A very warm welcome to this latest instalment in our occasional series, Elvis and the Press; our leading contributor Gary Wells joins us to consider press reaction to Elvis’ March 3rd, 1974, matinee performance at the Houston Astrodome as part of the Livestock Show and Rodeo, at which time he broke his own 1970 Rodeo attendance record.
Jeff Millar, writing for the Houston Chronicle, applauded Elvis’ effort, and observed, ‘Presley now does a Las Vegas headliner act. It’s a good one, but, heaven knows, the Dome’s not the place to stage it’. The combined audience of over 88 000 for Elvis’ two performances might have strongly disagreed.
We review the show itself, thanks to a very fine quality soundboard recording, and learn about some of the technical and staging challenges behind it. We also examine some of Jeff Millar’s observations about Elvis’ career direction at the time, and question some of his wider commentary which, putting it politely, has not aged well.
Special thanks to Francesc Lopez, whose pioneering Elvis information website, elvisconcerts.com, celebrates 30 years online this year (2026).
Additional Background
One of many interesting aspects of Elvis’ Astrodome performances and making them unique in terms of his 1970s concerts, is the absence of the Joe Guercio Orchestra which could not be accommodated on the small stage on wheels which was towed onto the arena floor. (You can see the towbar on the left hand image below). The show therefore has an unusually pared-back, rock and roll feel.
As the audience was at a distance and there were no effects mics, we don’t experience the atmosphere as we can when listening to an audience recording, however as the show draws to an end we do get a sense of the record crowd’s appreciation.
Below are a couple of particular rarities from the main recording; Suspicious Minds with no orchestra, and the extended instrumental jam that concluded the show.
For our readers and listeners most familiar with the lineup featured in official releases Elvis That’s The Way It Is, Elvis on Tour and Aloha From Hawaii, there might be a couple of unfamiliar names. On bass, Duke Bardwell (b. 1943); an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter who played a total of 181 shows, including one live album recording, during 1974 and the early part of 1975. Supplementing the backing vocals of JD Sumner and the Stamps, the Sweet Inspirations, Kathy Westmoreland and Charlie Hodge, was gospel trio Voice, featuring Sherrill Nielsen, Tim Baty and Donnie Sumner.
Although we’re blessed with a great quality recording, it appears that live sound was quite a challenge in the Astrodome. According to Duke Bardwell, interviewed by Elvis Australia in 2016, they were unable to use their usual (Clair Brothers) arena rig;
“…It was rough … I mean, it really was because there was so much reverb, so much sound was coming back to us on the stage... We couldn’t do what we normally did. We were having to use the system that was in the Astrodome. The sound wasn’t good … You could hear what you were doing coming back to you with a delay. But you got used to it…”
In spite of the challenges, Duke recalled;
“…I think that’s why I enjoyed the ’74 show at the Houston Astrodome so much, because it was just Elvis, the band and the singers…We had to rock & roll!…Because it was the livestock and rodeo show, and we went on right after the cattle. But that was a lot of fun, it really was…”
Selected Press Coverage
A straight news item on the front page of the Houston Chronicle (Monday, March 4th, 1974) reported on the the previous day’s rodeo attendances, while the show itself was reviewed in the same edition by entertainment reporter Jeff Millar (1942-2012), also an author, playwright, and co-creator of comic strip Tank McNamara which is still in syndication (as of 2026).
According to Texas Archival Resources Online;
“…(Jeff Millar) received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and was immediately employed by the Houston Chronicle, first as an entertainment writer and then as a film reviewer. In 1974, Millar and local illustrator Bill Hinds developed “Tank McNamara,” a daily syndicated comic strip about a former NFL defensive lineman turned local sports television reporter. The strip focuses primarily on contemporary American athletics, which allows it to remain topical and also to dabble in related subjects such as politics and social issues. The strip soon developed a national following. Hinds took over writing after Millar’s death in 2012...”
The transcript of Jeff Millar’s review is courtesy of elvisconcerts.com. You can read more reviews from the tour at the 1974 press archive.
HEADLINE: ‘Elvis’ Change In Image Makes An Original Into Ordinary’
Occupying the standing room only space next to me at the rodeo Sunday afternoon was one of those 33-year-old dumplin’ darlins (her husband’s gotta love her ’cause there’s a lotta girl to love) who was keeping a vigil for Elvis Presley.
She knew he was going to emerge from somewhere in the center field area of the Astrodome, and the lady was determined that not a single moment of Elvis on public exhibition at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was going to escape her binoculars.
“He’s going to come out back yonder,” she said, the binocs so screwed into her eyes that those apple cheeks were all but bleeding, “See? Where all them policemen is. I just KNOW he’s gonna come from back yonder.”
