Saturday July 26, 2025.
Elvis Evolution was first announced back in January 2024, with tickets going on sale in October 2024, just as we were about to give up hope of the experience ever happening. Then there was a setback, as one of the contributing companies went under, pushing the opening date back. This resulted in us having to change the dates of our tickets, which wasn't as simple as the website made out. Still, the tickets were swapped and the day had finally arrived.
We arrived at the venue almost forty-five minutes early, as was suggested, and entered the venue, at the Excel Centre.
With complimentary souvenir programme in hand we made our way into 'Bob's Burbank Diner', where we ordered 'Hounddogs' (Beechwood Smoked Pork with French's American Mustard & Ketchup, served with straw potatoes), and a 'Budweiser' to wash them down with. Service was quick and efficient, with the 'dogs' going down a treat.
We then went to the small gift shop, with its eye-watering prices, before exploring the diner. This 1950's style diner has authentic stools, tables and seating, with memorabilia adorning the walls. Retro televisions were set into the wall, showing various news programmes and videos of Elvis in action. This piece of Americana is based on the actual diner that was opposite the NBC Studios, where the '68 Comeback Special was recorded.
As a side note, Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, never released the tickets for the 'special', so the audience was drawn from the diner opposite the studios.
Soon we, the audience, were called to make our way through to the offices of NBC Studios. With little time to take in the decor of the studios, and with photography and filming forbidden, we are suddenly in the midst of the theatrics. An executive appears and begins giving us a briefing on what is happening. Evidently, Elvis is in his dressing room and is refusing to come out, afraid that after seven years of dodgy films he won't be able to sing as he used to.
The executive is joined by another executive, telling her to stall the audience, as they work to get Elvis out of his dressing room. Enter Sam Bell, a childhood friend of Elvis from Tupelo Mississippi. It is through his eyes that the rest of the theatrics are played.
We then leave the NBC Studios and 'board' the Mystery Train, which whisks us back in time to Tupelo, where we meet a young Elvis and Sam. For the next 35 minutes AI-rendered backdrops play on a large screen, taking us through their friendship, hopes, aspirations and dreams, while the actors bring certain aspects of their childhood to life. Church revivals, Beale Street and Elvis' recording of 'That's All Right' are shown, as we watch them grow, ending with Sam leaving to join the USAF, while Elvis tries to make it big in Memphis.
We then 'disembarked' from the Mystery Train and headed into the second bar, lovingly decked out like a Tiki bar in Hawaii. In fact this is the 'Blue Hawaii' bar, where we stop for refreshments. It will be twenty minutes before the theatrics begin again, thus ensuring that the company behind the 'Immersive Experience' can squeeze as much money from its 'audience' as possible.
Soon Sam Bell arrives and, along with the other executives, they announce that Elvis Presley is finally going to leave his dressing room.
It is at this point we are ushered through some more doors, passing Elvis' dressing room that has been faithfully recreated, but that you can't photograph. Passing through another door we head down some steps and find ourselves in NBC Studio 4, where the '68 Comeback Special will be broadcast live, in an NBC first.
