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Vacation Elvis Style - Part 10 / 13
Continuing our tour of the West, this week we take a look at the
places Elvis went in Arizona,
New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.
ARIZONA
Elvis performed in Phoenix, Arizona at the State Fairgrounds on 06/09/56.
He made his entrance in a green Cadillac. Later he had to run
for his life when enthusiastic fans broke through a barrier fence.
Elvis's focus in the 1960s was on his movie career. After his
triumphant return to live performing with his Las Vegas engagements
in August 1969 and 1970 and his record breaking appearances at the
Houston Astrodome in March 1970, Elvis decided to begin touring once
again. His first concert tour of the 1970s began on 9/09/70 in
the Coliseum at Phoenix. MGM and RCA were on hand to record
the show which was delayed by a bomb threat. Elvis stayed on
the 10th. floor of the Townhouse Hotel. He returned to Phoenix
on 4/22/73 to play at the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum and staying
again at Del Webb's Townhouse Hotel.
In 1956, Elvis performed in Tuscon at the Arizona Rodeo Grounds on
6/10/56. He returned on 11/9/72 and before his show at the
Community Center Arena, he met with a very ill little girl. He
performed there again on 6/1/76.
Elvis had a show in Tempe at the Arizona State University Activities
Center on 3/23/77.
Location shooting for two of Elvis's films took place in Arizona.
"Stay Away Joe" was filmed in the Sedona and Cottonwood area.
While "Charro!" was filmed near the Superstition Mountains.
Elvis and the crew stayed at the Superstition Inn in Mesa during
filming. Today it is the Best Western Superstition Inn.
NEW MEXICO
In Albuquerque Elvis performed at the National Guard Armory on 4/12/56.
On 4/19/72 he played Albuquerque's Tingley Coliseum. Before
that show he met with a young girl suffering with cancer. He
dedicated the song "You Gave Me A Mountain" to her during the
concert.
On
2/11/55 Elvis performed at Carlsbad's Sports Arena. Then on
2/12/55 he put on a show at the American Legion Hall. 2/14/55
he performed a benefit show for the Rowell, New Mexico Fire
Department at the North Junior High School Auditorium. It is
now the Pueblo Auditorium at the Roswell School District Educational
Services Building.
UTAH
Elvis
performed twice a the Salt Place in Salt Lake City. The show
dates were 11/16/71 and 7/02/74.
COLORADO
Elvis
performed in Denver's Coliseum on 4/08/56, 11/17/70 and 4/30/73.
After the 1970 show he partied at the Playboy Hotel.
McNichols Arena was the venue for a show on 4/23/76.
Colorado was also a vacation spot for Elvis and his friends.
He spent his forty-first birthday in January 1976 enjoying the snow
at Vail.
He became friends with several of Denver's policemen and Denver was
the site for one of his
famous car buying sprees.
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