"EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert" Review

Yesterday, I went to the Red Rock 10 Theaters in Gallup to see the new Baz Luhrmann EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert movie. It is a documentary/concert film. Afterwards, I went to Jerry's Café for dinner before heading home.

The movie focused Presley's early residency at the International Hotel in Las Vegas (circa 1969) and some arena concerts circa 1971-1972.  

Reviews of the movie have been raving and, quite frankly, it didn't disappoint. The only narration was by Presley himself and not any talking heads of commentators. 

Much of the footage I had never seen before. The sharpness and color were great, as if the footage was shot only recently. What really impressed me was the sound. The theater had a great surround system and make one almost feel as if they were in the showroom. 

I was thinking during the movie that it was too bad my mother wasn't alive to enjoy it. She was the big Elvis fan in the family. 

I have to give this movie a strong A+ grade. 

EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert

The documentary by Baz Luhrmann opens in theaters this week. I have been seeing rave reviews.

The movie features long-lost films found at the Graceland estate and restored.

The Hanford Sentinel posted a review which starts with:

Over the years, countless attempts have been made to resurrect the King, whether it was movies, TV specials or musical ventures celebrating his artistry and legacy, attempting to bring him back and keep him among us.

No single project has done a better job of making Elvis feel present and alive than "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert," director Baz Luhrmann's dazzling documentary-slash-concert film, which lets us see and feel Elvis on stage, in his element.

It's a pure joy to see, to feel, to behold, as Elvis tells his story, in his own words, and hits the stage to let us bask in his greatness. The movie, meanwhile, helps to reclaim Elvis as a singular force of nature, an otherworldly dynamo, not the parody of himself with which we've come to associate his Vegas years.

The movie will be opening February 27 at the Red Rock 10 Theaters in Gallup. I'll be seeing it there.

To read more, go here.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

In April 1972, a new single, "School's Out", was released by Alice Cooper upon the world. A couple of months later, the album of the same name was released. In-between, I graduated from high school. I thought at the time about the song, "How appropriate!"

The following year, a friend gave me two tickets for Alice Cooper's concert at The Forum in Inglewood, California. He and his girlfriend were both stuck in having to work on the night of the concert and couldn't go. Until I saw Rush's final concert in 2015, the Alice Cooper concert of their "Billion Dollar Babies" tour was the most entertaining I had attended. It was quite a show. 

Alice Cooper is still active. While looking for an appropriate video for this post, I noticed ads for tickets for an upcoming concert tour. Alice Cooper even made an appearance in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows (2012), causing Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) to remark that Cooper was “the ugliest woman I’ve ever seen.”

Here's Alice Cooper with "School's Out":

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week is a rarity. 

Back in January 1973, Elvis Presley made television history by being the first (and only) performer to have a worldwide satellite broadcast of a concert from Honolulu, Hawaii. It is known as "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii". It is estimated that 1.5 billion people tuned in and saw the concert.

The concert was later broadcast in the U.S. and in some other nations after the initial live broadcast. To fill the time slots, Presley taped some insert songs on January 14, 1973. 

The video below has all takes from the session; the songs included:

Elvis Presley- Aloha From Hawaii Insert Songs-All Takes-January 14th 1973

Blue Hawaii

Ku-U-I-Po- Take 1

Ku-U-I-Po - Take 2

Ku-U-I-Po- Take 3

No More - Attempted Take

No More - Take 1

No More - Take 2

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 1

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 2

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 3

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 4

Early Morning Rain

The Last Concert of Rush

Above, The Forum sign as we approched. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was the last concert of the rock band Rush.

The death of Rush's drummer, Neil Peart on January 7, 2020, made the August 1, 2015 concert at The Forum in Inglewood, California the last ever for Rush. Usually, my focus is usually on the lead guitarist. But in the case of Rush, my focus of attention was on drummer Peart. He was voted the greatest drummer of all time in a 2021 musicradar GOAT Hunt poll.

