Title: Elvis On Tour - The Rehearsals (released: in 2005)

Label: FTD

Date: March 30 and 31 1972, RCA studios in Hollywood

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

Contents Rating: * * * * * / * * * * * +

Tracks: 1.Proud Mary 2.Polk Salad Annie 3.See See Rider 4.A Big Hunk O' Love 5.Johnny B. Goode 6.Young And Beautiful 7.Love Me 8.Hound Dog 9.Lawdy Miss Clawdy 10.For The Good Times 11.El Paso 12.Funny How Time Slips Away 13.Help Me Make It Through The Night 14.Release Me 15.Burning Love 16.Always On My Mind 17.First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 18.Never Been To Spain 19.Separate Ways (Duration: 51 min. 01 sec.)

Package: As always in case with FTD releases packaging is it's biggest problem. Unfortunately, the producers do not care about it at all and so we have to live with low resolution photographs and drops of glue under the see-through disk holder. But that's part of the label's policy, and since they provide thrilling material we are ready to close our eyes on it.

Elvis: Although he is clearly more relaxed and not as energetic as in case with the TTWII rehearsals, he still delivers fantastic performances and this record is a great insight.

Songs: We have been waiting for the rehearsal version of Young And Beautiful for a long time and it's great to finally have it. All in all we had expectations of longer playing time (see lower).

Review: The Elvis On Tour material has been awaited to be released officially for a long time, and finally we have it, even if so short. BMG has at least three (more or less) complete rehearsals in their vaults and we are treated with only 51 minutes of material! That's quite amazing and along with poor packaging is the only thing that could upset us regarding this release.

In all other terms we can wholeheartedly say that this release is the one we for sure could not live without! The sound quality is great and the material itself is outstanding! Beginning with a "Rolling on a river" rendition of Proud Mary we go on a great surf through fantastic material. It's a pity that Emory Gordy doesn't play Jerry Scheff's bass solo on the following version of Polk Salad Annie, without the Sweet Inspirations and the Joe Guercio orchestra the song sounds different, probably even more rocking than with them. We get to hear a very energetic rendition of See See Rider, which is yet to become the standard opener, and doesn't loose regarding fullness of sound without the orchestra as well. A Big Hunk O' Love is more rocking without the orchestra too, every nuance of the rhythm section is heard here and Elvis is clearly enjoying the performance as well. The Elvis On Tour opening song (Johnny B. Goode) is next, this version is known by heart by every fan, but we get to hear the band expecting the main riff to be played after the first refrain, but instead, Elvis chooses to sing the second verse - the same scheme that he had used in 1969. This is great stuff featuring Elvis in high spirits. A part of rehearsal of Young And Beautiful is here and this is probably the most thrilling moment of the whole CD, unfortunately, this rehearsal segment is short but then we get to hear the complete band's rendition of it and it only makes us wonder why Elvis hasn't added it to his standard program - this is such an intimate and accurate rendition that we just can't get it out of our minds now.

Love Me is beginning to get a kind of uninspired treatment, but still it is much better than any of the later versions. A slow / fast version of Hound Dog is next, and Elvis is clearly having much fun with this arrangement as does James Burton on his wah-wah pedal. Lawdy Miss Clawdy has Elvis even more interested, even if his voice is not as rough as we could expect, but the performance is great, with Elvis almost encouraging Mr. Hardin to play the piano break in the middle (announcing: "Glen D.!"). For The Good Times is very close to master, as we all know, they have been imitating the studio recording (as in case with Separate Ways and Always On Mind) in front of video cameras for the documentary, but the rendition is very passionate. The El Paso segment is very short - great to hear a new "song" by Elvis, but he performs only a couple of lines and the rest of the track features James tuning his guitar. A very calm and dedicated rendition of Funny How Time Slips Away is next and only Elvis' "Lying like a fool" comment after the line "How's your new love? I hope that he's doing fine," indicates his anger at the situation in his personal life. He however proudly says "Oh I get an F, man!" after hitting the note at the of the song. A very nice rendition of Help Me Make It Through The Night follows, here it is much nicer to have it without orchestra as well.

Elvis gives his all vocally during the following Release Me, the rhythm section shines on it too. Burning Love is close to master, but Elvis' voice seems stronger on this rehearsal version and he seems confused as he asks the band "but how we're gonna fade it onstage?" at the end of the song. A well known rendition of Always On My Mind (used in This Is Elvis for example) follows, only a little longer and with Elvis adding "that's all now" at the very end. Little attractive rendition of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face follows, our opinion is that the best ever version is the one that Elvis gave spontaneously on December 29, 1976. The drum arrangement that Ronnie Tutt uses here is closer to a kind of a march - no the best decision in our opinion. Never Been To Spain is one of those song we can't think of bad versions of which. Without the orchestra the song sounds much better and Elvis and the band are great as well. The CD ends with the movie version of Separate Ways preceded by Elvis singing the refrain of You Gave Me A Mountain (for whatever reason not featured on this release!).

We can conclude that the BMG stuff has done a fantastic job regarding sound remastering but we don't see the point of releasing so little from so much that they have in their vaults in same great sound quality. We can only dream of an official (or an unofficial, but in the same sound quality) release with all the On Tour rehearsals in chorological order. Until then we have to be thankful for this great release which is recommended to every Elvis fan around the world.

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