'Elvis: Summer Nights June '74'

As part of FTD's ongoing live on tour series, “ELVIS: Summer Nights” features four performances from June 1974.  Released as a 4-CD 5” digipak, the concerts are all Evening Shows, Des Moines June 20 1974, Philadelphia June 23, Columbus June 25 and Milwaukee June 28, 1974. The concerts feature all of the songs that were recorded by the engineer during the June 1974 tour.  Recorded in mono.   All previously unreleased soundboards except for Milwaukee June 28 on bootleg. Elvis soundboard super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell & EIN's Piers Beagley check out this new FTD set to see if there is anything new to discover...

In 1974 Elvis focused on a hard touring schedule and never once went into a recording studio.

In 1974 Elvis added the new songs 'Help Me', 'Let Me Be There' and ‘Why Me Lord’ to his regular set-list and the old SUN classic ‘Trying To Get To You’ would also become a regular feature. Not only that but Elvis started working on that old 'Polk Salad' again having left it off the set-list for the whole of 1973!

FTD have previously released nine concerts from Elvis' June 1974 tour. Fort Worth June 15 E/S, June 16 - Afternoon Show, June 16 ES, Baton Rouge June 17, Amarillo June 19, Cleveland June 21, Omaha June 30 (both shows) & Omaha July 1, 1974 

This 'Elvis: Summer Nights '74' FTD 4-CD release was first promoted back in May 2026 but then held up due to technical issues, finally being released in August 2026. It then took a while to arrive in Australia.

Elvis’ June 1974 tour included some truly enjoyable performances. It was Elvis' 13th tour of the USA and he was back on the road after finishing his third Lake Tahoe season. As always freed from the constraints of the casino crowds, Elvis was still in fine form and putting on great shows.

FTD have acknowledged this by already releasing nine concerts from this tour and there is no doubt that FTD have already released the better quality shows. Tape damage has been an issue with previous soundboards and this would be one of the reasons that these four concerts are previously unreleased.

EIN previously noted that the Fort Worth June 15 concert “sounded as if it recorded through a sock” while Baton Rouge, June 17 “the sound quality is dull, very flat and there is some underlying distortion” although both improved as the recording went along.

Another point we previously raised was that the Fort Worth concert was so similar to Elvis' other June 74' concerts “that collectors may be a little disappointed”.

Both these points are relevant as on this new four concert set poor audio quality is an issue and with so many June ’74 concerts previously released both the set-list and Elvis’ performances are incredibly familiar on all these performances.

The chart below shows the FTD June 74 tour performances in the order released by FTD. 
One can presume FTD released their higher-rated concerts first 

These FTD multi-packs are obviously aimed at collectors who want to hear every possible unreleased concert so from that point of view having four shows from June 1974 is still a fine idea.

The Design This 4cd set of 1974 concerts comes in a five-panel 5” digipack with some great photos. The colourised cover features Elvis in Milwaukie 28 June while the inside cover shows Elvis in Columbus, Ohio three days previously. There are 18 photos in total. Elvis wore his ‘American Eagle’ jumpsuit at Columbus and Philadelphia and his ‘Turquoise Phoenix’ suit at Des Moines and Milwaukee. Behind each disc is a good photo from each respective performance. The three back covers feature a neat selection of Elvis photos from Philadelphia June 23, Columbus June 25 and Milwaukee June 28 along with ticket stubs.

As has been discussed elsewhere, FTD stuffed up with the CD masters they sent to the printing plant and so the back cover has incorrect track listings for two of the four shows.

Disc 2: Philadelphia does not list either ‘See See Rider’ or ‘Let Me Be There’ which were supposed to be ‘excluded due to severe tape-damage’.

Disc 3: Columbus lists the first two tracks in the obvious correct order but the disc actually plays ‘I Got A Woman/Amen’ FIRST and then the intro fade-up into ‘See See Rider’ second. How this passed FTD audio quality control beggars belief.

