Elvis Offers No Surprises
by Hardy Price
The Arizona Republican
March 24, 1977

Elvis Presley came to town Thursday night and 14200 of the faithful showed up to pay homage to rock and roll's No.1 attraction. Presley's ASU Activities Center date was the first in a 12-city South-Western tour. He gave his stock performance, the same he's been doing since 1969.

First came 20 minutes with the Stamps Quartet, a gospel group. That was followed by 20 minutes of comic Jackie Kahane, who has given up his tux for a jumpsuit trimmed with Mickey Mouse monograms. His outfit aptly describes his routine.After a 30-minute intermission, for the benefit of program and poster hucksters, the band broke into the Elvis theme, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Following that with C.C.Rider, a pleasant plump or stylish stout (pick one) Elvis strolled onto the stage.

His gold lame trimmed white jumpsuit was stretched as tight as a well-inflated balloon and the 42-year old entertainer kept his movements slow and deliberate. His music ran from the parody to the almost perfect. At times he flashed the old brilliance which first put him on top, such as his rocking rendition of Jailhouse Rock. Too much of the time he teased and tempted his audience, fluttering scarfs to the throungs and clowning around with the lyrics. But the faithful were happy. They came, they saw and Elvis conquered.

Courtesy of Scott Hayward