The spirit of Elvis Presley and his music is amazingly recaptured in "Return To Grace"

It's been nearly 40 years since Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll himself, passed away too soon at the age of 42. It shook the music world and the millions of fans that have bought his records, watched his movies, enjoyed his songs, and experienced his larger than life concerts.

The King maybe gone, but his music and his contributions to the entertainment world lives on to this day.

And in that spirit, the show "Return To Grace: The Concert of a Lifetime", which is playing at Place des Arts until June 19, wonderfully recaptures the spirit and excitement that was Elvis the singer, the performer and the person. The show tells the story of Presley's life and career in the form of a spectacular stage concert, as it focussed on four milestone stages of his career: his early years when he recorded for Sun Records and RCA during the 1950s; his movie star years of the 60s; the legendary 1968 Comeback Special that aired on NBC Television; and the famed "Aloha from Hawaii" concert, which was broadcast live via satellite to over a billion people in 1973.

But this is not just an Elvis impersonator doing a club style solo show. "Return To Grace" takes you back as if you were a spectator at one of the King's many dazzling concerts of the early and mid 70s. Steve Michaels does a masterful job as Elvis, as he faithfully recaptures the spirit of the King by echoing every nuance and characteristic, from the hairdo, to the voice, to the costumes, to his unique style of chatter between songs, to the karate chops and kicks that was part of his performance style, to even the sweat-laden scarves that he gave out to those lucky few members of the audience. And what makes the show such an unforgettable experience is how Michaels is backed up by an ensemble of 30 musicians, singers and dancers that so beautifully recaptures the glorious spectacular of a typical Elvis concert (his rendition of the moving "American Trilogy" song medley is a showstopper that received a huge standing ovation from the audience).

For fans of the King, or if you appreciate the classic roots of rock music, "Return To Grace" is a highly entertaining tribute show that is not to be missed. Steve Michaels' wonderful performance showed that Elvis Presley was not only a rock music pioneer and legend, but was a legendary performer who never forgot his fans.

Elvis may have left the building, but thanks to "Return To Grace", his music and his legacy will make sure that he will never leave the building at all.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to www.evenko.ca.