FEDERATION OF ELVIS CLUBS IN AUSTRALIA

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News 2004

December 2004 National Elvis Presley Convention 2004 Photos in the Canberra Times from the Convention: November 28th 2004 December 4th 2004

November 2004 Presley of Lonmay tartan Earlier this year a Presley of Lonmay tartan was designed after Elvis's roots were traced back to Lonmay in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This is the tartan:

November 2004 NATIONAL ELVIS PRESLEY CONVENTION IN AUSTRALIA 2004 Update The National Elvis Presley Convention 2004 will be held in Canberra over the weekend Novembe 26 to 28th. CLICK HERE FOR THE PROGRAM

August 2004 "Long Live the King": a photographic exhibition exploring the devotion to Elvis Presley On Thursday August 5th 2004, an exhibition exploring the devotion to Elvis Presley opens at Blender Gallery in Paddington, Sydney. Photographs by John Savage. Exhibition Launch: 5th August 2004 6pm-8pm Exhibition Extends until 24th August 2004 Blender Gallery, 16 Elizabeth Street Paddington On Thursday July 15th 2004, a new exhibition opens at Paddington's Blender Gallery. 'Long Live the King' is a selection of images from an on-going project exploring devotion to the memory of Elvis Presley, by John Savage. John Savage is a documentary photographer based in Wellington, New Zealand. John is a member of the photo agency, Exposed, which is a small group of New Zealand photographers, whose aim is promoting their personal work and the medium's profile in New Zealand and internationally. Info and images from Exposed, can be viewed at their website: www.exposed.co.nz Utilizing his background in research, writing and photography, John's particular interest is in searching out unusual individuals, events and sub-cultures. His focus is on subjects that are international rather than location- or culture-specific. John also has an interest in landscape imagery including urban environments and the way natural environments are altered by human intervention. Throughout the exhibition 'Long Live the King', one recurring theme is the dreamlike nature of Elvis devotion. This is perhaps most obvious in the nature of the world inhabited by some of the most devoted disciples and the "Elvii" (impersonators or "tribute artists") who have come to represent a kind of Elvis priesthood. Similarly, the world inhabited by Elvis himself had a dreamlike quality, ranging from the darkened, green shag pile interiors of Graceland to the oddities of street life in downtown Memphis, Presley's hometown. Moreover, Elvis' memory and life is intimately tied to the American Dream and all that comes with that cultural package: devotion to God, country and celebrity. And for the most devoted fans, Elvis is the centre of their dreams: a symbol of hope and goodness. Another recurring theme is the religious nature of Elvis devotion - complete with shrines, ceremonies, relics (memorabilia), and priests (Elvii). Indeed some academics have suggested that Elvis worship has all the hallmarks of a new religion. Majority of the images were shot during "Death Week" in Memphis in 2002, making "Death Week" the focus of the exhibition. (Officially "Elvis Week" is held each year in Memphis to celebrate Elvis's life. It is held in mid August on the anniversary of his death and many thousands of fans from all around the world attend. Memphis locals cynically refer to it as "Death Week"). Some supporting images were shot in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. John is continually fuelling his project and further material will be gathered in Memphis this year. 'Long Live the King' photographs by John Savage will open on Thursday July 15th at Blender Gallery, Paddington at 6pm. The exhibition will run until August 24.

March 28 2004 Lisa Presley Promises To Return Sunday Herald-Sun, Melbourne, Australia The King is gone, but his daughter intends to be back - or at least that is the promise Lisa Marie Presley made to fans after the final show of her Australian tour last Sunday. Performing at the Crown Palladium, Presley and her band pulled off a gutsy and surprisingly moving show, with Elvis's daughter showered by gifts, flowers and the occasional marriage proposal, from the reverent audience. But the show did not stop after the stage lights went down. Unlike many touring acts who choose hot night spots, exclusive clubs, pricey bars or five-star restaurants to wind down in after their show, Presley, her mum Priscilla, band and entourage kept the party going at P.J. O'Brien's pub at Southgate. In true rock-star fashion, mother and daughter were chauffeured in separate cars the one block from Crown Towers to Southgate, arriving about 11.30pm. Presley and her party of 30 did not book the venue, nor request a private VIP section. Instead they mingled with drinkers, danced to the house band and Presley enjoyed a couple of pints of Guinness. Among the revellers were a 100-strong Welsh choir that was passing through Melbourne. "At one stage there were about 100 blokes standing around serenading her in Welsh," recalled an observer. "I don't think she had a clue what they were going on about, but she enjoyed it. There were some pretty happy Irish people going up and chatting to her and she did not seem to mind." After the band finished its set, Presley started requesting songs - nothing by Elvis -- though she resisted the temptation to get up on stage and join the jam. Presley left the building about 4am, telling her fellow carousers that she was nine songs into her next album, which is being produced by Grammy winner Linda Perry, and planned to be back in Melbourne in September.

March 2004 Lisa Marie on "Enough Rope" Lisa Marie Presley was interviewed sympathetically by Andrew Denton on ABC television on Monday, 15th March. This was a rounded and balanced interview covering a range of topics, including how she pulled her life together after some rocky teenage years, getting started as a performer, her relationship with her mother, her sense of her father, her taste in men, coping with fame, and her treatment in the tabloids. As she said in the interview, she had to be careful about her words because the American media would take remarks out of context and skew the meaning. She was absolutely right - some of the media have seized on certain comments about Michael Jackson to the exclusion of anything else.

50th Anniversary of "That's Alright Mama", 5th July 2004 This event will also be celebrated in Brisbane on 3rd July 2004. For more information, please contact Christine.

Lisa Marie Presley to tour Australia LISA-MARIE Presley and Enrique Iglesias join a flood of international artists touring Australia this year, courtesy of the strong Australian dollar. A bidding war erupted among local promoters for the Iglesias concerts, with Michael Gudinski's Frontier Touring winning. ... Lisa-Marie Presley, whose debut album To Whom It May Concern won rave reviews last year, will be at Star City's Lyric Theatre on March 19. She has already toured the US with Chris Isaak. ... Source - Daily Telegraph, January 21 2004

Introducing Perth Tribute Artist Pete Byfield "Pete wrote ELVIS into a musical production in 2002 and couldn't find anyone to play the part so he did it himself. Since then his phone hasn't stopped ringing. Pete has the moves and a powerful uncanny vocal likeness. He can do gigs with his live backing band, unplugged with his guitar or with a full sound CD backing. Pete can be contacted 0418 906307or (08) 96229540 or by email on valleyvariety@westnet.com.au"

12th Annual Parkes Elvis Revival Festival at Parkes, NSW, in January 2004 There will be plenty of activities for everyone with participation highly encouraged - Elvis impersonators; dress-ups, busking; free Elvis movie screenings; Elvis sound, look and move-alike contests; Priscilla, Lisa-Marie & Junior Elvis competition; rock 'n' roll dancing; variety of stalls; Johnny Young Live in Concert; and, tribute artist Adam Sutherland performing in "The Elvis Experience". On Sunday there will be an Elvis Gospel Church Service, a plaque unveiled on the Elvis Wall at Kelly Reserve, and Walk Up Talent Contest. Other local places of interest are "Gracelands", The Elvis Lennox Private Elvis Collection and Parkes Radio Telescope. For more information, please contact the Parkes Visitor Information Centre: Web: Parkes Elvis Revival Festival Phone: 1800 624 365; (02) 6862 4365 Fax: (02) 6862 1023 e-mail: tourism@parkes.nsw.gov.au See our report on Parkes Elvis Revival Festival 2003.

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