Return of the King (Elvis)

Return of the KING

'Elvis Presley in Concert' promises to bring the magic of the deceased singer's highly acclaimed performances back to life. Samila Suttisiltum

If someone said you were about to experience an Elvis Presley concert, what would you say?

Get out of here?

Elvis has left the building?

Well, you can experience a Presley concert - virtually, and nearly 30 years after his death. That is the promise of the "Elvis Presley in Concert" show to be held here next month.

"It's a dynamic live show based on the idea that if Elvis were alive today, this would be very similar to the type of show he would perform," said producer Stig Edgren of the "Elvis Presley in Concert" project.

The concert makes use of technology that can blend video footage with live performance by real musicians.

"Literally, Elvis performs on-screen while his band and singers play live. It's a concert where, in between songs, Elvis says things to the audience and introduces the band, and it flows very much like a live show. It's a perfect marriage between video and live performance."

Edgren was first asked to do the "Elvis Presley in Concert" project back in 1997 by Elvis Presley Enterprises, the company that not only owns his Graceland mansion, but also the rights to market Presley.

The show has, for the last nine years, taken the late "King of Rock 'n' Roll" to various cities around the world that Presley never visited in his lifetime, giving fans an as-authentic-as-possible Presley performance.

On October 21, it will be the turn of Thai fans to share the experience.

Despite the immense success the show has met with in the places it has visited, it still took courage to tackle an original body of performing art, especially by such a beloved rock 'n' roll idol as the focal point of the show.

Whether in 1997, when the show was initially conceived, or now, the love that old fans - and the admiration that young listeners - have for the performer hasn't by any means wavered.

Born on January 8, 1935, Presley came to people's attention when he released five singles on the Sun label, namely, That's All Right, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Baby Let's Play House, Good Rockin' Tonight and Mystery Train - a body of work considered the prototype of rock 'n' roll, a blend of blues, country and pop, along with Presley's remarkable vocals.

Although his five Sun singles are the all-time critics' picks, it's the work released after he signed with RCA that propelled Presley to mainstream superstardom.

The wild, raw energy of the early work gave way to the characteristic pop feel that's more accessible to the mass market. Coupled with the star's own unique, sexy on-stage hip-swirling dance moves, Presley became an legendary celebrity with 18 No. 1 hits, 117.5 million in album sales, 25 multi-platinum albums and 24 gold singles, making him one of the best-selling solo artists in US history.

"When I was asked to produce the show, I had no idea what it would feel like and I wasn't sure how it would turn out. However, the second I heard it come together, I felt this was a magical show. It was really something special," said Edgren of his handling of the legacy of one of the best-loved figures in music.

"So, for the fans, they'll love to see a full two-hour concert starring Elvis Presley on the screen. For new fans, they will be able to see what an incredible performer this man really was, probably the greatest performer of the 20th century."

Edgren's major responsibility was to edit clips from various Presley live shows and single out his vocal, to be mixed, later on, with live music performed by the band on-stage.

Dubbed "reverse karaoke", the show mostly employs footage from a show in the 1970s that Edgren considers Presley's best, both in terms of songs and his performance.

"We actually have no material from the 1960s, so we had to use all the 1970s performances like That's The Way It Is from 1970, Elvis On Tour from 1972 and the 1973's Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii. What we did was to take out all the sound from the footage except Elvis' vocals ...it's important to have Elvis' vocals on separate audio tracks so that we can blend all the instruments with them."

With footage from various concerts together with the live backing, it is not hard to understand why Edgren admitted the most crucial part of the show is the sound mixing. Although the engineer doesn't have to worry about feedback from the "singer", it's tough blending what's constant - Presley's voice - with the live music by Presley's original band members and additional musicians.

"My job was to make the video, prepare the sound track, making sure it had the flow of a concert. The most critical and most difficult thing was the sound mixing, how it blends Elvis' vocals with live music."

The band comprises some key members of Presley's original band, from musical director/conductor Joe Guercio, vocalists Myrna Smith of the Sweet Inspirations, and Ed Enoch of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps, guitarist James Burton, pianist Glen D. Hardin and bassist Jerry Scheff. It's the band's contribution, Edgren revealed, that allows the show to have the feel of a live performance despite the key performer doing his job only on-screen.

"It doesn't feel like a video show because the band, which is a live band, is playing together with Elvis. Every show is different for them."

During the two-and-a-half-hour set, fans will hear many hits and some of the best Presley performances, from Johnny B. Good, Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, Bridge Over Troubled Water, My Way and Can't Help Falling in Love while two additional screens on the side will project pictures of the band as well as footage from the films Presley starred in.

Given the show's format, the set list is not really a secret and Edgren is confident that despite the list being revealed, the show still has the power to entertain fans old and new.

"I can tell you I'm so proud of the show because millions of people have seen it all over the world. It's a very emotional experience."

'Elvis Presley in Concert' will be on October 21 at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani. Tickets are priced at 2,500, 2,000, 1,000 and 500 baht and can be purchased at the Thai Ticket Master counters at Maleenont Tower, 27th Floor, Central Chidlom, Pin Klao, Bang Na and Future Park, Rangsit. For more information, contact Thai Ticket Master on 02-262-3456 or visit http://www.thaiticketmaster.com or http://www.bectero.com.