It was the final concert of their R40 tour.  

My daughter Amber treated me to the concert, which was the first time I stepped foot inside The Forum since a New Year's Eve concert by the Beach Boys on December 31, 1979. The place really hadn't changed much. It was also the first concert I've attended since the Beach Boys one.

If I remember correctly, cameras were not allowed, but most everyone there, including me, used their cell phone cameras. A bit redundant if that was the case.

Last night, I made two screen captures from a video of their last concert:

Here's some photos I made during the concert with my crappy old cell phone:

Next to an Alice Cooper 1973 "Billion Dollar Babies" concert, this was the best concert I've ever attended. It's a toss-up which was better.

UPDATE (3/11/22):

The following video is an excellent documentary on Rush's R40 tour that includes their last show at The Forum.

News From Graceland

Above, Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Artists, Dates for First Graceland Live Concerts of 2019 Pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 23. Fans of live music are encouraged to sign up for LiveFeed to be eligible. Graceland, home of Elvis Presley, the artist who started a musical revolution, and Live Nation recently announced a new partnership to elevate Graceland as the top live music destination in the region, and on March 23, Graceland Live kicks off the first in a growing list of incredible live shows slated for 2019 and beyond. The state-of-the-art Graceland Soundstage and the Graceland Guest House Theater will host an amazing array of artists in Graceland Live concerts and shows this year. The Graceland Soundstage is located in the heart of the 200,000 square foot Elvis Presley’s Memphis complex.  This exciting new venue features two giant 20’ x 12’ screens for easy viewing and can accommodate 1,600 fans for seated shows and over 2,000 fans for general admission (standing) shows. The Graceland Guest House Theater, located within Graceland’s AAA Four Diamond resort, gives fans a powerful, yet intimate experience with its leading-edge sound and light capability and 464-seat capacity making every seat a great one. Nine performances are already confirmed for 2019 Graceland Live shows, and the of list shows include: March 23 - Bret Michaels (Graceland Soundstage) April 6 – Billy Gardell (Graceland Guest House Theater) April 13 – George Thorogood and The Destroyers (Graceland Soundstage) April 19 – Buckcherry (Graceland Soundstage) May 3 – Allman Betts Band (Graceland Soundstage) June 2 – Stryper (Graceland Soundstage) June 16 – Boz Scaggs (Graceland Soundstage) June 22 – Chubby Checker & The Wildcats (Graceland Soundstage) August 21 – Brian Setzer’s Rockability Riot (Graceland Soundstage) Early access pre-sale tickets for the first group of shows go on sale Wednesday, January 23 at 10 a.m. EST (9 a.m. CST) through Thursday, January 24 at 10 p.m. EST (9 p.m. CST) and are available to fans that visit GracelandLive.com and sign up for LiveFeed. General public tickets go on sale on Friday, January 25 at 10 a.m. EST (9 a.m. CST). Tickets can be purchased directly at GracelandLive.com or by calling 877-777-0606. The site will also offer the most up-to-the-minute concert announcements, as well as offer exclusive promotions, including discounts for ticket buyers on immersive Graceland experiences and rooms at The Guest House at Graceland so that they can extend their show into an unforgettable entertainment experience. Not only will show and concert-goers enjoy live music and entertainment events over the course of 2019, ticket holders will receive free access to Elvis Presley’s Memphis, a 200,000 square foot entertainment complex featuring a full city block of exhibits, restaurants, and shops dedicated to the legend of Elvis Presley, after 3 p.m. on show dates. Graceland Live will host icons, national touring artists and rising stars, and fans returning to Graceland or visiting for the first time can explore the new world of Graceland and be part of a once-in-lifetime entertainment experience. Follow Graceland Live on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

How Elvis Presley Saved The USS Arizona Memorial

Above, the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two days from now, the 77th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii will be observed.

In commemoration, Biography.com has posted an article on "How Elvis Presley Saved The USS Arizona Memorial".

