Madison Square Garden shows - underrated??

[Jungleroom76]

With the recently announced exciting news about the upcoming box set featuring both of Elvis' Madison Square Garden shows, along with the poll started by Albert asking fans to choose the best touring year of Elvis' career, I thought this topic was rather timely to ask.

For many years now, I have maintained the opinion that Elvis' shows at Madison Square Garden are often overlooked, and perhaps even underrated, in Elvis' career. Perhaps this comes as a result of the ALOHA FROM HAWAII show, which occurred only 7 months later and was the first worldwide telecast ever transmitted via satellite? Obviously the ALOHA show garnered much more attention for a variety of reasons, but in my honest opinion, if faced with the decision between ALOHA or MSG, I will pick MSG every time!

Many Elvis fans maintain the opinion that Elvis' ALOHA show was his best show in the 70's, but to me, it just seems so toned down or "safe" to me. Yes, I know that the primary reason for that is because so many people were witnessing the ALOHA show and that it had to be perfect. I understand that completely, but as much as I am a true, diehard Elvis fan, at times it didn't seem like I was watching the real Elvis during the ALOHA show. He seemed so hesitant and nervous to me, and why wouldn't he be naturally given the historic nature of the show? However, despite my understanding of why Elvis acted the way he did in the show, watching the ALOHA show really doesn't showcase the true Elvis Presley. Was the voice there -- of course!! Just listen to songs like WHAT NOW MY LOVE or AMERICAN TRILOGY! That amazing voice was on display 100% for the world to see, no question! But it was the body language and visual portion of Elvis' performance which doesn't seem real to me.

Contrast that to Elvis' performances at Madison Square Garden and it's like night and day. Not only is the voice on display for all of New York City to hear, but judging from the rare video footage that has surfaced over the years, Elvis was CLEARLY more comfortable on stage at MSG (despite the fact that it was his first time playing the Garden and that he was performing before such a large and critical crowd) than he was during the ALOHA show. Comparing the setlists between the MSG and ALOHA shows is like comparing apples and oranges, but in my opinion, the MSG shows had a much better blend of original Elvis classics along with the cover songs that Elvis loved so much! Riskier performances like POLK SALAD ANNIE add so much more excitement to the MSG shows...something that the ALOHA shows were lacking, in my opinion.

So the main question is...do YOU think the MSG shows are underrated performances in Elvis' career? I'm sure other fans have reasons aside from the ALOHA show has to the reason why the MSG shows are often overlooked and I would love to read them!!

TCB!
Mike

[vivaelvis]

Yes, without any doubt! The perception of Elvis in the 70's is usually as a washed up overweight Vegas act. The Garden shows prove that he was far from that and that he was still slim (although starting to put some weight on in the midsection, but not much to really notice) and still rocking. He still had passion and cared about his appearance and his performances on stage. He was more of a serious business-first entertainer and giving the public their money's worth and less cutting up and cracking jokes and screwing up songs. Albeit, he wasn't heavily medicated during those Garden shows as he would be starting in 73. The Garden shows are also flawless, or close to perfect as you're going to get with an Elvis concert and featured no throwaway performances. He also opened the set with that's All Right, which was not his normal opener at that time as he was by then using See See Rider as the opening number.

[Unchained Melody]

The difference with Aloha than most other performances was that he was going to be seen live by alot of people and he wanted to be seen as a all around singer, not just the rockin' hillbilly cat he was known for.

Both are magnificent performances but I take MSG over Aloha and I do say that MSG is underrated.
Interesting Mike you made this thread, just lastnight i was listening to the June 9th 1972 Opening show at the Garden from an audience recording, and man it blew me away you could hear in his voice his nerves but he let it all hang out and it was an outstanding show, as were the rest that followed.

Great thread man!

[Raised on Rock]

Elvis at the MSG was pushing the envelope, trying to blew everybody's mind. Elvis at the Aloha show, was Elvis playing safe and professional. In context he achieved a lot in the Aloha by playing by the rules, but we all know Elvis worked and sounded far better, both on stage or in the studio, in very relaxed and informal situations when he was able to forget about the rules. Well... in fact Elvis worked the best in very strained situations but with open space to relax and do whatever he wanted. Elvis at Sun, first RCA sessions, his first post army sessions, memphis '69 sessions, and of course the '68 special and the first '69 vegas season performances benefited from that, and yes the '72 N.Y. gigs sounds great because they are in that same category, it was a challenge, not an easy one, he was scared, nervous, but he was able to relax and lose himself into his performance as the only way to survive the challenge.


I love the Aloha, but I would go for the MSG shows if we are speaking in terms of sound and music. Aloha works great with the visuals, works great as a TV show, works aces as enterteinment, but in terms of music and sound, not all of the tracks work very well on its own (and the album mix is awful hope next year they remix this one too).

Elvis was nervous and had a challenge in the Aloha show, which was good, but the format of the show didn't allow him to relax and to be able to lose himself into his performances, it was the oposite, he had to be so aware of every little detail, that he became so selfconcious, and that made him a bit stiff on many performances, ones that he could have done better with no trouble in the studio or any other live situation, it is to notice that the best moments in the Aloha show, as well as the best tracks in the album aside of the TV show, are the ones in which for a little while he achieved to "forget" that he was being filmed live and world wide. Aloha was about big time profesional entertainment, and he was a success gettin along with that challenge, but musically speaking, it didn't came close to what he was able to do being not merely an entertainer but a MUSICIAN. The music man it is present on previous live albums as On Stage and the MSG album, as well as in the studio.

