Introduction

“Return to Grace”, September 9, 2019. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur. — “Return to Grace”, September 9, 2019. *Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.*

You might say that seeing Steve Michaels in “Return to Grace” has brought me full circle. Since Steve was one of the reasons I went on a mission to discover what it takes to be a top ETA, it would have been nice to start out year three with his interview. What I have received, so far, is a four part series of writings from Steve’s manager, Mark Erwin, which he calls “Confessions from my Desk”. I have been saving his “confessions” about his meeting and subsequent managing of Steve’s career to post with Steve’s interview. Mark did a great job of “telling it like it is from his point of view” and I thank him for sending his writing to post. In the meantime, I will be working on some outstanding—literally and figuratively—interviews that have already taken place.

My first post for year three, a recap of “Return to Grace”, is a little different than what I usually post. I wanted to give you a glimpse of the years before SB Mag; and since those years mostly centred on Steve Michaels, I thought it tied in nicely with the recap.

Today as we officially begin SIDEBURNS Magazine’s third year, I wish to thank you all for following, liking, sharing and commenting on what I post. ETA fans are so important to us that they are mentioned in our tagline: SIDEBURNS: The Ultimate ETA Fan Magazine. The fans, my love of writing, and ETAs are the reasons I signed on for one more year. A special thank you to all the ETAs I have posted. You are rockin’ awesome! Love and best regards, Carolyn.

“Return to Grace”

Yesterday, in celebration of the beginning of year three for SIDEBURNS Magazine, it seemed fitting that I see Steve Michaels in “Return to Grace”. It was the fourth, and fifth, time I have seen the production, and it still holds all the charm for me that it did when I first saw it on September 13th, 2015. Steve’s performance as Elvis in 2015 was the first time I had ever seen an ETA perform, and I was so awestruck by his tribute that I went a second time on September 21st, 2015.

From the 21st onward, I went to every one of Steve Michaels’ shows that I could find within driving distance. I drove as far away as Port Hope, which required an overnight stay, two years in a row, so I could see back to back shows at the Capital Theatre. I drove to Fergus, Ontario, for a show in a church that turned out to be one of the best evenings in my ETA experience. In a span of 24 months, I saw Steve perform in twenty shows.

In 2017, I saw “Return to Grace” for the third time. Fallsview Casino had loosened its policy on taking photos in the Avalon Theatre by that time; but disappointingly, there were no meet-and-greets after any shows. As much as I enjoyed every minute of every ETA performance, it has always been the time after the shows when fans chat and take photos that I enjoy the most. Away from Fallsview, there were signs within Steve’s own shows that things were starting to change. In October 22nd, 2016, at the Lincoln Alexander Centre in Hamilton, ON, there was a definite shift in Steve’s availability after his shows.

Based on my experience after Gordon Hendricks’ show at the Linc, on July 16th, 2016, where Gordon spent a generous amount of time posing for photos and chatting with fans, I expected Steve would also do a meet-and-greet at the Linc.

Upon arriving, I learned that only invited guests would be meeting with Steve for a chat and photos. Disappointed but not daunted, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to ask if I could be part of the select group. The ticket agent upon hearing my story of how many times I had been to Steve’s shows gave me a wrist band. The after show room was a much more intimate setting than what I had previously experienced; but the small room seemed to provide a more relaxed atmosphere for Steve. I was thankful for the wristband because, except for a chance meeting after a show at Mohawk Raceway a year after the 2017 launch of SB Mag, this would be the last time I would have a photo opt with my favourite ETA, as meet-and-greets for all of Steve’s fans were becoming a thing of the past.

I purchased tickets as a birthday gift for one of my daughters for the big event, “Aloha from Hawaii”, well in advance of the show as I wanted the best seats available to treat my daughter. Once we were seated in the Hershey Centre, it was announced that any group of people who bought at least twelve tickets in a bundle were invited to a meet-and-greet after the show. While I understood the mere size of the audience made it impossible for Steve to talk to everyone individually, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

I saw Steve twice in the months following the Aloha show: Once, as mentioned, at a chance meeting at Mohawk; and before Mohawk, I saw Steve briefly at a show at Flamboro Racetrack, where I was given a special pass for the meet-and-greet before the show.

Until yesterday, I have not been to any of Steve’s shows since Mohawk. Steve has been travelling the world dazzling audiences in his “This is Elvis” shows (no meet-and-greets in the UK, btw). There have been several shows locally since Steve’s return from abroad, but timing has not been right for me to attend.

I am extremely happy for Steve and his success on the big stage, but I miss the up-close and personal shows that we all enjoyed at small venues. At yesterday’s show, I was hoping to see a glimmer of the humble, small town, caring ETA that I first met four years ago before his meteoric rise in worldwide popularity. I wanted to know if fame had changed him. At yesterday’s matinee, I got my answer.

