Title: Rocking The Northwest (released in 2005)

Label: Memory Records (MR 2047-2)

Date: November 27, 1976, Eugene, Oregon

Sound Quality (Concert): * * / * * * * * +

Concerts Rating: * * * * / * * * * * +

Tracks: A) Part of the pre-program: 1.If You Leave Me Now (performed by the Sweet Inspirations) 2.Sweet Inspiration (performed by the Sweet Inspirations) B) Elvis show: 3.Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001 A Space Odyssey Theme) 4.C.C. Rider 5.I Got A Woman / Amen (medley) 6.Love Me 7.If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 8.Love Me Tender 9.All Shook Up 10.Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel (medley) 11.You Gave Me A Mountain 12.Blue Suede Shoes 13.How Great Thou Art (incomplete) 14.Fever 15.Steamroller Blues 16.It's Now Or Never 17.America (The Beautiful) 18.Band Introductions 19.Early Morning Rain 20.What'd I Say 21.Johnny B. Goode 22.Drums Solo (Ronnie Tutt) 23.Bass Solo (Blues - Jerry Scheff) 24.Piano Solo (Tony Brown) 25.Electric Piano Solo (David Briggs) 26.Love Letters 27.School Days (Hail, Hail Rock'n'Roll) 28.Hurt 29.Hound Dog 30.Hawaiian Wedding Song 31.Can't Help Falling In Love 32.Closing Vamp (Duration: 77 min. 43 sec.)

Package: It's very simple but pretty attractive - some close up pictures (it's hard to say whether they are from the actual show) are fine except the one that is hidden behind the CD - it seems like Elvis is very puzzled with something. The liner notes are fine as always, the picture disc is nice. In overall - a step in the right direction by Memory Records after the strange designs of their recent CDs such as I Did It My Way. Unfortunately, the design still can not match the level that it had on their West Coast series (see West Coast Tour Volume 1 (On The Road Again) and West Coast Tour Volume 2 (Shining In Portland) for reference)

Elvis: The oldies are presented in a rushed manner as always, but such songs as You Gave Me A Mountain and It's Now Or Never, not even mentioning Steamroller, How Great Thou Art and Hurt show the performer totally in control of his vocal and are real highlights. .

Songs: Almost all of them are masterpieces: a very rare Young and Beautiful, the sentimental My Boy, the gentle Until It's Time For You To Go and so on. But what I consider the real highlight of these shows is Why Me Lord? - Elvis laughs, imitating God when hearing The Stamps. I just can't stop laughing with him, when Elvis says addressing to JD Sumner "Kiss me!". For what I love this CD most, is the fact that Elvis changes the words in the songs: "I'm not a King, I'm just a man, take my scarf (hand)"; "The old home town looks the same, as I fell out (step down) from the train" and this could be endless list of replacements Elvis did that time.

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 documents the Eugene concert from November 27, 1976. The previous day's concert has been released on their Last Time In Portland some two years earlier, but here we are treated with a little better sounding tape, the main problem of which seems to be the never ending tape damages. Also it seems that the tape machine is located too far from the sound system which results a natural echo (if this is not the so-called "digital remastering" job :)). The far location also results a too loud audience, which may bother a bit but gives you a "being there feeling".

From the very moment Elvis walks onstage (and we already have been warmed up by two Sweet Inspirations' songs, by the way) we hear what people call hysteria. There is some tape trouble closer to the end of C.C. Rider - which itself is a mediocre version - resulting an incomplete ending. I Got A Woman is a yet another poor attempt on an old classic, but the audience loves it and continues going wild. After greeting the audience Elvis throws himself and the band into a scarf-giving Love Me, vocally a well delivered version. A very good rendition of If You Love Me follows, with the audience clapping along the rhythm in the beginning. Unexpectedly Elvis launches into a nice, long version of Love Me Tender, which doesn't end even after 3 verses, as the band seems confused but Elvis is determined to sing the third verse one more time. The following oldies are for the audience members only, since they do not seem anywhere near to being inspired. You Gave Me A Mountain is a very good, well phrased rendition. The following Blue Suede Shoes is unfortunately performed in the standard rushed manner. How Great Thou Art misses the beginning but the surviving second part of the song showcases fantastic vocal control from Elvis, a great performance in one word. Fever brings some fever, since the audience goes wild and Elvis clearly enjoys the moment (as he always does). When Elvis declares "Steamroller," the band seems confused for a second, as there is a pause which is broken when Elvis repeats a few seconds later "Steamroller" and James begins this blues song which really moves Elvis and the crowd claps approvingly at the end. It's Now Or Never is a highlight as it has been the day before - it seems that Elvis has no difficulties controlling his high notes and enjoys performing this classic song. America (the single that never was) continues the concert and Elvis' voice is fantastic again.

Elvis' speech during the following introductions is a bit strange (he seems to be loosing concentration of what he is talking about) which might lead to a thought that he is rather under influence of something. The in between songs are as always short, which already avoids the possibility of them becoming highlights of this concert. Love Letters has a part missing and it's a pity since this is one of the best versions of this song, Elvis controls his voice much better than he usually does. Hurt is really a powerful rendition, Elvis goes right to the top of his vocal range. Hound Dog is a fan's pleaser, but probably just a little better performed. Hawaiian Wedding Song on the other hand is very accurately performed, and it's a real pity that Elvis decides to bring the concert to an end after that.

Still we have to be objective - a little worse than average sounding audience tape is a kind of thing that only die-hard fans can't live without if the concert is only a good one. And this concert is simply a good concert - some of the performances are outstanding, but still in overall this concert can't get more than 4 points out of 5+. If you are among those who can't live without a few greatly performed songs from a fine concert on an audience tape - you won't regret having it in your collection. Not in any other term.

R bootleg index