Linda from Atlanta - Saw Elvis approximately 45 times in concert.
Well, you can't say enough about Elvis in concert. He was truly the most remarkable performer to ever grace the stage. I have been a fan of the King since I was 8 years old. I never dreamed of getting to see him in person. I went to the theater to see "That's the Way It Is" and decided right then and there that I WAS going to go to Vegas to see Elvis. I went home from the movie and called the International and found out what I needed to do to go see him.
I was 21 years old and so excited. Well, my first time seeing Elvis was in Vegas. I only got to see one show, which was so wonderful. I didn't know anything about how to tip the waiter to get a good seat so I was on the very back row of the showroom. But it was Elvis and I was absolutely thrilled. He did not give away scarves at this show, but instead he was throwing out little stuffed hound dogs. I vowed to come back and see three or four shows and do what I had to do to get a stage seat. My next trip to Vegas was in 1973, and I managed to get a stage seat to the far right of center stage. EP came over our way during the show, but all the girls stood up and were reaching and screaming, so even though he tried to give me a scarf, I couldn't reach him. Well, I was flying home the next morning and was determined to get a scarf. At the end of the show, EP was standing at the microphone in the center of the stage, and I just jumped up on the stage and started slowly walking towards him. The beautiful gold curtain was coming down, but he motioned to me and said "come on honey," and so I went over to him and gave him a small gift I had. I reached up and gently pulled the scarf from around his neck, and he bent down and kissed me.
From that, moment onI spent many, many hours finding out where EP was performing and trying to get tickets. I managed to get many front row seats at concerts throughout the Southeast and many stage seats in Vegas. I ended up with 12 scarves and EP's guitar pick, which I got in Vegas in December of 1976. What wonderful memories I have.
Linda
ldhspam@aol.com
May 26, 1977. (8.30 pm) Binghamton, NY.
I was only 10 years old in May of 1977, but I was deeply in love with Elvis. My mom, bless her heart, knew how much I loved him so she stood in line for over 24 hours to get tickets to his May 26th concert. It paid off because our seats ended up being 4th row from the stage.
We lived about 30 miles from Binghamton at the time and left early enough so we wouldn't feel rushed. That was a good thing because on the way to the Arena, my mom had to pull the car over so I could get sick. It was definitely nerves. I just couldn't believe I was going to see the King.
Everyone sat patiently while we waited for Elvis to come up on stage. Well, maybe we weren't REAL patient....I think we booed the warm-up entertainment off the stage.
My mom warned me to be calm when Elvis came out. I could do that.....my mom couldn't. She screamed louder than anyone in there!!! There he was, a little heavy but still sexy.....I couldn't believe it. It was really him. I don't think I listened to the first 5 songs....I was in shock...
The man that starred in 33 movies, the man that was filmed from the waist up on the Ed Sullivan show...the man I had been in love with since I was 5.......he was actually standing in front of me!!!
During the show, I climbed up on my Mom's shoulders (remember I was only 10) and I reached out over the women standing in front of the stage. Elvis had made his way over to our side. He was wearing a light blue scarf that he had on for at least 30 seconds. Elvis leaned over the edge of the stage and handed me, not threw me, his scarf.
My mom pulled me down just as we started being "attacked" by these women. I had blood running down my face and my hair was being pulled. Good old mom took that scarf and tied it in a knot around my waist.
Needless to say, I still have the scarf. It is in a plastic bag along with a picture of Elvis wearing it.
Karen
May 26, 1977. (8.30 pm) Binghamton. N.Y.
I don't have the exact date in front of me, but I do know that it was in 1977 at the Broome County Veteran's Memorial Arena here in Binghamton, NY It was an experience we will never forget. I do remember that I wasn't working at the time. Money naturally was tight. It was announced in our paper tha tickets were going on sale Saturday morning.I felt that I was going to go see Elvis come hell or high water.
I was in the process of borrowing money for the tickets. Our mail was dropped in our mail box. Lo & behold, my federal income tax refund check was right in front of me. I ran like hell six blocks down to a local grocery store that at the time had a policy of not cashing income tax refund checks.
