Elvis Presley Delights Capacity House at LSU Center Last Night
by Vernon Alston
The State-Times
June 18, 1974

Elvis Presley, nurtured by fallout from the country rock explosion he set off about 17 years ago, brought joy to 15000 fans at LSU Assembly Center last night. As an entertainer - once a prodigy, now something of a phenomenon - Elvis has survived his own mythology. The innocent earthiness has worn away but the peculiar incandescence of his personality remains. And like an aging athlete he conserves his resources.

He even makes a joke of this. Instead of the uninhibited thrusts and bounds that once unleashed floods of parody and prudery, he would barely bump the famed pelvis. As if on cue, cooperative followers screamed their delighted understanding of what experience can do. Elvis has mastered subtlety in the show business side of his act. He has abandoned the blatancy of exhibition for the technique of theater to make sexiness an illusion that will stay with his friends. Elvis has put one over on those heavy rockers who hardly stop short of pornography to make their shows interesting.

Elvis has also expanded into glamorous staging and sonics. He is backed by a fine stage band, tow electric guitars, electric bass, drums, piano, acoustic guitar and chorus. With all that, plus unparalleled press agentry, it is still the Presley voice and musicianship that secures his appeal.

The quality and style go a long in providing satisfaction. The audience seemed fully sated even though Elvis' part of the show lasted barely 45 minutes - a dozen or so 3-minute favorites, and that was it. We heard C.C. Rider, Hound Dog, Why Me Lord, Love Me Tender, I Can't Stop Lovin' You, a very persuasive American Trilogy and Help Me, a new one. There were others. But all were mellower and more polished than in the early days. Elvis treats his old hits like cherished possessions.

Elvis introduced the members of his string group, whose lead bass is Duke Bardwell from Baton Rouge. Also from Louisiana is James Burton, lead guitar, a Shreveporter. The warm-up portion of the program was lively and first-rate musically. Singers were a male group called Voice and a vocally stimulating female trio, the Sweet Inspiration. Both groups, plus the Stamps Quartet, gathered around Elvis for choral back-up. Jackie Kohane, a competent night-club type comedian, generated some laughter. The Presley show will be on stage again tonight, but like the first performance it is completely sold out.

Courtesy Of Scott Hayward