A corrected ‘back cover’ was released by FTD so fans could print it out for themselves.

The front cover has a blue ‘audio disclaimer’ sticker.

Audio Quality
The audio was mastered by Jan Eliasson and is very rough at times with bad tape-damage so this set deserves the ‘audio disclaimer’.
Previously released June 1974 soundboards have started with poor audio which later improves and the situation is similar here. Perhaps the cassette recorder needed more tension for the cassette tape to sit properly on the record head.

The Des Moines concert – a little muffled at times - is an interesting mix, with clean percussion and James Burton, but with the orchestra almost absent. This gives the concert more of an alternate ‘TCB Band’ mix which most collectors will enjoy.

Philadelphia has terribly tape damage in parts but otherwise sounds fine and also with a rather interesting ‘brass section’ mix. It also has the bonus of John Wilkinson prominent in the mix

Columbus suffers from tape flutter and muffled audio while the overall mix if ok.

Milwaukee again has muffled audio and tape issues. The audio-mix is ok and again with more brass-section than usual.

Some fans have suggested that the running speed of the shows is a little slow but it is not that noticeable, especially compared to the poor tape quality.

The Music
Elvis’ June ’74 set-list hardly varied at all. His recently released new single was ‘If You Talk In Your Sleep’ / Help Me’ but he always performed the B-side. ‘Why Me Lord’ was a highlight of every show while ‘Big Boss Man’ and ‘Let Me Be There’ upped the tempo towards the end of every concert. The second half of the tour saw ‘Steamroller Blues’ added as the penultimate song and Elvis regularly changed between ‘An America Trilogy’ and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was a nice addition at five of the concerts but there is nothing here that you won’t have heard before

All the soundboards start with ‘See See Rider’ with no 2001 intro recorded.

The Concerts

Disc 1: Des Moines, Iowa. June 20, Evening Show - 11,000 fans - 58 mins

Noted on the disc as the “Evening Show” even though being a Thursday there was no afternoon show. Elvis had performed in Amarillo the previous night which is probably the most enjoyable soundboard of the whole tour.

'See See Rider ' is fine and up-beat with Elvis showing some good energy for a Thursday night show. The audio mix is fine if a little piano heavy but with so little orchestra that it sounds almost just Elvis and the TCB Band. Between the songs there appears to be audio-gating applied to improve Elvis’ microphone but overall it is not too bad.

‘I Got A Woman / Amen’ is fine. As on every June show Elvis notes that “JD is the world’s lowest bass-singer” before repeating the ending and JD’s dive-bomber routine.

Elvis introduces himself as Glen Campbell and notes that “It’s a pleasure to be back here in Des Moines”.

‘Love Me’ is pretty routine as are fifties crowd-pleasers All Shook Up / Love Me Tender / Hound Dog but all sung with more seriousness than was often the case.

‘Heartbreak Hotel’ only performed five times on this 23-date tour - is however delightful being a deep Bluesy version and not rushed. A show 'highlight'. 

‘Polk Salad Annie’ is bass-driven – with less backing-vocals than usual in the mix - but energetic and fine for ’74.

‘Why Me Lord’ is a good mix, a fine, sincere straight version. It gets a huge applause making Elvis suggest “let’s do the last part again” adding a powerful reprise. “JD, Stamps, fantastic” Elvis rightfully adds.

‘Suspicious Minds’ is a rather good version and Elvis was still performing it at every show. Piano driven and with almost no orchestra it’s an interesting mix.

‘Introductions’ are pretty straight forward - as they were at every show - and at least they were short with no added band solos. On this tour Elvis always joked that some band member was from the actual town. Tonight it was “John Wilkinson from Des Moines, Iowa” and afterwards “from Transylvania Glen Hardin.”

‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ is ‘routine 74’ with the Elvis “I dread it” show-piece power-ending.  