I pleaded & begged the store manager to please cash the check as there was no banks open on Saturday at the time. Luckily, he was an Elvis fan. He cashed the check, & I was out the door. I flagged a cab down, and asked him how fast could he get me down to the Arena without getting pinched, & there would be an extra $10 in it for him.
The Arena is about 4 miles from where we were living at the time. I got down to the Arena in record time. Naturally, there was a line of people that had camped outside the Arena all night the night before. Just when I got there, they announced that tickets were going on sale for another show as the demand for the first show had been so great. that's the show we got the tickets for.
Two strange things. First, the show we got tickets for were for a show that was ahead of the show that people had stayed up all night outside the Arena waiting for tickets to go on sale.
Two, our seats were ALL the way at the back of the Arena, one row away from the roof, but at least we can say that WE WERE AT AN ELVIS CONCERT!!!! The show as fantastic & an experience that we will never ever forget.
TCB, Tom tbrutis1@aol.com
July 3, 1976. (8.30 pm) Fort Worth, Texas Tarrant County Convention (14,000) .
I was fortunate enough to see Elvis in concert on July 3, 1976 at the Tarrant County Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Even though I sat very close to the back, the concert was incredible.
I could tell that Elvis had gained a little weight, but not nearly as much as people have said. He still looked wonderful to me and he sounded great!
What I remember mostly is that it is very true when people say that the "electricity" in the auditorium was incredible. I could feel it going through my body. The excitement of seeing Elvis in person was, for everyone I am sure, something they will never forget. As-a-matter-of-fact, I was just your age when this took place.
Ms Baby mhollowa@ix.netcom.com
This fan had the luck to see Elvis in 25 concerts , yes 25 !! It's fantastic .
I would have to have to pick the first and last times that I saw Elvis as my favorites. In early 1972, he made his first appearance in Indianapolis. I can hardly describe the feelings I had just knowing that he would soon set foot on the stage in front of me. At intermission when they changed the stage around and set the center microphone - I almost feel apart in anticipation of his arrival. And arrive he did! Strolling across the stage like a beautiful, king of the beast. Almost cat like - with that beautiful smile as he looked down at the audience. In those days they placed the front row several feet back from the stage and made an annoucement that no one should leave their seats. No one did, in fear that he might have to leave. He did songs like "'til it time for you to go" and "ain't it funny, how time slips away" of course also the medley. (Alot of the songs on the album "ELvis Now") He wore the light blue "On Tour" jumpsuit. and looked fantastic. My husband missed part of the show because he was so worried about me. I was so excited - I thought I would faint. : - )
We are from Indianapolis so we saw the last two shows on the final tour. Cincinnati, OH and Indianapolis. Although Elvis was ofcourse heavier than 1972, he voice could not have been better. That only got better ! I got two scarves that night. It was my birthday and I had a sign asking for a birthday kiss. The stage was too high, but I did get another scarf. I remember he did "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and it just blew me away. His voice was so powerful. I never heard him do it any better. Also, it was very special to see him sit at the piano and do "Unchained Melody". At every concert when "Can't Help Falling In Love" started it just seemed like it couldn't be over yet. You could not get enough.
I guess another favorite show was in 1976 in Ft Wayne, IN. We had the center front row seats and by then they put the chairs very close to the stage. It was a very low stage and I had made Elvis a little gift of a Memory Box which I gave him. I received a scarf and kiss for my efforts. But the best thing about that show was that we were so close that we could request some songs. Which we did and Elvis responded by doing some of them! He did "Reconsider Baby". We all just went nuts. He looked down and said, " What? These must be my people or something." and ofcourse, we yelled back the we were and that we loved him. I think it made him very happy. A good audience seemed to always just make him perform even better. ( If that was possible.
Nice to talk to you. Hope that gives you a little insight into the excitment of seeing Elvis in concert. There was and never will be anything like it. Elvis was a true phenomenon that is almost impossible to explain. It has been twenty years and I don't see any signs that his popularity is waning - if anything his fandom only grows.
Margie has seen Elvis 3 times. Cinncinnatti , Columbus & Dayton .
