CC's Ottawa Fest

At the Opening Ceremonies outside the Civic Centre on Friday, June 27, the stage was set for an spectacular and memorable weekend. Fans and passersby, heading in for the Renegade game, got a glimpse of the outstanding weekend in store for them. The incredible ExSpence Account Band, renowned as the best Elvis band in the world, were on stage to back the competing ETAs from across Canada and the USA. Also performing with the band, getting the crowd really excited with their spirited routines were Paul Ross, John Loos, “Kid Elvis” Paul Fracassi, Mike Morrissette and Marcus Wells . Ryan Pelton arrived amid a fluster of cameras snapping and media, took the stage and gave the crowd a small taste of Vegas and what was to come over the weekend.

The big shows began midday Saturday, with the presentation of the “Elvis On Stage”, onstage in the Civic Centre with the ExSpence Account Band and several headliner ETAs.

·	The “68 Comeback Special”, when Elvis returned to the stage and the live performing that he loved after making 30 movies, was presented by John Loos with dynamic and raw energy.

. “Elvis: That’s The Way It Is” depicted Elvis’ opening at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in l969, marking his return to live concerts. His showmanship, elaborate jumpsuits and stage show all came together in this period. Firmly, and finally, he took his place as one of the greatest entertainers in the world. Paul Ross , with his smooth, powerful voice and authentically replicated jumpsuits, captured the audience with his recreation of the Vegas years.

“A Moment with the King”, with Marcus Wells accompanied by the Legendary Jordanaires, recreated a very private and special part of Elvis’ life. Known as a deeply religious man, Gospel music held a special place in his heart. He often sang Gospel songs in quiet times with friends and recorded his first Gospel song in l967, “How Great Thou Art”, which went gold. This was followed by his first Gospel LP and he continued to record this special music throughout his career. Marcus lent his rich voice to perform a typical pre-recording rehearsal session, accompanied by the Legendary Jordanaires. Hearing this special music, performed so beautifully by these great voices, left many in the audience with tears in their eyes!

.“The Final Concert” , performed by Mike Morrissette, was a rendition of Elvis’ last performance on June 26, 1977 at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. Wearing an exact replica of the “Sundial” jumpsuit that Elvis wore, Mike performed such legendary songs as “CC Rider”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, “Can’t Help Falling In Love” accompanied by the angelic voices of the Sweet Inspirations. Mike’s incredible voice and performance belie the fact that he started on his journey as an ETA just a year ago!

The “Memories of Elvis” Professional Showcase, was beyond anything an Elvis fan could hope for at one of these festivals. The host of the evening, the famous “Elvis Has Left the Building” Al Dvorin , started things rolling for what was to be an absolutely spectacular show. The showcase opened with the newest and youngest rising star, “Kid Elvis” Paul Fracassi. His mesmerizing moves and interaction with the audience got everyone into the swing of things. Next up were Ryan Pelton and Shawn Klush, two of the top names in the ETA world today. Ryan portrayed Elvis in the ‘50s era, a perfect duplicate of Elvis in looks, movements and voice. Ryan had the audience moving in their seats and cast a hypnotic spell over much of the audience, much as Elvis did. Shawn performed Elvis’ “Aloha From Hawaii” concert - , an exact and exciting replica, from the white jumpsuit, to the looks and voice, to the playful and boyishly cute way Elvis joked with the audience and teased all the girls! Backed by the incomparable voices of the Legendary Jordanaires, and the Sweet Inspirations, the audience was treated to the closest thing possible to seeing Elvis himself on stage! It was truly a Showcase that anyone wanting to remember Elvis, or anyone who has ever tried to imagine what it must have been like, will long, long remember. The shows presented are the closest possible to what was the real thing, but there was almost surreal feeling of getting to know Elvis - the “real man” behind the “show man” - from the personal stories shared by the marvelous Jordanaires, and the adorable and hilarious Al Dvorin, who did everything for Elvis “but dye his hair”.

Sunday - the weekend was ending. Everyone was still in awe of the Friday and Saturday shows, by this point wishing the weekend would never end! But a great day still lay ahead and fans were still in for another extra special treat! The day included the semi-finals of the competition, the lineup of the Historical Performances, and the final Contest Winners Showcase. A unique aspect of this event was the criteria for judging the competition - a judge had to have seen Elvis perform in person! So the ETAs certainly had a lot to live up to! The winners were announced and called on stage to perform together.They were James Begley of Oshawa in lst place; Dan Burgess of Ottawa in 2nd place; and Scotty Davis of Quebec in 3rd place. The competitors certainly gave the crowds a great show and, since the buzz of the weekend, more and more ETAs are looking to sign up for next year!

As part of the Historical Performances, Ryan Pelton donned the now famous gold lamé suit, and recreated Elvis’ concert in Ottawa on April 3, l957. Ottawa was one of only three Canadian cities on that tour, and it turned out to be the last time Elvis would perform outside the United States. Giving an absolutely electrifying performance, Ryan had certain audience members actually believing they were in l957 with Elvis all over again! One lady, who was at the l957 show when she was only 13, was later interviewed for the Ottawa Sun and said “It’s like he’s still alive!” What greater appreciation and acknowledgement could an ETA ever hope to get?! Fans crowded the front of the stage, hoping to get a kiss from the incredible performer. Many were lucky and, I am certain, will never forget it!

Also part of the Historical Performances were the recreations of “One Night With You” featuring John Loos’ dynamic styling of the sit down segment in the famous black leather, “Elvis on Tour” with Paul Ross performing a spectacular depiction of the atmosphere of a typical Elvis show on the tour circuit in the l970s, and “Elvis in Concert”, a masterful performance by Mike Morrissette of songs typical of Elvis’ last concert tours in l976 and l977.

The weekend wrapped up with a final goodbye from Al Dvorin…..”Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis Has Left the Building”…..UNTIL NEXT YEAR!

In just it’s first year , the OttawaElvisFest blew out all the stops and was a huge success, so well presented and professional, that one had the feeling it was a “once in a lifetime” event. But I am sure the Morrissette family, and specifically brothers Moe and Mike, will make sure that is not the case, and the fans will get an even bigger show next year! Elvis fans owe them , as well as Paul Ross and Marcus Wells who were also involved in the organizing, a huge debt of gratitude for their incredible efforts in putting together a weekend that was , in the truest sense of the term, a tribute to The King. As Al Dvorin so fittingly put it, “we sensed the presence of Elvis throughout the weekend!” From someone who would certainly know, what better praise for a job well done! So preparations have already begun for next year, sponsors are lining up to participate, the City has offered their full support, tourism boards are making inquiries about how to get on board, ETAs are asking about signing up and, most importantly, fans are already inquiring about tickets for next year!

So, if you missed this “once in a lifetime” weekend, keep an eye on www.ottawaelvisfest.com and get your tickets early for next year’s OttawaElvisFest 2004 – it promises to be yet another, more spectacular “once in a lifetime” event !! See you there!

CC
Dir. of PR
Ladyluckmusic.com &Ottawa ElvisFest

cc@ladyluckmusic.com