‘Help Me’ “a new record that we have out” is well-sung and enjoyable for having less Sherrill Nielsen in the mix, creating more emphasis on Elvis. Delightful.

‘An American Trilogy’ unfortunately has the “land of Corn / Cotton” and 'Disneyland' beginning tease but goes on to end up being a fine version. With less orchestra in mix the flute solo sounds very, very distant.

‘Let Me Be There’  introduced at the beginning of the year, is one of the better performed songs on the tour and you can hear the crowd clapping along. A fine version, loved by the crowd - “Whooo, yeah!” Elvis notes – it gets a well-deserved reprised ending.

With the house-lights up and the crowd screaming their adoration Elvis comments “I’m gonna’ swing right up to the balcony. Whoo, I didn’t realise it was that big. ”

‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ is fine and has the usual June ’74, “listen to our beloved.. the old man of the group” J.D. Sumner reprised last line. 

Big Boss Man – once again a new song for ’74 - is very good with a good audio-mix, listen to James Burton’s chicken-scratch on the first verse and another show highlight.

Elvis thanks the audience noting that “We played here in the same building in 1955. I was a mere child”.

While it sounds like Elvis was about to wrap up the show, in appreciation he decides to throw in a final ‘Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel’ – perhaps because of the 1955 comment.

Coming so late in the show Elvis actually takes them more seriously than usual and they are not the usual throw-away versions.

Noting that “It’s been a pleasure working for you tonight.. until the next time back here I bid you an affectionate farewell”

A fine ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love Closing’ wraps up the show.

Elvis played Des Moines Veterans Memorial Auditorium on May 22 1956 (not 1955 but he was close). This concert was the second time Elvis had been there and he would return to the same venue on June 23 1977 for one of his very last performances.

In general this was a decent show, nicely sung throughout with a couple of highlights. Of course it was very similar to the other June shows but with hardly any orchestra in the mix it is an interesting and enjoyable soundboard.

Disc 2: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 23, 1974 -19,000 fans. Evening Show - 60 minutes.

This was a Sunday night show and Elvis had already performed an afternoon show.

‘See See Rider’ which has terrible tape-damaged sound was supposed to be edited out so it is not a good start.

‘I Got A Woman / Amen’ shows that Elvis was in fine form but sounds very familiar with the world’s lowest bass-singer double ending.

“My name is Wayne Newton” jokes Elvis and by now the audio sounds much better.

What is interesting in this audio-mix is that the string-section of the orchestra is missing although the brass section is quite predominant. Also fascinating is that John Wilkinson’s rhythm guitar is high in the mix with far less James Burton, this gives collectors another interesting alternate concert-mix.

‘Love Me’ is routine – afterwards Elvis thanks a fan “for the flowers and the little bear”

‘Trying To Get To You’ is a “streaking all the way” laid-back version and rather fine.  

The crowd-pleasers All Shook Up / Love Me Tender/ Hound Dog are all performed quite well compared to some nights. 

A cool ‘Fever’ – the mix is rather good - has the crowd snapping their fingers and a lovely feel of fan participation. It gets a huge applause afterwards. “Thank you very much, you’re really a good audience.” 

‘Polk Salad Annie’ is good and punchy for ’74 - driven by Ronnie Tutt and with plenty of brass in the mix. Elvis works out at the end and the fan video show Elvis adding some neat karate kicks at the end. 

‘Why Me Lord’ is a good serious version from J.D & Elvis but tonight there is no reprise.

‘Suspicious Minds’ is ‘ok’ the ’74 crowd-pleaser but with a little too much Charlie Hodge in the mix.

Tonight’s Introductions have Elvis teasing Kathy Westmoreland about a bra that has been thrown on stage, “Is this too big, this is a size Z!” Tonight it’s John Wilkinson from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Ronnie Tutt from Philadelphia, even Charlie Hodge comes from Tunisia!