I was fortunate to see Elvis perform live three times in the early 70s. These are some of my favorite memories. I have been to a lot of concerts featuring a lot of different artists; nothing has ever equaled the Elvis concerts. Elvis was the ultimate singer, and he was also a supreme performer. He had a love for his fans that shone through every song he sang; and that was returned to him. Elvis sincerely enjoyed what he was doing on stage. This was not a job to him; performing was his life!
I first saw Elvis in Cincinnati in 1973. I was so excited that after being a fan for years that I was finally going to get to see him! I was 17. We went early to Cincinnati Gardens so that we would not miss anything. When we were finally able to enter the arena, I was very disappointed to see that my seat was in the second balcony. As I sat there with my binoculars, I noticed a seat in the second row from the stage that was empty! Telling myself that this might be the only chance I ever got to see Elvis, I waited and watched that seat through the comedian's dialogue. It was dark in the arena, so I took my chance and very carefully shimmied down the support beams going very slowly to the main floor, where I quickly made my way to that empty seat. I had a great view of the stage for the intermission. Unfortunately, the ticket holder came in time for Elvis; and I was very nicely escorted back to the second balcony. So I sat there with the binoculars glued to my face for the entire show. When JD Sumner hit those low notes he is so famous for, it sounded like a plane going over. We were so high up! But it didn't matter. I was in the same room with Elvis; and he looked and sounded fantastic! Not even a bad seat could spoil that first concert experience for me!
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I discovered that Elvis was coming to my home town of Columbus, Ohio, in June of 1974. Tickets were again available by mail order only. I sent in my request immediately. Fortunately, I had much better seats this time. Once again my shyness was overcome as I told myself that this might be the last time I would ever have the opportunity of seeing Elvis perform. Once again, I was escorted back to my seat, but this time it was because I had slipped backstage without having a backstage pass. (You can't blame a girl for trying!) Elvis had a great time at this concert remembering how he had been in Columbus in 1956. He accepted gifts from the audience; and had a great time laughing at himself when he started to sing the same song over. Part of this can be heard on the album "Having Fun With Elvis On Stage". And have fun we did! It was a great concert!!
My last time to see Elvis perform live was in October, 1974, in Dayton. Once again, I had good seats for the show. However, no seat was close enough; so I had binoculars with me. The stranger next to me was kind to offer me the use of his binoculars, which were much stronger than mine. I thanked him and returned them to him. He put them back around his neck. Somewhere out there is a man who probably still has rope burns on his neck from the binocular cord. When Elvis began "Fever", I forgot to ask and just grabbed the binoculars to get the best view! That poor man was basically pulled to my lap trying to disengage himself from the cord! (If you are out there and reading this---I apologize again! :) ) He was very nice about the whole thing, but he never put the binoculars back around his neck until after the concert!
I wish I had a recording of the concerts I attended. They were all very special. My favorite songs to see Elvis perform are "American Trilogy", "Fever", "Polk Salad Annie", You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" and especially "Suspicious Minds". Even more than the music, I loved to hear Elvis talk. From the excitement and expectation level that reached a fever pitch when the band began "2001" to the sadness of hearing the beginning notes of "Can't Help Falling In Love", Elvis held the audience in the palm of his hand. Every person felt that Elvis was singing and looking only at them. You didn't just go to an Elvis concert; you experienced it! Elvis made you feel special just by being in the audience. Elvis' rich, strong, flawless voice could sing anything. He proved that many times through the years. This was especially evident in concert. In the psychedelic era of the 70s, I realized that I was sitting there hearing the true voice that defined rock and roll. The saddest words were when it was announced that "Elvis has left the building".
Margie Whitis <75371.3151@CompuServe.COM>
Dean has seen Elvis in Las Vegas & Chicago !.
Seeing Elvis Presley in concert was the most wonderful experience of my life. I saw him twice in Las Vegas and once in Chicago. The Chicago concert was pretty good although it was held at the old Chicago Staidum and he was at one end and we were at the other. Binoculars came in handy to see him. Ah, but to hear him was wonderful. The sound system was set up just right and he played it to the hilt in front of a standing room only audience. He wore his blue jumpsuit and cape and as he left the stage he kneeled and opened up the cape, left, center and right. And that famous smile coulsd be seen even from as far back as we were. It was a truely great night.
