13th October 1956, Saturday

[Graeme]

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[Private Presley]

Sandra Friery, 14 year old fan

      

      

[Private Presley]

https://www.chron.com/this-forgotten-da ... 568155.php

Elvis Presley rocked the Houston Coliseum in 1956
This Forgotten Day in Houston
Carolina Gonzales

Chron.com / Houston Chronicle
Oct. 13, 2015
Updated: Oct. 13, 2015

October 13, 1956: On this day, 21-year-old Elvis Presley was in Houston for his second time that year foregoing the smaller venues like the Cook's Hoedown Club, to play two shows at the 9,000-seat Sam Houston Coliseum.

Earlier that year in April, the up and coming star performed at the City Auditorium where he sat at the edge of the state after the show, and signed autographs. But, when he returned to Houston six months later, the idea of a civilized Elvis Presley concert seemed like a well, "Unchained Melody." "Heartbreak Hotel" was a hit and "Hound Dog," was climbing the charts. And his controversial appearances on the Steven Allen and Ed Sullivan shows had gained him the name, "Elvis the Pelvis," thanks largely to his outrageous hip gyrations.

After Elvis was brought onto the stage of the Sam Houston Coliseum for the 9 o'clock show under police guard, he began singing "Heartbreak Hotel." But, only the first words were heard since the screams and cries from the crowd, comprised mostly teenage girls, completely drowned out the performance for almost five minutes.

It took fifty police officers, emergency corpsmen, and firemen to keep the frenetic crowd from rushing the stage. After singing just a few songs, a long-ponytailed girl broke through the barricade prompting other equally hysterical fans to do the same. Talk about the "Devil in Disguise..." Before the Hunk of Burning Love could be trampled, he was promptly taken away by a waiting police escort car. As they say, "Elvis has left the building."

[Alan]

From "The Wild One '56" :-
      
Houston Teen Agers Rocked By Presley
By Leslie Rich
The Houston Post
October 14, 1956

Elvis Presley sprinted in a side door at Sam Houston Coliseum Saturday, fled to a downstairs dressing room, kissed about 50 teen age girls who were waiting for him, told reporters that faith was responsible for his success, and went out on the stage to give an afternoon show. Surrounded by a phalanx of policemen, he ran to the microphone, his guitar slung over his shoulder, and stood there grinning while more than 8,000 fans, mostly girls between 12 and 17, screamed their deafening approval.

THE YELLING died down, so Presley bounced slightly on the balls of his feet. This drew shrill thunder from the crowd and officers glanced about anxiously for evidence of violence. There was no stampede and after a few minutes’ ovation the singing began. Scores of flashbulbs, only a few of which belonged to the press, went off continually like rockets in the darkened Coliseum. No one applauded, but the Presley voice was drowned out most of the time by screams of anguished delight. The teen-agers couldn’t hear what was being sung, but they yelled and moaned in rhythm

to the movements of the singer’s body. Limber-limbed and hips swinging, Presley faced a crowd of more than 8,000 at each of his two Saturday shows. For all the noise, the audiences generally stayed in their seats and Presley’s managers said it was the “best controlled group” of the tour. TRAVELING WITH a variety troupe, including songstress Sherill Davis (sic), comedians Rex Marlow and Hubert Castle, some acrobats and a vocal quartet, Presley finishes up a four-day tour of Texas Sunday night in San Antonio. Then he will go to New York. The rock and roll idol was unaware that he was to sing Saturday afternoon, believing that he had the day free until evening. He arrived with a police escort sometime after the show started, darted downstairs past a throng of kibitizers and met the winners of a contest held by Houston announcer Mike McKay. The 50 girls had been waiting in his tiny dressing room for more than two hours, but he kissed each one and Phyllis Winford, president of one of four fan clubs represented, said it was worth the wait. In a high state of nerves, the girls were escorted upstairs and reporters were then admitted. “I BELIEVE in God,” Presley said, explaining his success. “I advise young singers to have faith like I did. Everything happened so blame fast I don‘t know where I was yesterday and I don‘t know where I'll be tomorrow.” Continued page 70.

Sandra Friery and Lorita McVey snack while they wait to see Elvis Presley perform at the Coliseum in Houston.

      
Houston Teen Agers Rocked By Presley continued

Sandra Friery, 14, a late-coming fan club member, ran through the group and the singer awarded her a kiss. “Don’t sue me, honey,” he pleaded. Presley said that he might tour Europe soon and will make another movie and, after returning from New York, television appearances. He scoffed at reports that film actresses had been dating him for the publicity, and made light of the hysterical effects his singing has had on young listeners.
      

“IF YOU get a bunch of teen-agers together,” he said in his slight drawl, “they're gonna have a ball regardless.” On the stage, meanwhile, Oscar Davis, Presley’s agent, was asking the crowd to sit down before Presley’s appearance. “Just remember,” he said to the relatively few parents, “it might be your child that gets trampled.” A sliding freight door behind the stage raised and the crowd began to scream, believing it signalled the singer's approach. The only arrival, however, was a man pushing a trash can on a hand truck. The trash can was applauded warmly for a few moments. WHEN PRESLEY finally arrived, his welcome was nerve-shattering, but police were able to keep the aisles more or less clear and most of the audience remained seated. During his songs, the rock and roller ambled loosely about the stage, waving but not playing his guitar, sometimes stiffening his legs and lowering his head like a fullback for particularly dramatic passages. He did no bumps but went through perpetual grinds, now and then, wriggling jokingly as if he were unable to understand the audience’s frenzy. At both shows, Presley sang “Don’t Be Cruel To A Heart That's True” (sic), “Love Me Tender” and most of his other record hits, ending up with “You Ain’t Nuthin But a Houn’ Dog” (sic) just before running offstage to a waiting automobile on the Coliseum floor. HE WAS ESCORTED away by police, his managers and film actor Nick Adams, a friend who is accompanying him on the tour. It was Adams who was mistaken for Presley in Dallas last week and erroneously served with a subpoena for a breach of contract dispute involving a Fort Worth booking agent. No one fainted during the afternoon show but some 14 or 15 girls were overcome while waiting for the doors to open outside the Coliseum. Ticket holders began gathering at noon and those near the doors underwent considerable mauling as the crowd grew.

      

      

      

      
Changing Moods — Rocking and rolling through a variety of moods as he sang to a full house of girls at the Coliseum Saturday, Elvis Presley exhibited, in turn, deep feeling, boyish charm and homespun sincerity. The thousands of grinning fans were completely under his control. Presley had only to bounce slightly on the balls of his feet to evoke shrill thunder and a churning sea of movement. But the crowd behaved itself.