Vegas here I come!!!

Heading off to Vegas at the weekend for ten days to take part in the Heart Of The King Elvis festival and convention at the Hilton. I think it will be a great event and looking forward to meeting up with some friend while I'm there....and yes I'll be bending Shawn's ear to remind him there's a lot of people in the UK wouldn't mind seeing him perform in the UK sometime soon. If anyone else is heading over, give me a shout and we can hit the tables together


Heart Of The King

As I said yesterday, good luck buddy, have a great time.

Did you get the belt sorted by the way?

MichaelAMemphis wrote:

As I said yesterday, good luck buddy, have a great time.

Did you get the belt sorted by the way?

Cheers Mike, no luck contacting Steve for the belt, just need to use an alternative Jumpsuit. Nice talking with yeh and we'll catch up when I get back.

WTG Malcolm have a great time!!! put a $ in a slotty for me please!!! if it wins a million you can have every tapestry jumpsuit available - please enjoy your time and bring back lots of happy memories and piccies to share with us lot stuck here hehe

Huggs

Michelle

Wow, what an experience! Know you will have a great time. So wish we were going too. Love Vegas! Nothing is like I thought it would be, esp the Hilton. Would love to go there again and spend more time in there. Would also like to pluck up the courage to ask the staff if we could see where Elvis stayed whist he was there. Paul did ask the security guy to show us the place where Elvis performed on TTWII and Im so glad we got to see that, shame its not set out the same way it was then. I suppose they could move it back though, it was set up for Barry Manilow when we saw it.
All the best Mal! Let us know how you get on when you come back, oh and if you find any spare room in your suitcase, let me know. Im sure I could squeeze in it! Lol!

defo bend shawns ear mal...also would love to see a lot of pics of the hilton as its some where id love to go but jsut cant afford at the mo, more importantly good luck and have a good time

Have a great time Mal , wish i was coming with ya

good luck mal
i love vegas wish i was going

GOOD LUCK MAL
LANCE
TCB

Good Luck Malcom Wish you all the Best
Have a great time and Knock em dead Buddy
John..

Thanks everyone, looking forward to a great trip and hoping to do myself justice in the contest. I'll get online with a few pics and some updates on how we are getting on.

FOREVER ELVIS


Mal

Gettin a few hours sleep, then I'm off to vegas, will catch up with you all soon.

Take care

FOREVER ELVIS

Mal

Good luck & hope you have a great time malc

Have a great time Mal and good luck.

enjoy it Malcolm

Home after what was an awesome experience. Such a lot to say about this event, but will need to do it at a later date, as I'm whacked. As far as the contest went, I was placed 4th in the finals.

Forever Elvis

Mal

So glad to see you had a fab time... Hope to speak to you soon xxx

woohooo way to go Malcolm look forward to hearing all about it

yeah . dont be to long with the report Mal.

Arrived in Vegas at 1am, to a temp of 102 degree's, so we knew from the off this was going to be some experience. In the ten days we were there the temp didn't drop below 110 during the day and at one point reached 118. I met some wonderful people, Elvis fans, those who worked with of had associations with Elvis, it was a joy to be in their company. The highlight for me was the personal call I got from Marian Cocke, personal nurse to Elvis from 75-77, to come down and spend some time with her. The chat we had will be something I'll remember always, most of which I can't bring myself to repeat on a public forum...sorry! I was taken aback to get a personal invitation to perform in 2011 at her annual charity dinner and an open invitation to spend a vacation at her home in Memphis.

So to the contest. My experience there was, well lets say it was eventful. After progressing through the first heat, they played the wrong songs in the second heat which saw me repeat the two songs I had sang previously. I was a touch angry as I felt it could have jeopardised my chance of progressing. The results were declared and I didn't make the cut, only to be told 30 mins later that there was an error in the count and I was placed in 6th position and would be progressing to the last 10. They were ready to go seek out an unfortunate ETA and tell him this and that I would be replacing him. There was an intense debate and I refused point blank to taking the place of an ETA who had stepped forward on stage to the delight of his family and supporters thinking he was in the final. One hour later we reached a compromise and instead of 10 finalist there would be 11. The organisers make it clear they would explain the situation to both the ETA's and audience. Instead they declared there had been a draw for 10th place and I would now be joining the finalists. Not ideal and not what we had agreed, but I understood there desire to save face considering the Hilton had agreed to host the event for a further five years.
Three hours later I was ready and headed back stage to join the other ETA's to find the event organisers all having a real serious debate with the finalist, three of which had already performed. One of those had been found to be using a backing track with the voice of Elvis clearly audible. The judges left it to Dan Lentino and he put it to the other ETA's to decide if this ETA should be disqualified, they all agreed to allow him to progress saying it was not an intentional act.
I went out and gave it my all and placed 4th, the final three being 3rd Justin Shandor, 2nd Mark Anthony and the winner Dwight Icenhower. There was another great debate and some controversy surrounding the final three, but I can't say much about that on a public forum as I'm unsure of the details.

