Elvis Is the Same - And At His Best
by Bill Graham
San Antonio Express
April 19, 1972

It wasn't 1954, it was Tuesday night at the Convention Center Arena and it was packed to what possibly was its largest crowd to date, and Elvis Presley came on strong with "Don't Be Cruel" and "Heartbreak Hotel."

More than 10,500 persons were crowded into every available seat in the arena, and when Elvis finally appeared on the small stage, the cheers of the crowd were deafening and the thousands of flashbulbs lit the darkened arena like a floodlamp.

The sound hadn't changed and Elvis was at his best, if not better than ever entertainment career.

His opening number was "C. C. Rider," followed in quick succession by "Proud Mary" and "I've Never Been to Spain," immediately exhibiting the usual versatility which the past years he has so often exhibited by singing anything from the latest mod rock to a century-old gospel song.

Elvis set the mood of the entire audience by the mood of his songs. "All Shook Up" and "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear" were two from the early 50s which literally raised the roof of the arena

Besides Elvis' having long hair covering his sideburns, the crowd also had changed. One spectator who witnessed the crowds of the '50s, said it was obvious that Tuesday night "there now were more men in the audience."

"In the early days," he said, "the boys even threatened Elvis for what he was doing to their girlfriends."

The whole scene seemed to have matured. The "teeny boppers" of the '50s were more dignified spectators of Tuesday night - they wouldn't think of crashing through the police barrier erected in front of the stage before Elvis appeared on stage.

As another spectator put it, the older fans haven't forgotten Elvis and the younger ones love him."

The younger ones of today, however, seemed to sit and cheer in awe at the superstar, who before their eyes performed a probably unrecorded "mod" version of "You Ain't Nothin But a Hound Dog," and in the same breath lapsed back into the familiar style of the original recording.

There were three slight scrambles when Elvis, clad in a white costume with cape threw a series of pink scarves into the audience.

There wasn't a mad rush for the stage at the end of the performance but Elvis still made his now famous rush for the waiting car behind the stage entrance

Courtesy of Mr. Archie Bald