Then, in January of 1971, I made reservations for my wife and I to stay at the International Hotel. I wrote to him telling him what days we would be there. We went and we saw the most spectacular concerts we ever saw or have seen since. The first time, after tipping the waiter, we sat at the tables in front of the stage. He was awesome. Especialy when he did Sweet Caroline and the strobe light was put on him, what great moves during the chorus. He wore a white jumpsuit both nights. The second night was even better, we were seated far in the back because we had arrived late. Our waiter went by and I asked him if we could be moved up to the front. Of course handing him a bunch of rolled up singles. I'm sure he didn't realize just how little money was in that roll. He put us at the front tables again, this time right next to the stage. I couldn't believe it! It was almost like being alone with him. My wife was even lucky enough to get a kiss from him. This show contained some different songs than the previous night. Of course Polk Salad Annie and You Gave Me A Mountain were terrific. And An American Triology with JD Sumner and the Stamps, Kathy Westmorland, and the Sweet Inspirations all gave the performance of this song one that sent chills up my back. Well, that's it. It was truely the greatest moment of my life, until my children were born.
>From - Dean Propp email DPropp8071@aol.com
Pat has seen Elvis in concert in 56, Wisconsin....and in 72, San Diego,CA
I have been an Elvis fan for as long as I can remember. I consider myself very lucky to have seen the King of Rock and Roll in person!! I first saw Elvis when I was child about 8 years old. Back then I really didn't know who he was only that music was Elvis. And everyone was talking about Elvis. Well i got to see him because my Mother was going to see him, and took me too. It was really something to see. whenyou are only 8 you don;t know alot. One thing I learned that night was Elvis and we became bonded together forever. I don't remember where in Wisconsin it was, that it was there in 1956. I remember watching all the people going crazy with excitment of the Elvis. Then they introduce Elvis and he came on stage, he was so shy, and quite, at first. He liked to say Thank-you, Thank-you very much in a low voice. Then he started playing and sining. And the people were going crazy, and Elvis just seem to take control of it all. I don't think I had ever seen a person move his body the way he did!!! I had never know this kind of excitment before. I kept trying to look around to see how everyone else was reacting to him. But every time I did, it like somthing turned them right back to Elvis. i rmeber how people talked about the way he moved. But I didn't see anything wrong with it. Although my Grandmother thought he was valguer. We had pretty good seats back then, and I just became an Elvis fan forever.!!!
The second time I saw Elvis was in San Diego, Ca. And by then I was grown and married, with a baby of 9 mos. My husband was in the Navy at the time. We found out that Elvis Presley was coming to town. I wanted to go to this concert really bad. To my surprise my husband got Elvis tickets on the base. Like I said i had grown up and I couldn't wait to see him. I must admit that our tickets weren't the best. Infact there were striaght back in the back on the top. But I didn't care. I was just so happy to be there. This was a sold out concert at San Diego Sports Arena. We also took Mom with us again too. My husband had brought some very special binoculars home with him. Well I let Mom use the binoculars and that was it. She keep them the rest of the night. Every time I used them she would tug on the binoculars cord. So I just gave up and let her enjoy the show. I was very happy just to be there, and believe me, the sound system was very good. Just to be in the same room with Elvis was the coolest thing. I felt I had died and gone to heaven. Elvis is the greatest.!!! The difference between this concert and the first one is little things. He wore different colthing now then back then. They were more of a jumpsuit, and his hair was darker and longer. But he sounder better than ever. He voice seemed to have gotten better if that is possible. I also notice that he felt more at ease on stage. He talked and would joke around with the people now. But the voice was still the best. So smooth and so rich. But the one thing that hadn't changed was the electricity that you feel in the same room as Elvis. Elvis always made you feel like he was singing just to you alone. Elvis cared for his fans, and he always made you feel that way. That was part of the electricity.
I am so glad that i had the oportinity to have seen Elvis in concert. It is something I will never forget. Once you seen him concert, you seen the best!!! I have seen alot of other concerts since then and not one could come close to him.
Mompac@aol.com Pat Clemins, President of Elvis Connections fan club
