Baltimore May 29 1977 represents one of the absolute low-points in Elvis' career.We all know that Elvis wasn't in his prime in 1977, but springtime was nothing but a disaster at every points. His way of life, the prescription drugs abuse on a daily basis and his loneliness. Ginger Alden who seems to not be the right person on the right place at the right time, the one-nighters one after the other, not to forget the press which has really begun to attack Elvis in a way they never did earlier. And of course the tell-all book of the bodyguards, which is supposed to wake him up... That's a lot of pressure, a lot of problems, which drive to this result: a complete fiasco in Baltimore, May 29th 1977.This day Elvis is so weak he has to leave the stage for over 20 minutes.
From the beginning of the show, things seem to be on the edge, but no sign for an abysmal show yet: Elvis try to do his best, and we can clearly FEEL a change from the moment he sings the third number: 'That's All Right'.
From then on, things go slightly out of control: even with the sound distortions, we can hear his voice expressing a severe distress, long moments where nothing is said, the crowd screaming to Elvis. When Elvis talks, it seems like he has something in his mouth, like he's eating. His sentences are never finished, he sounds lost and, to be honest, really stone on a strong degree.
He first sings a lot of old songs in the beginning of the concert ('That's Alright', 'Are You Lonesome Tonight', 'Blue Christmas' and 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'Love Me' and 'Jailhouse Rock'). Then right after 'You Gave Me A Mountain' Elvis asks S. Nielsen to sing some numbers. Obviously not enough, Elvis after singing 'Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel' "hands over" the responsibility to the band. He then leaves the stage. Meanwhile Kathy Westmoreland, Voice and the Stamps all did their best to entertain a dismayed audience. This concert was released on a rather poor sounding bootleg called Send Me The Light... I Need It Bad.
When he comes back after leaving the stage for nearly 30 minutes, he sounds much clearer. But not for long!
First excusing his absence, he then says that he had to leave because of an acing ankle "and nature cause...and you can do nothing about the nature..." A shocked audience was eager to hear Elvis sing. They had traveled several miles, waited for hours and paid for an Elvis-concert, and the main attraction left the stage! Elvis tries to repair by singing 'Hurt', 'Hound Dog' and 'Help Me'.
However, Elvis obviously noticed the lack of excitement from the audience, and almost helplessly ask "What do you wanna hear?". This leads to a very impressive version of 'Unchained Melody'" (quasi a miracle when you know how bad he is since the beginning of the show...). Then, he trash 'Blue Suede Shoes' the way he use to do it these days. He tries 'The Wonder Of You' but is virtually unable to go further than the first verse, and stop the song immediately (you can hear the crowd disappointment, wondering if Elvis is completely out of it or not). He did two more numbers, apologize for having left the stage once again, and close this disturbed and disturbing show for good this time.
Contrary to a numbers of rumors and press reports: Elvis did not collapse at all, he simply left the stage. The audience was wild from the beginning to the end of the show; they never started booing or anything. They support the King with the extravaganza they use us to: screaming loud, clapping, etc.
On the opposite, what we can confirm is that, indeed, the King was at the end of his journey, and it is a tragic sight sometimes, because, even with the sound, we can hear the state in which he is, and it is heartbreaking. A wreck of the pre-eminent artist he was, erasing his past with no respect for himself at all, just dying live and that's all. That's nonsense. Why did the professional surrounding and friends never stop this vicious circle? Why hasn't anybody around Elvis called the Colonel and told him that Elvis wasn't going to perform anymore, that he needed rest. Or a holiday in a straightening center, something like the Betty Ford Clinic or else. A drastic change in his career, good songs, top-notch producers, strong albums, a world tour, anything! At least a temptation to escape from this nightmare of endless tours criss-crossing the States with an Elvis who has become the shadow of his former self. Where you'd saw, only two years back, powerful energy, terrific voice and absolute charisma without any pretense, now had become pain, loneliness, fall, weight gain and drug abuse. Shame on them, shame on Elvis too. Things like that mess in Baltimore hurts. Even deeper if it's from an entertainer we all consider as the greatest, as a lovable man and as a good human person.
