[Tigerman]

 Dstory.JPG ( 82.13K ) Number of downloads: 21

Drug Story
Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, NV. --- September 2, 1974 --- Closing Show
Sound: Audience

CD1:

01 intro
02 C.C Rider
03 I Got a woman
04 Amen
05 Until it's time for you to go
06 If you love me let me know
07 It's midnight
08 Big Boss Man
09 You gave me a mountain
10 Softly as i leave you
11 Hound Dog
12 An American Triology

CD2:

01 It's Now or never
02 Introductions
03 Medley: I could'nt live without you/Bring it back/Aubery
04 It's Now or never
05 Let me be there
06 If you talk in your sleep
07 Drug story
08 Hawaiian wedding song
09 Can't help falling in love

Yes, here it is again. The famous closing show Elvis held in Las vegas on september 2, 1974. There are many opinions about this show, some like Elvis little rant, others find it utterly disturbing.
If you are in the last cathegory, just skip the track, because the show itself is bloody marvelous. Some top notch performances of grate songs.

I would like to mention tracks like "it's Midnight", "You gave me a mountain","It's now or never", "If you love me let me know" and "Let me be there"... To me these are worth the price alone. Some say Elvis lost focus during this period, but listen to the passion this guy performs with, "Mountain" an "It's midnight" will give you chills. "Let me be there" and "If you love me" will make you applaud. None can match Elvis when he delivers so much.

Also "Hound Dog" is delivered with the right spirit, and the best version ive heard from the 70's of "It's now or never".

There are some differances between Drug Story and the more famous Dessert storm releases. First of All Dessert Storm is a soundboard release, while Drug Story is a Audience recording. That said Drug Stroy includes more tracks that where not on the sounboard released by Fort Baxter. These tracks are "2001 theme", "C.C Rider" and "I could'nt live without you!.
The sound quality is good, but if you are a sound freak go for Baxters "Dessert Storm".

Track 3 on CD2 is performed by Voice.

[Guest_Brad_*]

Many folks like to get this cd even if they already have Desert Storm because they like to hear the audiences reaction was to the way Elvis behaved on stage. I thought it was a very good show (besides the Drug Dialogue)...strong performances of alot of songs, my personal favorites being It's Midnight and You Gave me A Mountain...never have heard those 2 versions done with so much power...everytime i hear them from this show i get goosebumps, its that great!!

[colonel snow]

when you compare the AR with the soundboard you'll notice it runs a little bit too fast; but there is no mickey mouse effect!!; the sound is reasonable and the show is complete.

colonel snow

[JohanD]

The sound is indeed pretty good.
This was the first time the "complete" show was released on cd, before that we only had the closing parts including the "drug" monologue.(Kinckin back' lp and later on cd with same title "and forth").

Since the soundboard was released this version is almost forgotten.
The reviews of this show where only based on that soundboard.
The lack of audience-reaction (not picked up through the soundboard-mike) was almost that "everyone was silent and shocked" to what they heard.
This is not the case at all.

The fans where cheering all the way through.
I'm not saying that Elvis was 100% "clean", but boy, he wasn't "fucked up" either.
He sings remarkable good versions, sings with emotion.
An addict could not have done this.
Also, what a cool instrumental piece of music after "I got a woman", imagine seeing EP move on this!!

About this cd again, the sound is VERY good, sometimes we even got a "stereo" effect, wich is awesome.
Though i'm glad we have it on soundboard, the REAL feeling of that evening, from the audience point of view, is this cd.

[stefan]

Never heard this audience recording, only listened to the soundboard which I got the moment it came out in the 90's. This is not one of my favorite concerts, but it's a good show with some impressive vocal performances !

(would someone be able to post a mp3 sample of See See Rider from this show, always wanted to hear that as it was not recorded on soundboard !)

[Gordon]

Never heard this audience recording, only listened to the soundboard which I got the moment it came out in the 90's. This is not one of my favorite concerts, but it's a good show with some impressive vocal performances !

(would someone be able to post a mp3 sample of See See Rider from this show, always wanted to hear that as it was not recorded on soundboard !)

There you go sir: ;)

 02___Onbekend___Track_2.mp3 ( 4.27MB ) Number of downloads: 1

[stefan]

Thank you very much habib, very much appreciated !! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hi.gif)

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Interesting version ... vocally just like the September/October tour performances, just with more energy and/or agression ... not my favorite version, but good to have finally heard it.

[Gordon]

Thank you very much habib, very much appreciated !! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hi.gif)

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Interesting version ... vocally just like the September/October tour performances, just with more energy and/or agression ... not my favorite version, but good to have finally heard it.

You were lucky - it was readily available on my laptop harddrive (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Agreed with you regarding the performance (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[stefan]

You were lucky - it was readily available on my laptop harddrive (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Agreed with you regarding the performance (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Please, tell me what more do you have readily available ? perhaps there's more that I haven't heard before ...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif)

[Gordon]

Please, tell me what more do you have readily available ? perhaps there's more that I haven't heard before ...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laughing1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif)

I'm open to requests (IMG:style_emoticons/default/black_eye.gif)

[JohanD]

The main point about this release is the audience reaction i feel...
The crowd is really "in it".
The SB lacks that completely.

The soundboard was a landmark release in the Elvisworld, raving reviews where comming from everywhere.
Now, in hindsight, many came back for that.

I still think the same now as i did then, this was Elvis defending himself and singing with great joy.
But it was not all "new" to me, it was no shock-recording as claimed by some, since i had "Drug story" already.
And, even now, i also recommend that audience recording, but it's very hard to get, even harder then "Desert storm" or "Time to dare".
And soundwise it is good too, a typical early cd product yes, with some drop-outs, but also with a nice stereo effect.
Truly one of the best releases by that label.

[colonel snow]

The concert is also available on CD:

Mood swings (AR);
Desert storm (SB);
Strung out in Vegas (SB);
Time to dare (SB).



colonel snow