Elvis Arrives Quietly Under Tight Security
By Francisco Trejo
El Paso Times
June 3, 1976

Outside the Civic Center thousands persons walked briskly around waiting for the Elvis Presley concert.

Opportunity-minded persons sold posters of the singer or scalped tickets for as much as $15. Even though Elvis would not be arriving for almost another hour, everyone seemed in a great hurry.

However, by 8:30 p.m. the grounds were almost empty.

In the area behind the Center where Elvis would be arriving, security was extremely tight. anyone seen wandering around was immediately ordered off the Civic Center.

Newsmen and photographers were told that they had orders that only persons in uniform were allowed back there.

In the warm night five women and two older men who had not been able to buy tickets waited for at least one brief glimpse of their hero.

As they waited, a gold colored late model automobile drove up quickly, but silently. A man inside the car waved slightly and the car was driven to within 10 feet of the back door.

"That's him!" yelled one of the women. There were a few muffled yells and giggles as Presley was helped out of the car. He walked inside without acknowledging the yells of "Elvis, Elvis," from the small group.

As quickly as he had come, he was gone.

Inside, the Center might have exploded or erupted when Elvis entered. But outside, all was quiet.

Courtesy of Scott Hayward