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Honolulu, January 12 - January 14, 1973



These shows are two of the best known concerts performed by Elvis, or even anybody ever. Not only because they are great performances but because the 14th January show was beamed LIVE Worldwide and was viewed by approximately one billion people on that night or that's what the Colonel made everybody to think of. That's an amazing one third of the population. Elvis wore the American eagle jumpsuit for these shows that were performed in the H.I.C. arena in Honolulu, Hawaii. There have been many Video/DVD releases of these two shows and the definitive release was Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii in 2004.

These shows were to raise money for the Kui Lee Cancer fund where they expected to raise $2500.00 and they raise $7500.00 for the fund.

After the concert on 14th January that was broadcast live worldwide Elvis recorded the following songs for inclusion in the USA version of the show on April 4th (?): Blue Hawaii, KU-U-I-PO, No More, Hawaiian Wedding Song and Early Morning Rain. These were included in the 2004 DVD Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii. Theses were all released (audio) as bonuses on the RCA CD of the 12th January show.

Video Information

Professional footage.

Amateur footage.




On Tour, April 22 - April 30, 1973



The first real tour of the 1973 was a nine day, twelve show tour, and kicked off with an afternoon show only at 3PM on 22nd April in Phoenix. He wore the rare Fire jumpsuit which is only known to be worn two other times. The audience recorded-bootleg of this show was taken directly from the master tape.

Elvis was in Anaheim for the next two days, with similar setlists to the previous day's show. On the 25th Elvis played two shows in Fresno's Selland Arena. Hardly anything is known about these shows, other than they were both sellouts and that one photo is available, from the second show, which shows Elvis wearing the Blue Rainfall suit.

Not much is known about the show in San Diego on the 26th either. But Elvis debuted the Snowflake suit during this show. April 27th saw Elvis in Portland to give a brilliant performance in front of a sellout 13,000 crowd. Wearing the Nail Studded Suit for the first time, Elvis sand songs such as Steamroller Blues, You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, Help Me Make It Through The Night, What Now My Love & the final version of the Little Sister-Get Back Medley (Little Sister would be performed on its own from now on).

Two shows were performed on the 28th April in Spokane. There's no circulating recording from the 3PM show, but the evening show was released in form of a poor-sounding audience recording.

Elvis gave two, sellout, performances in Seattle on the 29th. Wearing the Blue Swirl suit for the final time, and talking about his 1962 film It Happened At The World's Fair, which was filmed in Seattle, he gave the best performance of the whole tour on the afternoon. The evening show saw Elvis wearing the Egyptian Pharaoh suit and Elvis introducing Colonel Tom Parker to the audience.

The last stop on the tour was in Denver, which is a bit of a mystery show. There's no circulating recording or setlist of this show and only one photo is known from the show. Elvis wore the American Eagle suit during the show.

Video Information

Amateur footage.


On Tour June 20 - July 3, 1973



The last tour of 1973 was a long, fourteen day, seventeen show, tour that started off on 20th June in Mobile with just an evening show. Elvis wore the American Eagle suit, but looked heavier than he had just 6 months ago in Hawaii.

The tour then moved onto Atlanta for the first, of five, shows in its Omni Coliseum. He wore the Orange Starburst suit for the show, which he would wear at the next show in the same venue in eight days time.

There were then four shows in three days at Uniondale's Nassau Veterans Coliseum. On the 22nd there was just an evening show, with the highlight being the usual Bridge Over Troubled Water, What Now My Love & An American Trilogy. On the 23rd there was an afternoon & evening show with Don't Be Cruel being performed on its own during the first show, instead of in a medley with Teddy Bear. The fourth, and final, show in Uniondale, on the 24th, was a great show, with the highlight being a very powerful performance - including a reprise - of How Great Thou Art. Great 8mm footage from all of these shows are available directly from the 'master tapes' filmed by Bob Heis.

It was then on to Pittsburgh for two shows in as many days at its Civic Center. These shows are highlights of the whole tour, with the first being the best, and the sound is better on the circulating audience recording of that show directly from Steve Toli who recorded and also shot photos at both shows. There was a fantastic version of Help Me Make It Through The Night just before closing the first show, and A Big Hunk O' Love squeezed in between that and the closing song during the second show. He wore the Blue Rainfall & Egyptian Pharaoh suits at each show respectively.

Cincinnati was the venue of the show on the 27th with a rare-for-the-period version of Something, which, along with I'm Leavin' & How Great Thou Art (including reprise), was the highlight of another fantastic show. The show then headed onto St Louis for a show scheduled for the 28th.

Then it was back to Atlanta for another three shows at the Omni. There was just one show on the first day, with a very rare excerpt of Vaya Con Dios just before the introductions. The next day had two shows at 3 & 8.30pm. Just before the first show, someone told Elvis that a five-year-old boy named Robbie Barnes was attending the show dressed in a tiny jumpsuit. During the show Elvis asked to turn the spotlight on the boy. At the end of the concert, Elvis gave him the cape of his Thunderbird suit, which can be regarded as one of the heaviest and most expensive. In the background, J.D. Sumner can be heard mumbling: "Elvis give the boy your belt too!" Elvis did!

1st July saw the band do two shows at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium wearing the Blue Rainfall suit for the final time at the first show. These shows, like every other show during this tour, were of a very high standard with a fantastic setlist and a great, solid show, with every song being a highlight.

The penultimate show of the tour was in Oklahoma City on the 2nd. Wearing the American Eagle suit in front of 15,400 fans, probably singing a similar setlist to the other nights on this tour, but there's no circulating recording or footage of this show.

The final night of this tour was the best of the whole tour, with it rated very highly among many fans. It was back to Atlanta for the fifth time, due to demand for tickets at the other shows. Wearing the Egyptian Pharaoh suit for the final time, the show started strongly with Help Me Make It Through The Night being performed early in the show, including an excerpt of Rainy Night In Georgia during it. There were also rare versions of My Way, Something (dedicated to Linda Thompson), Release Me & the highlight of the show - probably the best live version of Memphis Tennessee.

Next it was onto Vegas for his last full, month-long season at the Hilton. After that it was cut down to two, two week stays there each year.

Video Information

Amateur footage.



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