the december 76 tour

[lvs2day]

many would say that the december 76 tour was one of his greatest of the year and i would have to agree , can you imagine if the deal with cbs was struck earlier and they filmed at least one of these performances , i just would like to know your thoughts about the perormances from 76.

[Jungleroom76]

By far, the final tour of 1976 (including the historic New Year's Eve show in Pittsburgh) was his best tour of the year!!! In my opinion, Elvis completely wore himself out in 1976 with all of the touring. I realize that Elvis wanted to celebrate the bicentennial with as many fans as possible, but I truly believe he wore himself out with all of that touring. Just listen to some of the shows from the summer and you can clearly hear the fatigue and weakness in his voice!

And even as late as the final Vegas engagement at the beginning of December, Elvis wasn't in the best of shape physically or vocally. But something clearly changed from the end of the Vegas engagement to the beginning of the final tour. Some say it was because Ginger and Elvis were engaged to be married....maybe he just had a chance to enjoy a nice Christmas at home with his family...whatever the case, that final '76 tour was a GREAT one for sure!!!

TCB!
Mike

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

1976 is the worst year for Elvis IMO, he clearly struggled both physically and vocally, there was a light at the end of the tunnel in December.. However compared to 1975 it still wasn't great It was good for 1976.

I'm open and honest when it comes to performances from 1976/77 I'm not a big fan, don't get me wrong I would still sell body parts to have seen him even in his worst show

If CBS had recorded the Pittsburgh show it still would have been a shock for the casual fan to have seen Elvis looking very different to the Aloha show.

[Pacerstar]

I can say, because I was there, the October, l976, Dayton OH show was absolutely
great! If this show had been filmed for EIC no one could badly criticize Elvis' performance,
weight, energy or voice, imo. Yes, it would have been a completely different show from
the 1977 EIC.

[Getlo]

The short, December '76 tour probably was the best of that year.

But as 1976 was such an abysmal year overall, that really isn't saying much.

Pittsburgh, IMO, is the best of the five shows.

For all the shows, he was in fine vocal form.

But physically, he certainly wasn't up to par.

The shows are better listened to than seen.

[lvs2day]

i have to agree with many of you about 76 as a whole , he just wasn't up to it and no doubt 77 he was on auto pilot again especially durring the feb tour.

[EnigmaticSun]

Oh please.. 1976 was only accentuated by Elvis' fatigue during the summer shows. Even in that year he delivered plenty of entertaining shows in good vocal shape, if we don't limit our view to All Shook Up and Hound Dog.

This vocal weakness mainly concerned the period July/August to approximately September/October. Elvis had started to develop some ups and downs concerning staying power and focus as early as 1971/1972, if you ask me.

The most difficult thing for Elvis in '76/'77 was probably articulated speech, not performing! For some reason Elvis simply continued his weakness in the (late) summer months leading up to his death in 1977.

[GIORGIA]

I can say, because I was there, the October, l976, Dayton OH show was absolutely
great! If this show had been filmed for EIC no one could badly criticize Elvis' performance,
weight, energy or voice, imo. Yes, it would have been a completely different show from
the 1977 EIC.

Really?
Lucky you!
Sorry,but I'm Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo Envy!
Can you tell Me more about this Concert and about Elvis in this concert?
Please!

[GIORGIA]

By far, the final tour of 1976 (including the historic New Year's Eve show in Pittsburgh) was his best tour of the year!!!

And even as late as the final Vegas engagement at the beginning of December, Elvis wasn't in the best of shape physically or vocally. But something clearly changed from the end of the Vegas engagement to the beginning of the final tour. Some say it was because Ginger and Elvis were engaged to be married....maybe he just had a chance to enjoy a nice Christmas at home with his family...whatever the case, that final '76 tour was a GREAT one for sure!!!

TCB!
Mike

I totally agree with you My Friend!I see the New Year's Eve Show!On you Tube!
And I Love It!
And I think that the reason is the engaged from him and Ginger!
I believe in this!
Because Love Can do this!

[Pacerstar]

Really?
Lucky you!
Sorry,but I'm Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo Envy!
Can you tell Me more about this Concert and about Elvis in this concert?
Please!

Georgia, I would say that of the five live concerts that I saw this was the
best one. It even surpassed for me the l971 live concert that I saw. Elvis'
weight was down from the March '76 show. He wore the red flame jumpsuit.
He was so energetic! The hi-lite of the show for me was toward the end
when he brought a stool to the front of the stage and told us he was going
to do Blue Christmas. After some false starts and some joking around with
the guys on stage he sat down on the stool and sang Blue Christmas. That
was the only time I heard him do it live. I loved it. I noticed toward the end
of the show that people on stage were looking at their watches It did seem
to me that Elvis stayed on stage longer than he had in any other concert
that I attended. Being at an Elvis concert was like riding a roller coaster
for me. It was constant ups and downs. By that I mean he would do a
fast up-tempo song and have the crowd rockin' then he would go into a slow
ballad and calm everyone down, even bringing us to tears with songs like
You Gave Me a Mountain. When he did American Trilogy the crowd would be
standing. And then he would take off into another rockin' one. I know at the
end of his show I was exhausted just watching him. I can only imagine how
drained he must have been. Being in the same room with Elvis was an
electrifying experience even when that room was one that held thousands
of other people. And it is true that you did think that Elvis was singing just
to you. It didn't really matter where your seat was. At this show my seat
was 6 row, center stage!