‘I Can't Stop Loving You’ is fine and with no usual teasing and a good power-ending. 

‘Heartbreak Hotel’ is a rather routine “so sweaty you could die” version, even if a crowd favourite.  

‘Help Me’ “a new song that we’ve have out” is the sincere and tonight with the usual Elvis / Sherrill mix. 

Some nights Elvis performed ‘Trilogy’, other nights ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’. Tonight ‘Bridge’ is a delightful, strong version. The orchestra wind-section is in the mix (brass and flutes) but not the violin section. The crowd roar their approval. “Thank you, I appreciate it” notes Elvis.

‘Let Me Be There’ starts sounding fine until it gets to the damaged tape ending. It’s the reprise that suffers most which is the part FTD should have removed - but of course we can hit ‘skip’.  

Luckily the tape damage clears up just before a routine ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ with the usual J.D. Sumner last line reprise.

‘Big Boss Man’ is another fine version with the brass high in the mix. Coincidentaly Elvis notes at the end “That’s fantastic on the horn part fellows, really fantasic.”

Just before closing Elvis sincerely thanks the audience “You’ve really been outta sight, really been an enthusiastic audience and it’s been fun to work for you. And thank you for driving here in the rain. Until the next time we see you be careful going home.”

‘Can't Help Falling in Love’ and closing vamp ends the tape.

A show I have always liked and although some damaged sound nice to have.

Geoff McD Note: This is a show I have always liked. Decades ago I had a C-90 cassette audience copy that I believe originated from famous Elvis fan Phil Gelormine who attended this Philadelphia show. On the tape after the show there were complimentary fan reactions and comments. In the summer of 1974 Elvis was well-worth seeing and prices reasonable. A US$10 ticket then is equivalent to US$70 today and so it was good value.

Newspaper reviews of the time noted that “Elvis is unquestionably a great performer, an originator by any standard and a pop-star of incredible charisma”

A lot of collectors have been asking that this soundboard be officially released for years.

Disc 3: Columbus, Ohio. June 25, 1974 -15,000 fans - 62 mins

For some reason Col Parker had added an extra show the previous day in Niagara Falls with Elvis performing two shows on a Monday, as well as the double shows over the previous weekend in both Providence and Philadelphia.

This was Tuesday night in Columbus, Elvis’ 16th performance in eleven days and he was understandably tired. The FTD cover and CD says ‘Evening Show’ but there was no afternoon show.

As we have noted previously, giving Elvis and the musicians one day off a week would not have been a bad idea.  

The first two songs are in the wrong order on this CD but even in the correct order they sound as ordinary and similar as all the other June 74 versions.

The cd kicks off with the ‘well, well, well’ intro of ‘I Got a Woman / Amen’ and already Elvis sounds low energy compared to the previous shows. It’s a routine version with the usual the world’s lowest bass-singer JD double ending.

Elvis introduces himself as Wayne Newton and jokes “It’s good to be back in Columbus Georgia.. Ohio!”

Infuriatingly the fade-up to the start of ‘See See Rider’ then follows and you can hear that Elvis sounds tired and without the high energy of the previous performances.

Of course the CD then jumps straight into ‘Love Me’ which is again notably low-energy.

‘Trying To Get To You’ – another average version - has a false start with Elvis starting ‘Love Me’ all over again. “No, I’ve started doing the same song again - 20 years down the drain” Elvis jokes which gets the audience laughing.  

No surprise that on this night the oldies All Shook Up / Love Me Tender and Hound Dog are all throwaways.

‘Fever’ “fever till your nose bleeds” is again an average version although the fans clap along and it’s a real crowd-pleaser. “You were right on the beat folks” Elvis adds.

While I am sure ‘Polk Salad Annie’ was an audience highlight it is exactly the same as any other night without any distinction. Elvis sounds genuinely tired afterwards.

‘Why Me Lord’ is as good as usual, serious and tonight with a reprised ending featuring Kathy Westmoreland’s soaring soprano. “That was fantastic” Elvis notes.

