Title: Last Time In Portland (released in 2003)

Label: Memory Records

Date: November 26, 1976, Portland, Oregon

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

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

Tracks: 1.2001 theme 2.C.C. Rider 3.I Got A Woman (with false start) / Amen 4.Love Me 5.If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 6.You Gave Me A Mountain 7.Jailhouse Rock 8.It’s Now or Never 9.All Shook Up 10.(Let me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don’t be Cruel 11.And I Love You So 12.Fever 13.America (The Beautiful) 14.Band Introductions 15.Early Morning Rain 16. What'd I Say (incomplete) 17.Johnny B. Goode 18.Drums Solo (Ronnie Tutt) 19.Bass Solo (Blues - Jerry Scheff) 20. Piano Solo (Tony Brown) 21.Electric Piano Solo (David Briggs) 22.Love Letters 23.School Day (Hail Hail Rock ‘n’ Roll Theme) 24.Hurt 25.Hound Dog 26.Danny Boy (Sherill Nielsen) 27.Walk With Me (Sherrill Nielsen) 28.Funny How Time Slips Away 29.Hawaiian Wedding Song 30.Blue Christmas 31.That’s All Right Mama 32.Can’t Help Falling In Love 33.Closing Vamp (Duration: 79 min. 45 sec.)

Package: The package is nice, with very good pictures by Bob Heis (actually, from October 22) and short liner notes by Rick Rennie, though we can only guess, whether he has recorded this audience tape or not.

Elvis: He gets better and better as the concert progresses. He seems interested most of the time.

Highlights: You Gave Me A Mountain is a fantastically phrased version, while It's Now Or Never features great vocal control. And I Love You So is very accurate too, a great rendition.

Review: 1976 was a combination of very low points in Elvis' career (see Old Times They Are Not Forgotten for instance) and fantastic ones too (Auld Lang Syne, Hot Winter Night In Dallas, Burning In Birmingham). The November tour was much better than the previous ones in that year (it is speculated, that his new girlfriend, Ginger Alden, was the reason of his inspiration) and Elvis could wear different suits once again, having lost some weight in the off time. Probably, everyone around him was expecting Mr. Presley to get in shape once again, as he had done previously after September of 1973 and October of 1974, and the last three months of 1976 seemed to be a step into the right direction, but the magic would be gone by February and was never to come back. As Larry Geller wrote in his diary around this time: "How long can the drugs and his feelings about Ginger keep him on this high?"

Memory Records put out this CD, documenting the November 26-th performance in Portland, Oregon. As in case with most their recent releases this is an audience recording, an average sounding one. The tape is damaged in the beginning, C.C. Rider begins the set and it is a pretty good version, much better than the ones from the summer tour. I Got A Woman, on the other hand, is very-very long, the monologues are hardly audible (because of the sound quality), and the song doesn't seem to be energetic at all. Elvis greets the audience and introduces himself as Glen Campbell before starting Love Me, which is a yet another scarf-giving version. If You Love Me is a very nice song and Elvis seems to have liked singing it, but this is not among the best versions of this song, Elvis' voice is still a little weak on parts. With the next song Elvis becomes more focused in the phrasing and You Gave Me A Mountain becomes a real masterpiece (unfortunately, the tape is seriously damaged, and it's very obvious on this song). After the song Elvis complains that the "sound isn't right on the stage, it's not balanced," probably, this comment says it all - Mr. Presley is in control this evening - he is not just staying there on stage like in case with so many concerts of the later years - he is interested. Jailhouse Rock is an unexpectedly energetic version, closer to the end James Burton makes an interesting guitar lick. "This next is a song that I did in 1960 called It's Now Or Never". The performance is outstanding, Elvis voice is great here. "Charlie this water is hot, should we drink hot water? We have to..." Elvis complains before the few oldies which bring real hysteria to the audience, but are no better than the hundreds of other versions we have from the late 70-s. And I Love You So is very accurately sung, Elvis shows wonderful voice control, and the phrasing is close to ideal. Fever is next, it is received with screams as always. "Since this is our nation's bicentennial year I'd like to do our version of America The Beautiful," Elvis declares as the silent audience patiently listens to the very emotional rendition.

Early Morning Rain is a very short rendition, and it's a real pity since Elvis hits the low notes very well this evening (usually he is doubled by somebody from the Stamps). What'd I Say and Johnny B. Goode don't leave the impression of outstanding performances, while Love Letters just doesn't seem to be the right song for live performances anyway.

Having the introductions left behind, Elvis launches into Hurt, this song seems a little weak today, Elvis' voice is a little uncontrolled, but in overall it's a decent performance. Hound Dog is throwaway, following are two songs by Sherill Neilson, they are well performed but we could live without them. Funny How Time Slips Away features some fine guitar licks by James Burton, but in other terms, there's nothing special in it. Next is a rather unexpected rendition of the Hawaiian Wedding Song, which has some beautifully played notes by Tony Brown on the piano. Elvis decides that this is not all, and asks for his guitar to "sing blue Christmas". The song is quite well performed, but the following That's All Right is not the greatest version we have heard, though Elvis seems to be enjoying singing it. Can't Help Falling In Love seems to be slower than usual, but there are no regular loud shouts from the audience in the very first notes of it, and we should say that Elvis' voice seems a bit upset in the beginning of it, as if he doesn't want to end the concert.

This concert seems to be a reflection of every aspect of year 1976. There are a few low points in the concert, but mostly the performance is very good, especially the ballads (You Gave Me A Mountain, And I Love You So). It may not have the energy of the December 76' tour, but at least Elvis is not as bothered as in the previous tours of the year. But taking in account that this is an audience recording and not of highest class, we would recommend it to real collectors only.

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