Tim Robson

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The King

A question I'm often asked (by myself usually) - who would you have most like to have seen in concert? The possibilities are endless - The Beatles (obviously), The Stones, Queen, Led Zep, The Who, Sinatra... But there is only ever one answer. The one person I would have loved to have seen in concert, is Elvis.

To be clear, Elvis from 1969 onwards. Elvis in his mature years.

Like much of his life story, his last few years have acquired a mythology. The myth is that of a fat, drugged Elvis, bulging belly in a white tasseled sparkling jump-suit, sweating his way through a tired set to drunken middle-aged audiences at The International, Las Vegas. 

Well let's scotch that myth. Take a look at E - lithe and on form, slaying them in 1970...

From the 2001 opening to the Fools Fall in Love (Elvis has left the building) ending, an Elvis show had rituals and designed peaks and troughs. Where to start? Well, start where I did, aged 10 - Elvis Live at Madison Square Garden. This 1972 was peak Elvis. The set list has all the live greats - Polk Salad Annie, Suspicious Minds, American Trilogy, You Gave Me A Mountain, Proud Mary, You don't have to say you love me...

You can listen online.