OT: Million Dollar Quartet

[George Geddes]

On a brief visit to London last week, managed to get a bargain pair of tickets for MDQ.

Very enjoyable evening of rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and gospel tunes held together by a very thin story. Outstanding performances by the whole cast, particularly the alternate 'Jerry Lee Lewis'.

Worth a visit but beware - it is quite short (2 hours including interval) so you might want to look for some cheap tickets

George

[AlanMcKillop]

When the original MDQ got together in Sun Studios, they were altogether for slightly less than two hours. The original tapes of the informal session have been transferred to CD and I guess are available, although I got my copy when I visited in 2008.

[George Geddes]

There is a very effective moment in the stage show when "Sam Phillips" takes some photographs and the auditorium goes dark apart from the flash bulbs... When the lights go up, there is a huge photo of the original session hanging above the stage - with the actors on stage frozen in the same positions - and they play just a snatch of the original tape.

As Alan says, the actual event was fairly brief so the running time probably matches it! The writers have introduced a fictional girlfriend for Elvis (and she gets to sing a couple of numbers] just to stop it being an all-male cast...

The set looks great and I assume it is close to the real thing.

I'm afraid it's the closest I'll ever get to Memphis...

George

[AlanMcKillop]

It was no fictional girlfriend, he did turn up with his girlfriend (at that time) for what I believe was a 'drop in' on a Carl Perkins recording session and when they leave, you can hear the female voice while they say their cheerio's.

[George Geddes]

I didn't know that... Though I think the stage girlfriend - called Dyanne - is still fictional in the sense that she is not based on a real person. She sings two numbers on the show.

Georhe

[Ramon]

I had no idea this was on at the moment in London. Sounds like a very good plan if I have the chance to go to central London in the near future !

Thanks,
Ramon.

[cockroach]

I had a vinyl record of the MDQ stuff which I bought back in the '70's- can't remember whether it was a cheap label bootleg or an actual official SUN recording though?

[bazmusicman]

Hi all,

My wife and myself went and saw the MDQ in London earlier this year.
We were in the second row in the center.

Yes the story line is a bit weak but after all the show
was about a 'jam session' and the general banter that goes with it.

We thought it was a brilliant show, the playing was superb and a good evenings entertainment for rock n' roll fans.

Baz.