‘Suspicious Minds’ is very routine with Charlie Hodge duetting.

Introductions are as usual and tonight Elvis jokes John Wilkinson is from Cleveland, Ohio, and Joe Guercio is from Columbus, Ohio. Elvis notably announces Glen D as “Glen D. Hard” not Hardin! Was this because he was tired? 

A low-energy ‘I Can't Stop Loving You’ has Elvis saying “I hope I don’t throw up” before the power-ending.

‘Help Me’ “From a single we just recorded. We’re doing ‘Help Me’ because we need that the most” works well in low-energy mode and comes across as a sincere, heartfelt version. It gets a great applause.

‘An American Trilogy’ is a good straight version and show highlight with a fine audio-mix. The flute solo sounding clear tonight, it gets another huge applause.

There is still tape flutter with muffled audio at points as the soundboard continues.

‘Let Me Be There’ is fine but with less energy than most nights. There’s no reprise tonight.

With the house-lights up Elvis jokes, “Hello up there, you’ve got oxygen masks I hope.”

‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ is low-key but Elvis is distracted and as always it includes the usual J.D. Sumner last line reprise.

‘Big Boss Man’ is fine.

What is interesting about this performance is that just as Elvis is about to wrap up the show a fans calls out a request for Steamroller Blues. Elvis reacts noting, “Let me see… Steamroller.... OK.”

Elvis obviously enjoyed playing something different and had only started including it in the set-list two nights before in Louisville. It would now become the regular final number for the rest of the tour.

‘Steamroller Blues’ is a laid-back version, Elvis forgets a lyric, but you can hear how much he is enjoying the song as he jams along during the guitar solo putting real energy into the final verse. It’s a great extra song tonight.

Elvis tells the crowd they are the “best audience we’ve had so far on the whole tour" and thanks the governor for making him an ‘Honouree Buckeye!’

A regular ‘Can't Help Falling In Love’ ends the tape

Some of the dialogue from this show was included on 1974’s ’Having Fun with Elvis on Stage’.

Elvis was tired, it was Tuesday, and so understandably this show comes across as the most routine show in this package all too similar to every other performance but with less energy.

The spontaneous ‘Steamroller Blues’ is the highlight along with a fine ‘American Trilogy’ but the poor tape quality of the concert lets it down.

Disc 4: Milwaukee, June 28 Evening Show - 11,800 fans - 61 mins

Friday night and Elvis sounds a little more enthused even if it’s only an average energy show. The sleeve notes 'Evening Show' but it was the only show that day.

FTD released both Sunday performances on their 'Omaha, Nebraska 74’ release back in 2018. They were very fine performances and someone must had serviced the cassette tape-deck as the soundboard was superb audio quality.

That is not the case here with again muffled audio and tape issues. The audio-mix is ok but again with more brass-section than usual. John Wilkinson’s rhythm guitar is again more noticeable in the mix.

This concert has been previously released on bootleg (‘In Dreams Of Yesterday’) which interestingly did not have the same bad tape damage.

‘See See Rider’ suffers tape damage but you can hear Elvis is awake and energetic.

‘I Got A Woman / Amen’ is all too familiar, routine and with the world’s lowest bass-singer JD double ending, followed by “My name is Wayne Newton.”

With the crowd shouting at him Elvis sings one line of ‘Turn Around Look At Me.’ It lasts only 14 seconds with Elvis telling the band “Fellows, don’t go any further ‘cos I don’t know the words.” Elvis would sing a longer version in Asheville on 23 July 1975.  

‘Love Me’ is very routine while ‘Trying To Get To You’ is another ‘streaking all the way’ version.

The 50’s crowd-pleasers All Shook Up / Love Me Tender/ Hound Dog are all throwaways.

‘Fever’ gets the audience going but it’s an average version.

