job with the MEMPHIS show. For starters, the back cover was kind of wasted with just a plain white background and only the song titles listed. What about a few color photos or something to spruce it up? And, although I enjoyed the photos in the booklet, there must have been some additional text, or concert reviews that could have been included. Overall, I don't feel the packaging of MEMPHIS compares to the excellent job FTD has done with the previous 6 soundtrack reissues.

But, I really enjoyed listening to the show and am very happy to have it available in it's entirety (except for the few small edits)!

TCB!
Mike

[Liverbobs]

Got my copy yesterday and listened to it last night, seeing as I haven't heard this show since I heard it on the initial LP several years ago I was mightily impressed the sound is great ,Elvis is singing good and in a good mood, it might not be as tight a show as some, but it is still worth buying! , well that's my twopennerth anyway!!

[mn-designs]

I got this cd last week and i think it's one of the best releases by FTD records! The sound is very good, the missing talking or false starts, you don't miss. And i can't believe that rca waited so long to release this concert complete, because the cut songs are pretty good versions. But i can't help the feeling that rca should have released this one on the main label..they could delete the in concert special and added this one to the catologe, so the main public have only the best concert(s) to choose from. And this concert outclasses the Aloha concert by miles! Elvis is more relaxed here and his voice is as strong as ever! Listen to Trying to get to you, Steamroller Blues and so on..than you know what i mean. So very good job by the ftd staff!
Hope that i'm not alone with this small review..
Patrick

[Albert]

I just love this FTD release. I in the early 80s that the recordcompany didn't sell this release anymore, and i first heard this LP in the library. So I borrowed/lend it many, many times in a row. I just loved it.

With the first release on CD I was pleasantly supriced with the quality. A few years back I noticed that I lost the CD, but I bought it again only a few months back. A few weeks later FTD announced that they would re-release it <_<

Fortunately they did a fantastic job on it. The sound is even better than the old CD and the added songs are fantastic. I also own the Fort Baxter version, but the FTD is the real winner. I know it sounds weird, but this is Elvis almost on his best

[P.S. Annie]

Last night I had good listen, and I must say I LOVE IT. I think it is a great cd, good sound and Elvis is in a good mood, what else do we need

[sam]

It&#39;s good to see so many enjoying this release. I love it&#33;

[NightRider]

It&#39;s the most played cd in my collection for a long time.

Can&#39;t understand all the negative responses to it.

Its a fantastic release....Bring &#39;em on Ernst

[Lonniebealestreet]

Just got mine a few days ago, and I absolutely love it too. For the life of me I can&#39;t figure out why there would be any negative response to the sound. This is a fantastic release all the way around, and I&#39;m very thankful for it.