# Note: "A physically and artistically subpar Elvis Presley walked out on a strange concert performance for half an hour here Sunday night (29), but eventually returned. A Civic Center spokesman attributed the vet rock and roll singers murmuring, swearing and unscheduled haitus to the reported intestinal problems that had kayoed Presley from an earlier portion of this tour. After the break Presley came on like gangbusters as he politely and apologetically tried to recoup his losses. He succeeded to the extent that only a handful asked for refunds but at the finale there was no ovation, and patrons exited shaking their heads and speculating what was wrong with him."... By Marty Bennet, Variety, May 1977.
http://home.online.no/~ov-egela/boots75.html
He first sings a lot of old songs in the beginning of the concert ('That's Alright', 'Are You Lonesome Tonight', 'Blue Christmas' and 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'Love Me' and 'Jailhouse Rock'). Then right after 'You Gave Me A Mountain' Elvis asks S. Nielsen to sing some numbers. Obviously not enough, Elvis after singing 'Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel' "hands over" the responsibility to the band. He then leaves the stage. Meanwhile Kathy Westmoreland, Voice and the Stamps all did their best to entertain a dismayed audience. This concert was released on a rather poor sounding bootleg called Send Me The Light... I Need It Bad.
When he comes back after leaving the stage for nearly 30 minutes, he sounds much clearer. But not for long!
First excusing his absence, he then says that he had to leave because of an acing ankle "and nature cause...and you can do nothing about the nature..." A shocked audience was eager to hear Elvis sing. They had traveled several miles, waited for hours and paid for an Elvis-concert, and the main attraction left the stage! Elvis tries to repair by singing 'Hurt', 'Hound Dog' and 'Help Me'.
However, Elvis obviously noticed the lack of excitement from the audience, and almost helplessly ask "What do you wanna hear?". This leads to a very impressive version of 'Unchained Melody'" (quasi a miracle when you know how bad he is since the beginning of the show...). Then, he trash 'Blue Suede Shoes' the way he use to do it these days. He tries 'The Wonder Of You' but is virtually unable to go further than the first verse, and stop the song immediately (you can hear the crowd disappointment, wondering if Elvis is completely out of it or not). He did two more numbers, apologize for having left the stage once again, and close this disturbed and disturbing show for good this time.
Contrary to a numbers of rumors and press reports: Elvis did not collapse at all, he simply left the stage. The audience was wild from the beginning to the end of the show; they never started booing or anything. They support the King with the extravaganza they use us to: screaming loud, clapping, etc.
On the opposite, what we can confirm is that, indeed, the King was at the end of his journey, and it is a tragic sight sometimes, because, even with the sound, we can hear the state in which he is, and it is heartbreaking. A wreck of the pre-eminent artist he was, erasing his past with no respect for himself at all, just dying live and that's all. That's nonsense. Why did the professional surrounding and friends never stop this vicious circle? Why hasn't anybody around Elvis called the Colonel and told him that Elvis wasn't going to perform anymore, that he needed rest. Or a holiday in a straightening center, something like the Betty Ford Clinic or else. A drastic change in his career, good songs, top-notch producers, strong albums, a world tour, anything! At least a temptation to escape from this nightmare of endless tours criss-crossing the States with an Elvis who has become the shadow of his former self. Where you'd saw, only two years back, powerful energy, terrific voice and absolute charisma without any pretense, now had become pain, loneliness, fall, weight gain and drug abuse. Shame on them, shame on Elvis too. Things like that mess in Baltimore hurts. Even deeper if it's from an entertainer we all consider as the greatest, as a lovable man and as a good human person.
# Note: "A physically and artistically subpar Elvis Presley walked out on a strange concert performance for half an hour here Sunday night (29), but eventually returned. A Civic Center spokesman attributed the vet rock and roll singers murmuring, swearing and unscheduled haitus to the reported intestinal problems that had kayoed Presley from an earlier portion of this tour. After the break Presley came on like gangbusters as he politely and apologetically tried to recoup his losses. He succeeded to the extent that only a handful asked for refunds but at the finale there was no ovation, and patrons exited shaking their heads and speculating what was wrong with him."... By Marty Bennet, Variety, May 1977.
http://home.online.no/~ov-egela/boots75.html
