Review by Geoffrey McDonnell
With I'll Remember You, FTD finally gives us a brand new show from the February 3 1973 midnight show in Las Vegas. Before the release, incorrect rumours were going around that this would be the dinner show of the same date, that was already released way back on the Fort Baxter's It's a Matter Of Time CD release in 1993!
Fortunately Ernst delivers not only a brand new show, but obviously from the superior recordings available, he picked one with excellent sound: it is just as good in sound as the dinner show recording.
The cover and inside photos feature Ed Bonja photos from this season with Elvis still looking good in his “Target Suit”. In fact Elvis performed and sounded good for the first or two, and the last week of this four week season (he was badly vocally impaired during the third week as he was not well). Thus a recording from the start of the second week isn't a bad choice and it is indeed fortunate that the Colonel insisted the shows from February 2 and 3 were recorded!
Listening to the show, the 2001 intro is missing and it’s straight into an okay version of ‘C.C. Rider’. ‘I Got A Woman’ next, proves to be worse than the dinner show because (as he admits afterwards) he forgot the words, however the sound is excellent - clear, with Elvis up-front with musicians and other vocalists nicely mixed, but J.D. Sumner quite prominent (which I don't mind too much compared to Charlie Hodge!). ‘Until Its Time For You To Go’ suffers (as do most versions) from audience interaction as Elvis greets them; this version pales when compared to the very strong vocal on the September 2 1974 midnight show version.
‘You Don't Have To Say You Love Me’ is a decent version but not as strong throughout as the dinner show. ‘Steamroller Blues’ sounds great with prominent brass, but certainly no improvement above the dinner show version.
‘You Gave Me A Mountain’ next up, is better. ‘Fever’ is average and yet ‘Love Me’ receives a stronger ending. ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ is above average and nicely paced. ‘Love me Tender’ is passable whilst ‘Johnny B. Goode’ is okay.
‘Hound Dog’ receives the Ed Sullivan intro and the slow/fast treatment but again is forgettable. ‘What Now My Love’ is a show highlight, being strong throughout especially when J.D. comes in too.
‘Suspicious Minds’ ends a bit longer here and its obvious (listening) that this midnight show crowd got a bit of Karate tonight (at the ending) in a better version than the dinner show.
The ‘Introductions’ are over super fast and we are straight into a strong version of ‘I Can't Stop Loving You’ (which ends in microphone overload).
‘An American Trilogy’ is another show highlight being perfect and even has a brief comment of “yeah baby” from Elvis as it builds making a superb version.
‘Can't Help Falling In Love’ receives a stronger ending tonight and, after a quick closing vamp, this very short forty-five minute concert is over!
Bonus tracks are the February 2 1973 midnight show ‘Sweet Caroline’ (in better sound than released on the incorrectly dated Don't Think Twice Madison release) and from the February 3 1973 dinner show, ‘I'll Remember You’.
More soundboards and sound-booth tapes exist from this season but Ernst (much
like he did with August 1972) has given us here the best sounding unreleased show and the two different tracks in the same quality also.
This concert has been a pleasure to repeat listening to (due to the excellent sound). Thus I must recommend I'll Remember You, not really for any content (as it's the same as Aloha From Hawaii) with 'Until Its Time For You To Go' swapped from 'Burning Love' and it is an extremely short show too, but for its sound quality - which is clear throughout!
Dialogue from Elvis is almost non existent (apart from the pre-closing line and commenting that “It's hazardous up here” during ‘Love Me Tender’) and he stuck to straight singing throughout. Later on I'd like to hear another FTD release from Elvis' last week of this season, but I'll Remember You clearly represents his shows in the first two weeks and above all else is highly listenable.
