PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM

STRAIGHT ARROW SA/SP 2018-50-02

Monday, June 28, 1976, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA.

It's the summer of 1976, and America is celebrating its bicentennial. What could be more patriotic than seeing America’s greatest entertainer in the city where the countries' Declaration of Independence was formed and signed? 

Straight Arrow team has been looking for a recording of this particular concert for a long time… and finally succeeded.

Compared with July and August 1976 concerts, performances in June were of a much better standard and the Philadelphia concert is no exception. Elvis did a fine show that night.

The Philadelphia, June 28th, 1976 show is previously unreleased. Until now, this show was not available in acceptable sound. The only existing tape was in horrible quality. Our release has been taken directly from a previously unreleased original audience-recorded cassette. This concert was recorded by an Elvis fan from Pennsylvania.

This release is presented in a de-luxe 6-panel digipak with collection of photos taken in  Philadelphia, PA, June 28th, 1976 and with great liner notes written by the fan who taped the show!

Part of pre-program:
01. Gonna Fly Now (theme from Rocky - by Joe Guercio & The Hot Hilton Horns)02. Black Sunday (by Sweet Inspirations) 03. If You Leave Me Now (by Sweet Inspirations).

The Elvis Presley show:

04. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra 

05. C. C. Rider

06. I Got A Woman / Amen

07. Love Me

08. If You Love Me (Let Me Know)

09. You Gave Me A Mountain

10. All Shook Up

11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel

12. And I Love You So

13. Jailhouse Rock

14. Fever

15. America The Beautiful

16. Introductions of singers, musicians, orchestra

17. Early Mornin' Rain

18. What'd I Say

19. Johnny B. Goode

20. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt, incomplete)

21. Bass Solo (Blues - Jerry Scheff)

22. Piano Solo (Tony Brown) 

23. Electric Piano & Clavinet Solo (David Briggs) 

24. Love Letters

25. School Day

26. Hurt #1

27. Hurt #2

28. Hound Dog

29. Funny How Time Slips Away (with reprise)

30. Can't Help Falling In Love - 31. Closing Vamp / Announcements.

(The pre-program was taped in Philadelphia, PA, May 28th, 1977 by the same guy who recorded the 1976 show. Straight Arrow planned  to release the May 28th, 1977 show too, but another label released it recently from another tape source.)