Review: Elvis Lives Thanks to Victor Trevino, Jr. in Concert at MSMT

For two brief hours in Brunswick, Maine, the king of rock ‘n’ roll seems to come to life again on stage at the sold out (waiting list only) concert, KING IN CONCERT, as Victor Trevino, Jr. re-creates the vocal and physical charisma of Elvis Presley in a high energy, kinetically seductive performance.  His evening featuring Elvis’ most beloved hits successfully captures the visceral magic of the man who is arguably the most important and revolutionary figure in popular music in the 20th century.

Elvis‘s music has its roots in an African American sound – in Gospel, blues, and country - all fused together with a groundbreaking beat. Trevino’s playlist gives a wide-ranging  account of Elvis‘s development as a singer, the breadth and appeal of his repertoire, from the wild rock numbers to the tender ballads.

Trevino maintains a distance between “Victor” and “Elvis,”  talking about the legendary singer in the third person with an air of humility and making it clear that this is a tribute performance.  The separation works to excellent effect because when Trevino launches into song and dance, the transformation is all that much more complete. As an Elvis interpreter, Trevino has mastered not only Elvis’ velvet, silky baritonal  vocal range, but also his gyrations, gestures, signature poses, his guitar playing and his plainly provocative performance.

The four-person band under the musical direction of J.R. McAlexander provides dazzling accompaniment and enjoys an extended moment to solo. Mike Vitale on bass, Nick White on guitar, Matthew Watson on drums, and McAlexander on piano and keyboards give a virtuosic performance. White, in particular, proves an acrobatic performer, treating the audience to a long solo in which he  danced his way through the audience, playing all the while.

Musical highlights of the evening include sizzling renditions of “Jailhouse Rock,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog,” tender, caressing covers of “Love Me Tender,” “It’s Now or Never,” and “Can’t Stop Fallin’ in Love,” while the gospel songs, “There Will Be Peace in the Valley” and “Amazing Grace” offer a powerful moment of soaring reflection.

MSMT has transformed its 9 to 5 THE MUSICAL set into a rock concert stage thanks to the creativity of the MSMT technical team ( uncredited) and that amazing video wall which pulsates with images and patterns contributing to the kinetic feeling. These are complemented effectively by a colorful lighting design and well-balanced sound.  Trevino and the band’s costumes are appropriately retro – recalling the razzle dazzle of Elvis.

Victor Trevino, Jr. in KING IN CONCERT offers the ecstatic audience an opportunity to stroll down memory lane to a time when nascent rock n’ roll was synonymous with rebellion, when the music took over the singer’s body and soul with an unapologetic, raw passion that transformed generations to come.

The Elvis concert closes out MSMT‘s 2023 concert season whose audiences continue to grow, making it one of the company’s most successful endeavors.  The series, which recently has taken fans on a musical tour through the popular culture of the 20th century, has proved to be an excellent opportunity to build new audiences and to explore the rich tapestry that is American music, weaving together all the threads which have helped shape the American musical repertoire.

 

Photograph courtesy of MSMT

THE KING IN CONCERT runs for 3 performances July 30-31 at MSMT’s Pickard theater on the campus of Bowdoin College, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick, ME   www.msmt.org  207-725-8769 

 

 

 

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