I do not wish to spoil the enjoyment for those who are seeing “Return to Grace” for the first time; so I will simply say for the benefit of those who have seen the show before, Monday’s show was scripted exactly as earlier shows. It is a highly successful production, so why would they change it. Steve has never looked, sounded, or performed better than in yesterday’s shows. I saw both the matinee and evening performances. The show covers the three decades of Elvis’s career. As often happens with big shows at casinos that run for days, some attendees were there to see the show as a one off. Others attended because they are Elvis fans. And some, the “noisy ones”, are dedicated ETA fans, and who came specifically yesterday to see their favourite ETA. ETA fans who were in the audience knew that during “Suspicious Minds”, Steve would be giving out scarves. I was sitting stage right, so I could see Ashley, choreographer, back-up dancer and Steve’s wife, holding scarves stage left. As soon as Steve was wearing the first scarf, I went up to the stage. It was a beautiful moment, receiving a scarf and a kiss. It reminded me of the early shows and why I was, and still am, very fond of Steve as a person. Of course, what followed was the utter mayhem that always happens when a large group of women vie for a limited number of scarves. I couldn’t quite see what happened, but it appears that one lady snatched a scarf from another lady. After everyone was seated, Steve, who was obviously aware of what happened, consoled the offended lady with, “I will get you a scarf.” Steve was in the low to the ground “I hope this suit don’t tear up, baby” part of the song when he asked for a scarf from backstage. In what seemed an eternity, Steve commented that he didn’t know how long he could hold that position. Wanting to help, I went to the stage and gave him back my scarf so he could give it to the lady. The audience responded with a collective ahh, to which Steve replied, “Don’t worry. She (meaning me) has received lots of scarves!”…LOL. And as he was exiting the stage, Steve looked at me and said, “I will get you another scarf.” Steve came back on stage with a red scarf for me, and a second kiss. It was just the right ETA/fan connection reminiscent of earlier shows that I was hoping to experience.

At the evening show, I was able to sit back and enjoy Steve’s performance. I had found the answer I was seeking at the matinee, so I was fully relaxed. My ticket for the evening show was on the floor, eleventh row, but I asked if I could sit at the back if seats were available. I knew I would not be able to relive what I experienced in the matinee; so I wanted to be far removed from the stage. For this show I wanted to be an observer, not a participant. It gave me a very different perspective.

There are only a handful of experienced ETAs who can perform all three decades of Elvis convincingly. Steve Michaels is at the top of the list. He moved flawlessly through each decade using nothing more than a change of outfit and his voice. It is a tight show with little room to wander during the hour and a half. Polished and very professional, Steve’s timing was impeccable. Even with an unexpected comment or two from the audience, Steve was able to keep the pace. Backed by a terrific band, gorgeous dancers, and talented singers, Steve covered each decade with grace (pun intended). Confident and comfortable on stage, Steve received well deserved standing ovations at the end of both shows.

If you have not had a chance to see “Return to Grace”, or if you want to experience it again, performances run until September 15th. I wish to thank Kevin, Jason, and Tara at Fallsview Casino for their assistance yesterday. And most of all I want to thank Steve Michaels for all the enjoyment he has brought to me and other fans through his honest tribute to Elvis. He has succeeded in “Keeping His Memory Alive”.

Special Reminder: Photographs are allowed at “Return to Grace”, but no flash photography or recordings of any kind. If you have a camera, be advised that even with the setting marked “flash off”, there is a red light that can be seen on stage. I was politely informed by security personnel that she received a message in her earpiece during Steve’s performance that he could see the red light, so I desisted from taking any more photos.

Avalon Theatre, back row, floor. Narrator is seen on stage and on screens.

Editor’s Note: In front of me, there was a young man with a great camera, so I gave him my email and said I would really appreciate any photos he could share. During our conversation, he said he knew an ETA by the name of Brent Freeman. What were the odds that in an audience of 1500, I would meet someone who knew Brent, my very first interviewed ETA! At the time of posting this article, I have not received any photos. Neil was taking photos for a friend, so maybe the friend did not okay sending them. I understand. If the photos arrive later, I will be happy to post them. In the meantime, I am including some photos of Steve from very early shows. I apologize for me being in so many photos. At the time I was a fan doing what fans do--take photos of themselves with their favourite ETA.

I will end my article with the last line spoken in “Return to Grace” that speaks to the dedication of fans and ETAs who still remember and honour Elvis Presley: For those who are Elvis fans, no explanation is necessary; for those who are not Elvis fans, no explanation is possible.

I managed to take two really great photos of three of the four wonderfully talented back-up singers: Sharon, whom I met in the restaurant; and sisters Rochelle and Camille whom I met in the lobby. The rest of the photos from yesterday are like all photos taken without a flash in a foggy room with poor lighting…not great.

Introduction

“Return to Grace”

Photos from Some of Steve’s Shows

Guelph

Fergus

Port Hope

Milton

Woodbine Racetrack

Brampton

Mohawk Racetrack

Flamboro Racetrack

Hershey Centre, Mississauga