Elvis - Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis FTD CD

I remember as a young fan first hearing this show around 1984, now some 20 years later and 30 years after the actual show took place we get to hear the almost complete 70 minute show (well 69 minutes!) Still on one CD release that's almost twice the running time of the LP version!
 
Having recently listened to both the 'old' LP and the 'new' FTD CD versions, I feel that this new CD is without doubt excellent, NOT perfect but so vastly superior in sound to the original that I can't stand listening to the short original LP anymore. On the LP we had the vinyl 'warmth' of a large front cover photo of Graceland that as a 7" FTD release comes close to that. The booklet inside the FTD release features actual shots from the 20.3.74 concert and again whilst not perfect, greatly adds to the overall feel of this show before you even play it.
 
I'll briefly summarize up my feeling about the FTD 'sound' There has been a LOT of criticism about 'added reverb' - yet I found that whilst this sound is a problem in the first song and even the level of Elvis' voice doesn't seem at it's best yet, VERY soon that bother goes away and NOT having to 'suffer' that overdubbed fake applause being turned 'on' and 'off' ruining songs on the LP such as 'C.C. Rider', 'How Great Thou Art', 'An American Trilogy' or even during 'Help Me' is such a relief you can actually enjoy Elvis' performance with a pleasing band/Orchestra mix too.

Considering that the 10.6.75 show (Released by DAE as Let Me Take You Home) also had some reverb sound to it-just maybe we are hearing the sound in the Mid South Coliseum as it was on 20.3.74? It only bothers me at the start of the show, not later on. Hearing all the 'new' songs in a balanced source/level (compared to Fort Baxter's 3 different source/levels release!) is also a huge bonus. OK, so we miss a false start to 'Help Me' and Elvis commenting on the screaming woman saying 'Elvis Turn Around', but for repeated playing of this CD I actually prefer these omissions (small that they are). Only 1 song is a 'throwaway' and that's 'Fever' - simply an annoying trashed performance (though no-where near as bad as he would do later in the year!) 
 
Oldies such as 'All Shook Up', 'Teddy Bear' / 'Don't be Cruel' I still enjoy. Yet to me the highlight of the whole new sound (to my ears) is the mixing of Elvis' voice so that in 'How Great Thou Art' for example I can hear him sing every last note (instead of muddy with other voices before!) This vocal clarity has given me a new found appreciation of this gospel performance. Following on from the sincerity of a straight 'Why Me Lord' I found myself deeply moved going into Suspicious Minds! 'Suspicious Minds' too is a version that for some unknown reason gets right into the groove for me and I love it! Highlights such as 'Let Me Be There' are STILL just as good and other bonuses of 'Steamroller Blues' are great, as is 'Trilogy' with natural applause.