Crying Time In Vegas (JB-10000) [August 12, 1973 (Midnight Show), Las Vegas, NV.]

• an incomplete (see below) audience recording of pretty bad quality;
• the recording runs way too fast (see below) making Elvis sound awkward and unnatural;
• 23 tracks in total;
• "Can't Help Falling In Love" is incomplete (it fades out seconds before its conclusion);
• the introductions and the closing theme are missing;
• very basic and extremely poor artwork; the quality of both the print and the photographs used leave a lot to be desired, not to mention the fact that the pictures "gracing" the covers come from July 1975.

Vegas Variety, Volume 4 (Rainbow Records) [August 12, 1973 (Midnight Show), Las Vegas, NV.]

• an incomplete (see below), speed corrected audience recording of pretty good quality (however, it's a little more complete than "Crying Time In Vegas");
• the sound quality, although still far from great, is significantly improved and much more listenable when compared to what can heard on "Crying Time In Vegas";
• 24 tracks in total, with Band Introductions and "Can't Help Falling In Love" being incomplete;
• the difference in sound quality between track #15 (Band Introductions) and the rest of the tracks suggests an alternate (and inferior) source was used to fill the missing spot;
• the closing theme is still missing;
• the artwork is first-rate and nicely laid out; the 20-page full-color booklet features many photographs taken during the August-September '73 Las Vegas engagement, complimented by candid shots and a short essay by Jean-Marc Gargiulo (taken from the "Behind The Image, Vol. 2" book).

General comments:

• this Vegas show features the most complete Elvis's version of (Buck Owens's 1964 hit single) "Crying Time" known to exist; it runs for 1 min. 19 sec. and Elvis sings two (of the three) verses plus the chorus (twice);
• "Crying Time" was sung live-in-concert on at least two more occasions: August 21, 1970 Midnight Show (released on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by Audionics) and September 4, 1970 Midnight Show (only available on CD-R);
• "Old Shep" is being requested by a member of the audience ("I was 8 years old when I did that," Elvis replies) but Elvis decides to do "What Now My Love" instead (which - as usual - is a stunning rendition);
• the show in question is very entertaining, Elvis does not fool around too much and delivers a very good show, with an interesting and varied set list.

• the previously missing (and still incomplete) introductions featured on "Vegas Variety, Volume 4" run for 40 seconds only and it is the wrong speed of the "Crying Time In Vegas" (it runs approx. 8% too fast) that makes the playing time of the 1994 CD a little over 5 minutes shorter.