Elvis Shakes 'Em Up Here Just Like Way Back When
By JoAnna Moore
The Florida Times
April 1972

It was June years ago when Elvis Presley came to Jacksonville for a concert and left town with a majot turning point in his career. Some called that day the focal point.

For the thousands who filled the Coliseum Sunday afternoon and evening (9,256 for the 2:30 concert alone) th emost dramatic moments of the Elvis Story occurred before their eyes.

Elvis Presley was introduced by the music of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the musicreally could have been created for just such an entrance. He was glimmering figure; wisps of his greaseless shag hair brushed the collar of his white, silver and stone-studed, caped jumpsuit. For every tenth second passed, an enormous crew of cricket sounds accompanied the fire-fly actles of a thousand instamatics. This would go on for the entire show: the temporary blindness Elvis must have experienced never razed him.

He was accommodating for the photographers; posing in a split, he said, "I hope this suit don't tear apart." His left thigh did most of his dance work, pumping to find the beat and seemingly in control of the full orchestra, band and singing group that gave a wide throne to the Elvis leadership.

Vocally, Elvis' health deepness repeated the old days: "all Shook Up," "Teddy Bear," "Don't Be Cruel," "Haertbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog" and more. In the newer numbers - "C. C. Rider," "Proud Mary" and "Poke Salad Annie" - the orchestraties underwent a striking change. Elvis hold to his basics, though he never became dated.

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Suspicious Minds" were highlights. His extremely physical presentation was alive in each song and the audience reactionnever subsided. Those movements that once were considered bizarre were slight in comparison to the many performers who have followed and increased the original Elvis idea of onstage esercise.

The Sweet Inspirations opened the extravaganza and later this female trio served to fill in on Elvis sounds.

The inspirations promoted clapping hands and tapping feet and did "Ain't Not Sunshine" and a medley which included "Sweet Inspiration."

Comedian Jackie Calhain also appeared with localized commentary and lessons in current event that never failed to reap laughter. "When you say the police are fuzz," he said of Jacksonville's bearded officers, "they're fuzz."

The most remarkable facet of the production was the intricate sound system that surely was the best to come within the Coliseum walls.

A giant sphere of speakers hung above the performer's platform and gave satisfying sound for a proper reproduction of the music and vocals.

For those who wished to take home a souvenir of THE Elvis happening, there were "limited quantities" of posters, albums, I Love Elvis buttons, etc. For the minority, those who didn't bring a camera or didn't buy a button, there were memories available in the form of one Elvis Presley who danced and sang like he always did, except he was greater than before.

Courtesy of Sebastiano Cecere