[EnigmaticSun]

..an Elvis concert was like riding a roller coaster for me. It was constant ups and downs. By that I mean he would do a fast up-tempo song and have the crowd rockin' then he would go into a slow ballad and calm everyone down..

That is so true as he was capable of combining the most unexpected.. combinations - altogether! I mean.. from One Night to Just Pretend, who could imagine that?

Thank you for sharing your memories.. If we, Elvis-proletarians, could only overthrow them negative Elvis-capitalists we will make ourselves a brave new world where Elvis' later performances are appreciated as well!!

[Pacerstar]

That is so true as he was capable of combining the most unexpected.. combinations - altogether! I mean.. from One Night to Just Pretend, who could imagine that?

Thank you for sharing your memories.. If we, Elvis-proletarians, could only overthrow them negative Elvis-capitalists we will make ourselves a brave new world where Elvis' later performances are appreciated as well!!

**********
You are welcome. If we don't succeed in making that brave new world, it
won't be from lack of trying on my part, anyway!

[GIORGIA]

Georgia, I would say that of the five live concerts that I saw this was the
best one. It even surpassed for me the l971 live concert that I saw. Elvis'
weight was down from the March '76 show. He wore the red flame jumpsuit.
He was so energetic! The hi-lite of the show for me was toward the end
when he brought a stool to the front of the stage and told us he was going
to do Blue Christmas. After some false starts and some joking around with
the guys on stage he sat down on the stool and sang Blue Christmas. That
was the only time I heard him do it live. I loved it. I noticed toward the end
of the show that people on stage were looking at their watches It did seem
to me that Elvis stayed on stage longer than he had in any other concert
that I attended. Being at an Elvis concert was like riding a roller coaster
for me. It was constant ups and downs. By that I mean he would do a
fast up-tempo song and have the crowd rockin' then he would go into a slow
ballad and calm everyone down, even bringing us to tears with songs like
You Gave Me a Mountain. When he did American Trilogy the crowd would be
standing. And then he would take off into another rockin' one. I know at the
end of his show I was exhausted just watching him. I can only imagine how
drained he must have been. Being in the same room with Elvis was an
electrifying experience even when that room was one that held thousands
of other people. And it is true that you did think that Elvis was singing just
to you. It didn't really matter where your seat was. At this show my seat
was 6 row, center stage!

WOW!
Thank you very much for your Beautiful Words!
Reading this is like to Me here in this Show!
WOW!
Again,Thank you!

P.s You saw also one 71' concert?

[Pacerstar]

WOW!
Thank you very much for your Beautiful Words!
Reading this is like to Me here in this Show!
WOW!
Again,Thank you!

P.s You saw also one 71' concert?

You are so very welcome, Georgia. Yes, I saw Elvis live in concert for the
first time in l971. Needless to say, that was a fantastic and very memorable
show. That would be my second choice of the 5 live shows that I saw. But,
I will also say that I would love to see any one of them again.

[GIORGIA]

You are so very welcome, Georgia. Yes, I saw Elvis live in concert for the
first time in l971. Needless to say, that was a fantastic and very memorable
show. That would be my second choice of the 5 live shows that I saw. But,
I will also say that I would love to see any one of them again.

I Believe this!
And as I said before,LUCKY YOU!
And again,Thank you!

[GIORGIA]

And it is true that you did think that Elvis was singing just
to you.

Me too!
When I see and listen Elvis is as Sing only for Me!
And this feeling is MARVELLOUS!

[Jungleroom76]

But physically, he certainly wasn't up to par.

The shows are better listened to than seen.

You really think so Getlo??

I've watched the Pittsburgh footage many times and I have to say that he was looking far better at that time then he did at just about any other time in 1976 and considering he was about to turn 42, I thought he was still moving pretty well....again, in comparison to much of the rest of 1976! Although I do have to say that the whole lying on the stage while singing the ending of HURT was a little over the top, in my opinion...

Anyway, I would be most interested to hear your thoughts on why you thought he wasn't physically fit during this tour. Certainly when you compare Pittsburgh '76 to Vegas '69 or '70, you are right...but again, given his physical fitness during a majority of 1976, Pittsburgh showed a much slimmer, more physically fit Elvis than we had seen in a long time...

Again, just my opinion...

TCB!
Mike

[GIORGIA]

You really think so Getlo??

I've watched the Pittsburgh footage many times and I have to say that he was looking far better at that time then he did at just about any other time in 1976 and considering he was about to turn 42, I thought he was still moving pretty well....again, in comparison to much of the rest of 1976!

Anyway, I would be most interested to hear your thoughts on why you thought he wasn't physically fit during this tour. Certainly when you compare Pittsburgh '76 to Vegas '69 or '70, you are right...but again, given his physical fitness during a majority of 1976, Pittsburgh showed a much slimmer, more physically fit Elvis than we had seen in a long time...

Again, just my opinion...

TCB!
Mike

Hi Darling Friend!
I agree with you!

[Jungleroom76]

Hi Darling Friend!
I agree with you!

Thanks Giorgia!

TCB!
Mike

[Getlo]

And I think that the reason is the engaged from him and Ginger! I believe in this! Because Love Can do this!

In love with Ginger? That's too funny.

Also, the rumoured engagement occurred on January 26th, 1977, so you're way off.

Elvis was in (relatively) good form in Pittsburgh because it was New Year's Eve and the final night of the tour. He was in a natural party mode, and it had nothing to do with young Miss Alden.