Title: In Dreams Of Yesterday

Label: Memory Records

Date: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 28, 1974, 8:30 PM

Sound Quality: * * * / * * * * * +

Concert Rating: * * * * - / * * * * * +

Tracks: 1.See See Rider 2.I Got A Woman / Amen 3.Turn Around, Look At Me 4.Love Me 5.Trying To Get To You 6.All Shook Up 7.Love Me Tender 8.Hound Dog 9.Fever 10.Polk Salad Annie 11.Why me Lord? 12.Suspicious Minds 13.Band Introductions 14.I Can't Stop Loving You 15.Help Me 16.Bridge Over Troubled Water 17.Let Me Be There 18.Funny How Time Slips Away 19.Big Boss Man 20.Steamroller Blues 21.Can't Help Falling In Love

Package: The producers of the CD decided not to spoil us with photographs inside the package. The cover, the back side, the inside, and the picture disc are beautiful, the three page text inside is very informative. In overall, the package is fine, though clearly not a masterpiece.

Elvis: Though the program is very similar to the opening concert of the tour from two weeks before (released recently on The Man in White) Elvis is in a much better form on this concert, he seems to be enjoying his work more, and his voice sounds more powerful.

Highlights: The songs are all very well performed, but as I have to choose some highlights, I would mention Bridge Over Troubled Water, Steamroller Blues and Big Boss Man.

Review: First of all a few words about the sound. In my opinion it is better than on the above mentioned The Man In White because we get to hear more instruments on this CD. The high frequencies are cut on this release, which leads to a more enjoyable sound. Still the bass drum is very clearly heard, which is annoying at times. All in all, the sound is not of the highest class, but a bit better than on the Lone Star label release.

The CD starts with a very good rendition of See See Rider. Elvis is clearly in good mood. Then he goes into the already standard I Got A Woman introduction. The song itself is not of the highest class. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is, uh... Wayne Newton" Elvis says and after a request of turning around he goes into a 15 second version of Turn Around and Look At Me, which ends soon when Elvis says "Fellows this won't go any further, 'cause I don't know the words to it" and quickly goes into a standard (non-energetic) version of Love Me. Following is a great rendition of Trying To Get, which is followed by less than OK versions of All Shook Up, Love Me Tender and Hound Dog. Fever suffers from Duke Bardwell's terrible playing on bass. The more I listen to the 74' recording the less I understand why Elvis couldn't find a better bass player. Also there are some sound problems on this song, the sound disappears almost completely a few times in the middle of the song. Polk Salad is very energetic on the other side, and Elvis gives so much of himself during it that he has to ask J.D. Sumner to sing Why Me Lord? It is probably one of the last serious versions of this song - a few months later during the summer engagement in Las Vegas Elvis will begin to make fun of J.D. during this song. Suspicious Minds is not of high class, however the ones that like the post 1970' versions of this song will probably enjoy this version too, but in my opinion this song was a looser after 1970.

"I'd like to introduce you to the members of my group, before I go any further... Before they go any further" Elvis jokes and goes into a 3 minute introductions of the group which end with Elvis saying: "Our conductor is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr. Joe Guercio" (note: this concert was being played at Milwaukee Wisconsin) and a few seconds late, after introducing the orchestra, Elvis says: "I didn't know you're from Milwaukee, Joe, you didn't? You didn't know it either. I'm from Tupelo, Wisconsin!" Then Elvis goes into a fantastic rendition of I Can't Stop Loving You. After this tour Elvis will drop this song from the regular show. After this song Elvis goes into a very nice rendition of Help Me. However, after this song Elvis decides to spoil the audience (and us too!) with a spontaneous version of Bridge Over Troubled Water by simple saying: "Let's do bridge!" This song is greatly performed - thanks to Elvis! Let Me Be There is a nice version, though the song probably never sounded better than on the Memphis show some three moths before. In my opinion this song is a rare case when a song became worse (and not better as most often) from one concert to another, although Elvis always seemed to enjoy performing it. The wah-wah effect that James Burton uses is great, though.

The source probably changes after the end of this song. The sound becomes more clear, less hiss is heard, the sound level is higher. The bass also sounds differently on this part of the CD - I don't know, whether Duke uses other sound equipment (if this is an another concert) or the sound engineer changes the sound setup radically. However the sound is much more clear. Funny How Time Slips Away is not of high class, while the following Big Boss Man is clearly one of the greatest versions of this song. It seems that the concert comes to an end. But Elvis is in so high spirits that he chooses to continue with an out of sight version of Steamroller Blues. It is a big shame that Elvis didn't add more blues material to his show. In reality, we have to be thankful for what we get to hear. The show ends with I Can't Help Falling In Love.

Well, as I have mentioned before this concert is of much better class than the tour opener. This is the type of the show which combines the high quality of the work-out concert and the spontaneous feel of a fantastic Presley show. It is recommended for all serious collectors.

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