The article begins with:

The battleship USS Arizona sank after being bombed when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. More than one thousand of the ship's sailors lost their lives with at least 900 of them still rest with the submerged ship. In the 1950s, plans took shape for the creation of an Arizona memorial. However, by 1960, less than half of the $500,000 needed had been raised. That would change after Elvis Presley performed at a benefit concert for the memorial on March 25, 1961. 

Above, the USS Arizona Memorial benefit concert.

When Elvis's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, learned of the fundraising shortfall, he thought a benefit concert would provide wonderful publicity for Elvis. The singer soon agreed to participate. And though Elvis' involvement wasn't out of character — he was known for his generosity to numerous people and organizations — supporting the USS Arizona Memorial was a particularly appropriate cause for him. 

On November 11, 1957, Elvis had sung in Hawaii for service members and their families; it was his final concert before he was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1958. And his recent service experience (he'd been honorably discharged in the spring of 1960) offered another connection to the fundraiser. He hadn't seen combat while stationed in Germany, but in another era, his time in uniform could have been much different. As Parker reminded people at a press conference about the concert, a 26-year-old Elvis was "about the average age of those boys entombed in the Arizona."

To read more, go here.

Bomb Set Off At Ariana Grande Concert, 19 Killed

Above, Ariana Grande.

At least 19 people were killed and others injured when a suspected suicide bomber attacked an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.

NBC News reported:

At least 19 people were killed and about 50 others were injured in a suspected suicide bombing Monday night after an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in England, authorities said. 

Greater Manchester Police said the incident was being treated as terrorism. A senior White House official told NBC News that President Donald Trump, who is on a visit to Jerusalem, had been briefed. 

Police said the explosion took place outside the arena, which is near the Manchester Victoria transit station, as the concert ended at about 10:35 p.m. local time (5:35 p.m. ET), catching people as they exited.

Grande was not injured.

To read more, go here. 

Farewell To Summer

Above, the Rush R40 concert at The Forum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In case anyone's wondering, the first day of Autumn/Fall is only three days away.

According to Almanac.com:

In 2015, the autumnal equinox falls on September 23 at 4:21 A.M. (ET).

This has been the best summer I've had in years. It all began with a trip to see Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Zion National Park (and points in-between). Then, a three-day trek for jet-skiing at Lake Havasu. In early August, Amber treated me to the final show of Rush's R40 tour at the Forum in Inglewood. It is rumored that this may be Rush's last tour.*

Also, this summer marked my first ballgame at Dodger Stadium since 1994.

I am looking forward to more moderate temperatures along with next month's trip to Japan.

*As it turned out, the death of Rush's drummer, Neil Peart on January 7, 2020, made the concert the last ever for Rush. 

"Back To The Future" Concert In Tokyo In November

Japanese fans of the 1985 hit movie, Back To The Future are in for a treat on November 23. A commemorative concert at the Tokyo International Forum celebrating the movie's 30th anniversary (has it really been that long?) will be held that day.

According to RocketNews24:

2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the classic 80s blockbuster film Back to the Future. And if you consider yourself a fan of the movie series, then you’re in for a treat! In honour of this milestone, a special commemorative Back to the Future concert event is being planned! You’ll have the chance to go back in time and relive the adventures of Marty McFly with a concert featuring a screening of the movie accompanied by a live full orchestra.

The Back to the Future live film concert is making its way around the world with performances throughout America, Australia, the UK, and Japan.

Above, original Godzilla Haruo Nakajima meets Lea Thompson, Back to the Future's
Lorraine McFly, at the Mad Monster Party convention in 2013. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

So, if you happen to find yourself in Tokyo on November 23, you may want to check out the concert.

To read more, go here.

"Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" In Concert

Above, Bela Lugosi and Lou Costello.

In keeping with the Halloween spirit, here's the suite from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein performed live in concert:



Thanks goes to Ted Newsom for finding this goodie!