Event #8

[Jungleroom76]

Event Number 8



Tracks:

Opening riff
See see rider
I got a woman / Amen
Love me
Trying to get to you
All shook up
Love me tender
Johnny B Goode
Hound dog
Fever
Polk salad Annie
Why me Lord
Suspicious Minds
Introductions to band
I can't stop loving you
Help me
How great Thou art (with reprise)
Let me be there (with reprise)
Funny how time slips away
Elvis talks
Can't help falling in love
Closing riff

Label: Madison CWP 03
Released: 2000
Sound quality: very good

Date: March 3, 1974 (afternoon show)
Location: Houston, The Houston Astrodome

Jumpsuit: White studded nail circle suit

Reviews: 1


HERE IS A REVIEW I WROTE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR MY WEBSITE ON THE MADISON IMPORT RELEASE "EVENT #8":

Rarely does an import CD come along that BEGS for a special place on your shelf. One of the more recent releases from the increasingly popular "Madison" import label is entitled "Event Number 8", and this CD DOES INDEED deserve that special place on your shelf.

"Event Number 8" is a soundboard recording, chronicling Elvis' afternoon performance at the Houston Astrodome on March 3, 1974. Most Elvis fans would ask the question why this release is SO special, when soundboard recordings from 1974 are fairly common and widely available. The reason why "Event Number 8" is a MUST HAVE CD is not for the song selection, but the WAY the songs are performed!

The Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas was originally designed to host sporting events such as baseball and football, as well as the yearly "Livestock and Rodeo Show". The Astrodome was not necessarily designed as a concert hall, therefore the various logistics of hosting a concert at the Astrodome are quite different than in a regular concert hall. This was ESPECIALLY the case when hosting an Elvis Presley show!

For starters, the stage is set in the middle of the building, isolated from the fans which sit in the stands around the outside perimeter. This basically places Elvis and his band on an "island" in the middle of the Astrodome. Instead of Elvis walking on to the stage, he has to be DRIVEN to the stage in the middle of the Astrodome. Once on stage, Elvis is unable to have contact with his audience, and is barely able to hear them applaud between songs. But the stage set-up is only the BEGINNING of the challenge for Elvis! Due to the size limitations of the stage itself, Elvis was unable to use an orchestra when performing at the Astrodome. This factor brings us to our original reason as to why "Event Number 8" is SO special and unique!

Without an orchestra, Elvis simply arrives to the stage at the beginning of the show as the band plays an "opening riff". The song selection for "Event Number 8" is basically standard fare for an early 1974 show, but the fun comes in listening to these songs WITHOUT the orchestra backing up Elvis and the band. The songs throughout "Event Number 8" have an almost rehearsal feeling to them, with just Elvis, the TCB Band and the back-up singers. Songs like "See See Rider", "Polk Salad Annie", "Suspicious Minds" and "Help Me" have a very stripped down, basic feel to them, and it is both interesting and refreshing to hear!! And, because of the lack of an orchestra backing them up, Elvis, his band members and back-up singers all give an extra 200% effort during the show!

Here is the complete track listing for "Event Number 8":

Opening Riff
See See Rider
I Got A Woman/Amen
Love Me
Trying to Get to You
All Shook Up
Love Me Tender
Johnny B. Goode
Hound Dog
Fever
Polk Salad Annie
Why Me Lord?
Suspicious Minds
Band Introductions
I Can't Stop Loving You
Help Me
How Great Thou Art (with reprise)
Let Me Be There (with reprise)
Funny How Time Slips Away
Can't Help Falling In Love
Exit Riff

The overall sound quality of "Event Number 8" is excellent...almost as if Elvis and the band are performing right there in your living room. Considering the Houston Astrodome was not intended to host music concerts, the sound is OUTSTANDING...something the fans are becoming very used to with each subsequent release from the folks at the "Madison" label.

"Event Number 8" comes packaged with a 6-page booklet full of great photos and a very well-written essay about Elvis' performances at the Astrodome. The CD looks like a record, with a yellow label, and the CD inlay features another great photo of Elvis!! Great front and back cover photos, along with the track listing on the back cover completes the superb packaging job!

So, dust off a place of honor on your CD shelf, and be sure to have YOUR copy of "Event Number 8" displayed proudly!! A NECESSARY ADDITION to your Elvis CD collection!

HOPE EVERYONE FINDS THIS REVIEW USEFUL!!
TCB!
Mike

[New Jam]

Very well written & thoughtful review of the cd. Have never been able to stumble across it, but after reading what you wrote, will look a little harder for it.

Mike, thanks for taking the time to write these review's. Think many here will find them very useful, myself included.

Jeff

[Jungleroom76]

THANKS A MILLION JEFF!!!

I hope others will find my reviews useful!! And hopefully, one of these days, I can take some time to write a few more reviews for some of the import CD's, FTD CD's, and DVD's that I have in my collection!!

And, believe me Jeff, it is worth your time to hunt down a copy of EVENT #8!!! It really is a unique sounding concert, and one that I am sure you would really love to hear!! Hearing some of those songs without the orchestration is just so cool!!

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR KIND WORDS JEFF!!
TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

THANKS AS ALWAYS EVERYONE FOR YOUR KIND WORDS!!!

This is indeed one of my favorite import CD's as well...just such a unique sound to it!!

Glad you all enjoyed my review!! THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR KIND WORDS!!

TCB!
Mike

[robert-gil]

waow ! i just bought this cd and it's a **************** great show; sound quality is perfect; Elvis talks. jokes; i love it !!!!

[Lonniebealestreet]

This is indeed one impressive release. I hadn't really thought about it in some time until it was mentioned in the EP forum recently.

I would say that this is one of the essential concert CDs period that would appeal to any Elvis fan; it could be released by BMG. (OK, it is a soundboard recording, but a very nice quality one.)

It is really Elvis at the top of his game. The pace of this show reminds me of the Madison Square Garden shows. Everything is tight and Elvis is all business. Well, he throws in a joke or two but it all comes across very well. He seems surprisingly well connected with this distant but enthusiastic audience.

It is just so unique as well for the absence of the orchestra, the very long intro and outtros, and the stage setting. What a special event ("I'm Event Number Eight!") for which Elvis definitely rose to the occasion with several stellar performances.

Definitely a high point for 1974, a year with some extremely low ones. Playing this after a subpar show (or anytime) makes for a quite refreshing listen!

BTW great review, Mike! Strange sense of deja vu...

[kingkelo74]

One Of The Best Live Elvis Album's I've ever Listen To.