‘Polk Salad Annie’ is OK if lacking that extra energy.   

‘Why Me Lord’ is very good and afterwards Elvis says “I like that!” but there’s no reprise tonight despite the huge audience applause. There is some tape damage mid-song.

‘Suspicious Minds’, with too much Charlie Hodge, is similar to all the other June ’74 versions.

Introductions are routine, tonight John Wilkinson is “from somewhere up a tree”, while Joe Guercio is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin! Elvsi adds, “Hey, Joe I didn’t know you were from Milwaukee! I’m from Tupelo, Wisconsin”

‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ has a false start but is rather routine and low-energy. 

‘Help Me’ is rather fine and receives a great applause.

‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is gentle paced delightfully sung, with a fine audio mix, and a concert highlight. 

‘Let Me Be There’ is a low-energy version but gets a reprise tonight.

‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ is ok and as always with the last line JD reprise.

With ‘Big Boss Man’ Elvis ups the energy and it’s very good with a fine audio-mix and JD Sumner hitting those low-notes. Towards the end, joking with Charlie Hodge Elvis sings “Big Boss Man, you’re just short that’s all!”  

‘Steamroller Blues’ is a fine laid-back version, a delight for the final number.

Afterwards Elvis wraps things up quickly telling the crowd “you have been a very fantastic audience” and bidding them an affectionate farewell.

and closes with a fine ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ the tape also featuring the Closing Vamp.

When previously released on bootleg (in 2003 by Memory Records and Gravel Road in 2014) fans truly enjoyed this rare soundboard. It’s a good, decent show, worth including in this 4-show package but as the fourth performance in the pack it seems too familiar.

Elvis did four tours in 1974 with the quality of his performances slightly declining with each tour. The March tour is obviously the best (luckily the soundboards were also fine audio-quality as well), The May 74' concerts were still 'good' as was this June 1974 tour. Elvis started the 'Disneyland' joke in ‘Trilogy’ but thankfully ‘Why Me Lord’ was still being seriously performed. Typically Elvis started making a feature of J.D. Sumner’ deep-bass voice on ‘Amen’, ‘Why Me Lord’, ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ and the 'Let Me be There' reprise.

Of course the “Desert Storm” struck during Elvis’ Vegas summer festival with the following Sept / Oct tour performances very 'uneven', some downright dreadful. Elvis would often turn ‘Why Me Lord’ into a ‘joke‘.

So with Elvis’ June 1974 performances being incredibly consistent collectors will appreciate this 4-pack including three previously unreleased concerts.

Overall Verdict: FTD has previously released nine concerts from this tour and they obviously did not save the best for last. Apart from the all-familiar set-list the audio is unfortunately muffled at times and there’s plenty of there’s plenty of tape damage. 
However Elvis’ performance at Des Moines is enjoyable (especially with the ‘TCB Band’ mix) and Sunday night in Philadelphia is also a fine addition to our collection. In comparison both Milwaukee and Columbus are very routine shows, with Tuesday night in Columbus very low-energy. 

But with Elvis’ June 1974 performances being so consistently good there is no doubt that collectors will appreciate this 4-pack, including three previously unreleased concerts. 
However for general fans there is very little of interest as the FTD previous releases cover the same ground and in better quality. 
With thirteen shows now released by FTD from this tour that surely is quite enough. 

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Disc 1 Des Moines, Iowa. June 20, Evening Show 1 See See Rider 2 I Got A Woman / Amen 3 Love Me 4 All Shook Up 5 Love Me Tender 6 Hound Dog 7 Heartbreak Hotel 8 Polk Salad Annie 9 Why Me Lord 10 Suspicious Minds 11 Introductions 12 I Can’t Stop Loving You 13 Help Me 14 An American Trilogy 15 Let Me Be There 16 Funny How Time Slips Away 17 Big Boss Man 18 Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel 19 Can’t Help Falling In Love 20 Closing Vamp

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