INDIANAPOLIS -- The hundreds of people waiting in line for tickets at Indianapolis' Market Square Arena 41 years ago may not have known it at the time, but they were going to see Elvis Presley's last show ever on June 26, 1977.
Presley died Aug. 16, 1977.
People began lining up for tickets for Presley’s Market Square Arena show more than 12 hours before tickets went on sale in April 1977. By the next morning, the line stretched from the front door, across the length of the sixth floor, down a ramp, into the parking garage, and against a wall.
In a 1977 RTV6 story, the last man in line said he didn’t mind waiting the three hours to get tickets.
“That’ll be all right,” he said. “I got all day.”
The most expensive ticket for Presley’s 1977 show cost $15, the equivalent of $63 in 2018 money. But many people in line said they felt it was worth the long wait and (for the time) high ticket prices.
“I’ve been waiting 20 years to see Elvis,” one woman said. “And now, I just got my ticket.”
If you happen to have a ticket stub from the 1977 show, you may be in for a payday. One such ticket has an asking price of nearly $10,000 on eBay, but that doesn’t mean somebody will pay that cost.
At the concert, the rock ‘n’ roll star played some of the hits, like “Jailhouse Rock,” “It’s now or never,” and “Can’t help falling in love.” But reviews for Presley’s final concert were mixed.
Zach Dunkin with the Indianapolis News said the concert was “like a sideshow.”
“With a waistline of 42 inches, Presley may not be able to move like he used to, but the man can sing when he tries,” Dunkin wrote, according to ElvisConcerts.com. “Twice last night he did it magnificently, especially on Hurt, when he made a serious effort to reach some difficult notes.”
Still, those in attendance can say they witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event – the last performance of Elvis Presley.
“This is my last stop on the tour,” Presley said to the crowd at Market Square Arena, two months before his death. “I’m going home to Memphis and rest a couple months.”
On the 25th anniversary of Presley’s show, a plaque was dedicated at the arena. When Market Square Arena was torn down, the plaque was moved for safekeeping. It returned to the site Tuesday morning.
The plaque includes a photo of Presley wearing his “Aztec sundial” jumpsuit at the 1977 concert. Also, there is a time capsule set to be opened on June 26, 2102, that includes fan letters, a cassette recording of the final concert, a Graceland catalog, and a book of Elvis tour photos, among other items honoring Presley.
MORE TOP STORIES | Excise officers raid Mexican restaurants in Greensburg, Rushville, Brookville | Man killed in crash on Indy's southeast side | 5 kids left in hot car on Indy's east side | Body of missing 6-year-old Columbus boy swept away by Flat Rock River recovered | One Night at the Pony: Stormy Daniels comes to Indy - drawing crowd of women to west side club
Top Trending Videos