Meanwhile, the backup groups – Elvis uses three – had been towed into place aboard the portable bandstand. They waited in place as the chuckwagon races were run around them, which just about freaked the Sweet Inspirations.
After a pause during which policemen stood at parade rest around the perimeter of the area, Elvis appeared. Aboard a Jeep, unimaginatively enough. What a dynamite opportunity for someone to descend from a gondola in a papier-mache golden chariot.
“Oh, golly,” said the Elvis fan since ’55, “it’s hee-yim.” The binocs looked as though they’d have stayed in her face even if she’d removed her hands.
While the bandstand slowly turned 180 degrees (the cheap-seaters never got more than a profile), Elvis worked his little heart out for about 50 minutes (and again, I assume, at the Sunday evening performance). The act was less than dynamite, although I can’t truly think of an act in show business that could play that joint and expect to do more than survive.
Whoever decides such things has thought it best that Elvis over the past couple of years change his image from basic grease rocker to ‘Complete Singer’. Consequently, he does everything from Peggy Lee tunes to “sacred” music to Neil Diamond. Barely 50 percent of the material used in his Dome act is associated with him. Except for “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender,” the nostalgics could have done better with KILT’s oldie-Elvis weekend.
Presley now does a Las Vegas headliner act. It’s a good one, but, heaven knows, the Dome’s not the place to stage it (less Presley’s fault than the people who booked him here).
But you’ve seen lots of Las Vegas headliner acts just like it. It’s odd to see an original making himself ordinary. The slicker Presley gets, the less interesting he is. If Presley could again sound as though he cuts records in someone’s garage, he could blow right out of the water any single act in the business. In his present incarnation, done up in sparkle-plenty jump suits, he looks, and occasionally performs, like the oldest Osmond.
During the podcast, we talk through a number of points raised in Jeff Millar’s review, including his unforgivable treatment of the female fan, which seems like a very poor and pointless use of his allocated column-inches. By the final paragraph, however, he does actually get down to some thoughtful commentary, but it’s worth pointing out that, owing to the absence of the orchestra, Elvis’ Astrodome performances were about as far away as he would ever get from the Vegas stereotype Jeff Millar references.
Although fans at the Astrodome were some distance from the stage, they did at least get the chance at a closer look at Elvis as he was taken on a lap of honour in an open Ford Bronco before leaving the arena. This was another departure from his usual practice of a fast exit generally necessitated by security considerations.
In Context: 1970
In early 1970, Elvis played the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for his first personal appearance outside of Las Vegas since returning to live performance. Things got off to something of a rocky start; the first show of six, a matinee, was attended by a sparse 16 700 people, 4 000 of which were special needs children who had been given complimentary tickets as guests of Elvis and Colonel Parker.
The Houston Post;
“…Elvis Presley brought down the house, and all the attendance records of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo came tumbling down on the shoulders of his white shirt Saturday night at the Astrodome…Presley, the entertainment sensation of 15 years ago, is making his first public appearance in 10 years and he proved his audience appeal still exists…The largest crowd ever to attend a rodeo performance in Houston – 43,614 screaming fans – were present Saturday night for the rodeo and Elvis’ fourth of six performances. He had drawn the largest matinee crowd – 34,443 Saturday and his two-performance total exceeded by 3079 the two-performance total attracted by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans here two years ago…”
The Port Arthur News;
“…Although Presley appeared at only six of the 15 performances of the rodeo in the Astrodome he accounted for more than half of the total attendance, drawing 43,634 at one performance, a single program record…”
Special thanks to Gary Wells, Francesc Lopez and to all our readers and listeners. If you enjoyed our trip back to Houston, Texas, 1974, you might like our other Elvis and the Press episodes available on your favourite podcast platform, and here on our website.
Additional Background & Suggested Further Reference
The Houston Astrodome was opened in 1965, and closed in 2008 having been cited for serious fire safety violations. It appears that safe demolition has been ruled out, and a succession of plans for refurbishment have thus far failed.
Houston News via Wayback Machine: 2008 – Astrodome hit with Code Violations
Elvis’ March 1974 tour itinerary is thanks to Francesc Lopez and the database at elvisconcerts.com
In an interesting footnote to the 1970 rodeo engagement, the Sweet Inspirations were not initially invited, with a pointed message from the organisers to ‘leave the black girls at home’. Elvis and Colonel Parker threatened to cancel, and demanded the Sweet Inspirations be given VIP treatment.
Interview with Myrna Smith (The Sweet Inspirations)
Our interview with Francesc Lopez;
Promised Land from Las Vegas, March 1975, featuring Duke Bardwell on Bass
Concert uploads are not monetised; any ad revenue is directed to the music rights holders. Due to rights reasons, certain content may be restricted in some regions.
Please help us to maintain our page quality by reporting any malfunctioning or redundant links.
The DEC4 Podcast by George Fairbrother 