Elvis Presley - Return To Sender - 1 August 1976 - Final Time Performed Live

On 1 August 1976 Elvis performed his second show of a double date in The Hampton Roads Coliseum but unusually for a day when he had only one show it was a matinee performance not an evening one. For this show Elvis wore his Blue Egyptian Bird suit in front of a sold out crowd of 11,000.

The entire afternoon show was first released as a soundboard bootleg album called 'The Bicentennial Experience' but it has to be said that unfortunately the show is AWFUL!!

All of us have off days when we go to work, sometimes we are not at our best for a variety of reasons and this show proved that Elvis was no exception - although the audience don't seem to care all that much! Elvis is short of breath, often off key and can hardly hold a note at times however there is no shortage of effort as it is obvious that is trying his best. Even when singing "Hurt" Elvis steers away from using the power intro which defined his live versions of the song.

In fairness it seems he is aware of this and tries to explain it away by saying that he had a very late finish the night before at the same venue and has had very little sleep both of which are true and legitimate contributing factors. What is important to bear in mind is that Elvis would not have wanted to disappoint an already sold out audience by cancelling, since unlike many performers Elvis never treated his fans with contempt. On this occasion it seems that genuine fatigue is at play and not boredom, apathy or something medicinal that is hindering Elvis' performance

The real issue was that Col. Parker would rather have Elvis regularly perform a matinee and an evening show rather than just perform on consecutive nights as most other stars would. In fact Elvis did more tours during 1976 than any other year - (9 tours , one Tahoe season and one Vegas season)!

As far as Parker was concerned as long as Elvis was on the stage that was all that mattered - quantity over substance - or Elvis' health for that matter!

Peter Guralnick sums up that entire tour in his book "Careless Love" when he wrote :

"Elvis returned from the coast just in time for the July 23 start of another tour, his fifth so far this year. Once again they played backwater locales, from Syracuse, New York, to Charleston, West Virginia; once again the whole idea was to generate income (close to $1 million in two weeks this time); and once again review after review spoke of the perfunctory nature of the performance and the sad state into which Elvis seemed to have fallen. In Hartford on July 28 Colonel lambasted Elvis for not putting forth more effort, for not giving the people their money’s worth, and Elvis was so shaken that he sought out Tom Hulett after the show to ask if the fans still loved him. Hulett reassured him that they did, and audiences continued to demonstrate their affection in any number of ways, but as a reporter for the Newport News Times-Herald wrote, the adulation now was more “for what he was, what he symbolises, rather than for what he is or how he sings now.” There was, she went on, sounding a note that had become depressingly familiar from other recent write-ups and reviews, “no soul [in his music], no driving power behind his voice.” Sometimes he had J. D. Sumner or Kathy Westmoreland take a solo spot in the middle of the show, because he just seemed too tired to go on.

The first show, in San Antonio, was a “lacklustre performance,” according to one review, but it was a success by the new standard under which they were operating, and everyone reassured themselves afterwards that maybe Elvis would respond positively to a new regimen set up by a new physician. The second date, a matinee performance at the Summit in Houston, dispelled any such illusions. Elvis was so “loaded,” according to the testimony of one troupe member after another, that there was some doubt that he would even be able to take the stage, and when he did, he could barely talk, let alone walk, putting on a performance that embarrassed the whole show and made them wonder how much longer he could go on. The Colonel, who witnessed the entire performance, was beside himself. Not only was Elvis testing the limits of his audience’s love, and their continued loyalty to him, he was testing the patience of the Houston policemen augmenting the security force, who, Colonel realised in a panic, were talking openly about Elvis’ condition among themselves. All that was missing was some glory hound who wanted to be the one to take down Elvis Presley. Because everyone knew—there was no longer any way you could deny the evidence of your eyes!"

This may be why FTD decided that it would be better to release only this song from that 1 August 1976 show, as a bonus track on the CD 'New Haven, itself a marginally better show. Virtually every show from that tour is much the same and regardless of which show FTD released there would be little difference and that show was merely chosen to fill the Summer 76 gap in the FTD catalogue!

[OliwerBergdahl-zlyz]

There are only good and incredible elvis concert no bad, don’t care what other people think of it, elvis is the greatest of all time❤❤❤

[concepciongallo]

Hermoso ❤ELVIS ❤PRESLEY FOREVER ❤❤único 2023

[Detelinka]

Will always love this song! Thank you so much for sharing! :))

[tommyboo]

This performance speaks for the entire concert, as well as for Elvis' condition. He should've been well away from that stage, and even much further away from Tom Parker. A good manager would've cared enough to take urgent steps towards getting Elvis back in good health and even better shape. But it's easy with hindsight.

[SamuelVII]

This version is actually not bad, obviously without the fact that Elvis is exhausted he sang a good part of the lyrics, while I still prefer the one in Lake Tahoe this one is somewhat enjoyable (specially because it's soundboard)

[SamuelVII]

A shame he didn't sang it again on February 12 1977, this last live version with Elvis in not a good moment is sad but ok, unfortunately

[rickeap]

Considering this was one of his worst concerts, this impromptu attempt without rehearsal isn't too bad.

[bbo]

Leon, as your description states, he does sound out of breath. It's a pity he didn't do more live versions of this classic.

[davidgibbs]

Oh dear. This does not sound like the Elvis I have loved all my life. Its little better than a pub karaoke version. He was obviously tired and perhaps it was an off night because in general as ill as he was at this time in his life he kept his magnificent voice to the end.

[HelloooThere]

All things considered, the actual singing wasn’t horrible….in fact, a few parts were pretty good actually

[tonbruins]

Not a good voice. Tired and very ill. It was a afternoon show and that was not his favorite part of the day. Too many downers in his system.