Yet because of its historical status, most critics had gonne for the Aloha shows as the stickyard of the Elvis 70's live sound, or simply the 70's Elvis sound, yet because what I've tried to explain, Aloha is really not his best in terms of music, it is fantastic as a TV show, period, but not so much as an album, so YES, that makes the MSG album completely underrated as one in which he was really able to do his best as a performer, as the musician doing what he did best in the studio in a live situation, and in one that was indeed a challenge for him.

WELL underrated not for much longer with this new release I hope!

[Unchained Melody]

Elvis at the MSG was pushing the envelope, trying to blew everybody's mind. Elvis at the Aloha show, was Elvis playing safe and professional. In context he achieved a lot in the Aloha by playing by the rules, but we all know Elvis worked and sounded far better, both on stage or in the studio, in very relaxed and informal situations when he was able to forget about the rules. Well... in fact Elvis worked the best in very strained situations but with open space to relax and do whatever he wanted. Elvis at Sun, first RCA sessions, his first post army sessions, memphis '69 sessions, and of course the '68 special and the first '69 vegas season performances benefited from that, and yes the '72 N.Y. gigs sounds great because they are in that same category, it was a challenge, not an easy one, he was scared, nervous, but he was able to relax and lose himself into his performance as the only way to survive the challenge.


I love the Aloha, but I would go for the MSG shows if we are speaking in terms of sound and music. Aloha works great with the visuals, works great as a TV show, works aces as enterteinment, but in terms of music and sound, not all of the tracks work very well on its own (and the album mix is awful hope next year they remix this one too).

Elvis was nervous and had a challenge in the Aloha show, which was good, but the format of the show didn't allow him to relax and to be able to lose himself into his performances, it was the oposite, he had to be so aware of every little detail, that he became so selfconcious, and that made him a bit stiff on many performances, ones that he could have done better with no trouble in the studio or any other live situation, it is to notice that the best moments in the Aloha show, as well as the best tracks in the album aside of the TV show, are the ones in which for a little while he achieved to "forget" that he was being filmed live and world wide. Aloha was about big time profesional entertainment, and he was a success gettin along with that challenge, but musically speaking, it didn't came close to what he was able to do being not merely an entertainer but a MUSICIAN. The music man it is present on previous live albums as On Stage and the MSG album, as well as in the studio.

Yet because of its historical status, most critics had gonne for the Aloha shows as the stickyard of the Elvis 70's live sound, or simply the 70's Elvis sound, yet because what I've tried to explain, Aloha is really not his best in terms of music, it is fantastic as a TV show, period, but not so much as an album, so YES, that makes the MSG album completely underrated as one in which he was really able to do his best as a performer, as the musician doing what he did best in the studio in a live situation, and in one that was indeed a challenge for him.

WELL underrated not for much longer with this new release I hope!

Interesting comments. I disagree with the part of Aloha being a better visual performance, from the footage available from MSG, THAT would have been a better visual performance, Elvis was too stiff in Aloha, and just distant from the audience it seemed.
For visual i go for MSG, and musically Aloha.
Heck thats a tough one though both were musically superb (minus the obvious throwaways from Aloha)

[rocknroll]

Absolutely. IMO, MSG was more in line with the current rock shows of the time. It sounds loud, fast and the rhythm band was very hot, especially the evening show. I think what really pushed the shows was the New York audiance. It seemed louder and more into the concert than the usual Vegas crowd, or the usual older, more mature audiances you hear in his other live albums.

[Snake Eyes]

Magnificent thread and very articulate comments. My first real introduction to Elvis on stage was Aloha, even though I had heard various performances elsewhere, I just hadn't seen concert performances.

I have never thought of MSG as underrated, the shows are without a doubt phenomenal and anybody with ears can hear this. The differences between Aloha and MSG are also obvious. Aloha was more of a showcase for Elvis and undoubtedly the one show where he was aware that all eyes were on him, the time constraints and fact that it would eventually be streamed worldwide made it one show where he couldn't really cut loose. That said, I'm glad I saw this show before any others because this was the show that decided my fate, I became an Elvis fan.

MSG on the other hand, well what can I say? The crowds reaction when he comes on stage sends shivers down my spine. Listening to the show you can feel the atmosphere and you know Elvis is having a great time, he also looked and sounded gorgeous. You've Lost That Loving feeling is a highlight for me, especially with the higher than normal note, pure class.

Both shows in my eyes are great and both appeal to my different moods. I do think it's fair to say that almost all Elvis fans can agree that MSG were fantastic shows, yet Aloha divides us all.

[Joe Car]

He was phenomenal at MSG! Vocally, he was untouchable during these concerts!

[Kajo]

The difference with Aloha than most other performances was that he was going to be seen live by alot of people and he wanted to be seen as a all around singer, not just the rockin' hillbilly cat he was known for.

Both are magnificent performances but I take MSG over Aloha and I do say that MSG is underrated.
Interesting Mike you made this thread, just lastnight i was listening to the June 9th 1972 Opening show at the Garden from an audience recording, and man it blew me away you could hear in his voice his nerves but he let it all hang out and it was an outstanding show, as were the rest that followed.

Great thread man!

I Love this thread as much as I love this album It is very underrated. I have always wondered why they didn't release it on video. I think 1972 is one of his best years as we can hear on Elvis on tour aswell as on many other bootleg shows. He was rockin' enjoying the shows, the outfits were great and the voice and passion for music was just great. He had it all. So, I completely agree with you Unchained melody. Great thread.