All I can say was it's an experience I will not repeat. I seen and was privy to the harsh reality of contests and the politics and mechanics of how they are organised and operated. Some may say that's what you should expect, well maybe so, but it's not for me, I want to perform, simple as that. I was placed ahead of former Images and Ultimate title holders and feel I done myself proud.

To be on the very stage that Elvis performed and to have met the people I did, was satisfaction enough for me, I felt a million bucks. As for all the ETA's, they were a real mixed bunch, and I don't mean talent, there were some real characters and I have respect for them all. We had a great laugh in the bars and lounges and it was a pleasure sharing the stage with them.

Malcolm King wrote:

Arrived in Vegas at 1am, to a temp of 102 degree's, so we knew from the off this was going to be some experience. In the ten days we were there the temp didn't drop below 110 during the day and at one point reached 118. I met some wonderful people, Elvis fans, those who worked with of had associations with Elvis, it was a joy to be in their company. The highlight for me was the personal call I got from Marian Cocke, personal nurse to Elvis from 75-77, to come down and spend some time with her. The chat we had will be something I'll remember always, most of which I can't bring myself to repeat on a public forum...sorry! I was taken aback to get a personal invitation to perform in 2011 at her annual charity dinner and an open invitation to spend a vacation at her home in Memphis.

So to the contest. My experience there was, well lets say it was eventful. After progressing through the first heat, they played the wrong songs in the second heat which saw me repeat the two songs I had sang previously. I was a touch angry as I felt it could have jeopardised my chance of progressing. The results were declared and I didn't make the cut, only to be told 30 mins later that there was an error in the count and I was placed in 6th position and would be progressing to the last 10. They were ready to go seek out an unfortunate ETA and tell him this and that I would be replacing him. There was an intense debate and I refused point blank to taking the place of an ETA who had stepped forward on stage to the delight of his family and supporters thinking he was in the final. One hour later we reached a compromise and instead of 10 finalist there would be 11. The organisers make it clear they would explain the situation to both the ETA's and audience. Instead they declared there had been a draw for 10th place and I would now be joining the finalists. Not ideal and not what we had agreed, but I understood there desire to save face considering the Hilton had agreed to host the event for a further five years.
Three hours later I was ready and headed back stage to join the other ETA's to find the event organisers all having a real serious debate with the finalist, three of which had already performed. One of those had been found to be using a backing track with the voice of Elvis clearly audible. The judges left it to Dan Lentino and he put it to the other ETA's to decide if this ETA should be disqualified, they all agreed to allow him to progress saying it was not an intentional act.
I went out and gave it my all and placed 4th, the final three being 3rd Justin Shandor, 2nd Mark Anthony and the winner Dwight Icenhower. There was another great debate and some controversy surrounding the final three, but I can't say much about that on a public forum as I'm unsure of the details.

All I can say was it's an experience I will not repeat. I seen and was privy to the harsh reality of contests and the politics and mechanics of how they are organised and operated. Some may say that's what you should expect, well maybe so, but it's not for me, I want to perform, simple as that. I was placed ahead of former Images and Ultimate title holders and feel I done myself proud.

To be on the very stage that Elvis performed and to have met the people I did, was satisfaction enough for me, I felt a million bucks. As for all the ETA's, they were a real mixed bunch, and I don't mean talent, there were some real characters and I have respect for them all. We had a great laugh in the bars and lounges and it was a pleasure sharing the stage with them.

That is excellent Mal i am so made up for you , you have worked real hard and you have showed you can compete with the best of company , i dip my hat to you and wish you all the best for the future , and i can respect yoru decision not to compete again and it makes you such a good man to make such a decison , really would like to catch your show soon , yoru a bloody fine ETA

fantastic mal
a massive big well done done .
i can tell by your posts your a credit to the king

wow, what an eventful 10 days Malcolm, I hope and am sure the stress was diffused by the wonderful meeting you had with Marian Cocke I am sure it was that in itself must ahve been worth suffering the heat and politics for Something I am gonna say now I have felt for a long time about you Mr Malcolm King, aart from being a superb ETA you are also a man with very high principals and morals and a very apparent and real love for Elvis, you always carry yourself with dignity even at times when that maybe very hard to do and for all these things you should be commended. I believe its all these things are reflected in your very well deserved 4th place, that is no mean feat!! and is awesome!! its what dreams are made of and you are certainly living the dream

Contests are not always the easiest things its a lot of pressure, a lot of heartache for some and yes dare I say at times maybe some unfairness too but..... what it brings to Elvis fans is the chance to live a little part of their dream too, to imagine and take themselves into a place where they can try to feel as if they were really there, its not often you get the chance to see so many ETAs perform in one evening or over the course of a weekend other than comps so from that point of view they are great and important to us fans.

Keep up the good work, most of all keep living by your own morals and standards I am a great believer in the saying "we reap what we sow" and I believe you are reaping your just rewards on both levels as a performer and as decent human being!!!! wtg malcolm

Big big well done Malcolm. It shows you are a true gentleman taking into consideration of the other ETA also who had got through. Glad everything went well for you and most of all you had the experience. . Again big well done.