BRINGIN' THE HOUSE DOWN - (Only One King) (Released 2001)
1. Review by Oven Egeland |
Chicago, October 15 1976
I Got A Woman/Amen
Love Me
If You Love Me
You Gave Me A Mountain
Help Me
Jailhouse Rock
All Shook Up
Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel
And I Love You So
Steamroller Blues
Intro
Early Morning Rain
What'd I Say
Johnny B. Goode
Drum solo
Bass solo
Piano solo
Keyboard solo/Love Letters (incomplete)
School Days
Hurt (with reprise)
Hound Dog
It's Now Or Never
Blue Christmas
Can't Help Falling In Love
Content: 4 Sound: 5- Artwork: 4+
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Review by Oven Egeland
Bringin' The House Down features the second concert Elvis held in Chicago 1976. October 15 to be precise, just one day after the first, which was released on Chicago Beat.
As one would guess this CD is quite similar to the previously released Chicago Beat both in content and sound quality. There are some differences though. One of these is highlighted on the front cover of Bringin' The House Down. It says; "Featuring the coolest 'Steamroller Blues' ever!" Another one is 'Help Me' which Elvis sing this day too!
The major difference however is the completeness of the soundboard. While Chicago Beat featured the almost complete concert from October 14, this one does not contain 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' and 'See See Rider'. A great pity!
Bringin' The House Down is a good sounding soundboard recording. These October concert by Elvis are in general good, although they lack the real excitement. This one is no exception. Of course 'Steamroller Blues' is not the "coolest ever". Far from it actually! That said it is a nice addition to the otherwise all to familiar set-list. Also 'Help Me' is a nice delivery. This has a false start as Elvis forgets the lyrics on the first attempt. He need to ask S. Nielsen for the right words, then cheekily (though a bit annoyed) says; "That's your version!"
During the band introductions there are quite some sound errors. This is by the way the same problem as with the tape featuring the concert the day before (Chicago Beat).
'Love Letters' is a good version, though unfortunately incomplete. This is sequenced together with David Briggs keyboard solo, and not separated into two tracks like noted on the cover. A minor production error.
'Hurt' is powerful like the day before and the ending is reprised. The day before Elvis sung two full versions of this song. Tony Brown gets it when he tries to start the reprise of 'Hurt'. Elvis simply says; "The last part you fool". I don't think this was a humorous comment! After a standard 'Hound Dog' and a bit oddly placed 'It's Now Or Never', Elvis sings 'Blue Christmas', this time without playing his acoustic guitar. Nice all the same.
This release is a nice addition to the soundboard collection of ours. Not surprisingly these Autumn 1976 concerts can be described as something in-between the Summer concerts some months before and the Christmas concerts some months later. Elvis sings well, he is almost 100 % coherent, but the total commitment is absent.
© Oven Egeland, Elvis In Norway, September 14 2001. |
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