Elvis Presley – On Stage (February, 1970)

I'm trying to expand my musical palate. I think I like Elvis's voice & personality. However, the orchestration / arrangement of many of the songs on this record have an artificially sweet, saccharine quality that makes me want to vomit. It's like if you go to a used car dealership and a greasy salesman comes out with a big fake smile and shakes your hand enthusiastically - that is how some of these songs feel. I assume this comes from the music industry and does not come from Elvis's blues roots... Anyway, the recording, mastering, pressing all sound decent enough, for anyone asking. Or at least I did not like the music well enough to notice a problem with them.

This is one of the very few analogue pressings we’re let it be me is not cut hot. Amazing bass, by the way. Highly recommended. My go-to copy

Even people who are diehard Elvis fans may take a jaded look at the number of live albums he released in the ‘70s (6 including ‘From Memphis to Vegas’ in 1969) but I really think that ‘On Stage’ from June 1970 is his best. For one thing, there are no ‘50s song medleys which are not my personal favorite parts of any of his live recordings. ‘On Stage’ saw Elvis as a contemporary easy listening crooner - mostly delving into the pop hits of the day and making some of them his own. This would be the pattern for most of his live recordings throughout the rest of his life. ‘On Stage’ is also not burdened with the often maudlin songs that plagued these latter day recordings as well. Elvis was in great shape, upbeat and dynamic - not burnt out and morbidly overweight as he was on ‘Elvis in Concert’. ‘On Stage’ featured the definitive versions of such Elvis live staples as opener “See See Rider”, “Polk Salad Annie” and “Proud Mary”. My personal favorites would be the aforementioned “Annie” and Joe South’s “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” which though probably not intended for Elvis initially, seems to fit the King like a glove as he seemed to completely empathize with the lyric. “Sweet Caroline” and “Release Me” are also pretty sweet and showed Elvis was as comfortable with new songs as well as his favorite country standards. One thing else that I find appealing about ‘On Stage’ is that it is so compact - not one song is wasted which wasn’t always the case on any of the other live records. For the casual Elvis who doesn’t really dig live albums - I would certainly talk this one up. I know y'all haven’t been down south too much…but there’s a plant that grows…that’s all they had to eat….but they did alright…

Got this in October 2020, except for a few pops here and there, a 50 yr old LP sounded awesome! Great depth of stage, sounded warm and full with plenty of highs and bass throughout. Vocals, guitars and horns came through perfectly. Never heard a US pressing, but I can't imagine a US dynaflex vinyl doing much better. A great show to listen to, plenty of headroom to crank it up and enjoy!

Not sure it's possible for this to be a 1976 release when the inner liners include photos of Welcome To My World and Moody Blue, both of which did not come out until 1977.

I buy that same Number 2018 in Graceland, the two discs are in orange and looks like the first Vinyl Release 1970.

this is new red album 2021. not on dicogs yet

he looks like he has a toothache in this photo

my copy have a "Imp. A.R.E.A.C.E.M. - B-2 Made in " under the "Recorded "On Stage" ..."

.....we know that great versions of Long Tall Sally and Don't Cry, Daddy were not pressed, and these numbers would have enlivened the set as a whole.