Bouke goes USA and 2017-Memories!

Memories of Memphis 2017!

´Walking in Memphis.. Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale.. Walking in Memphis..´
The week in Memphis Bouke had in 2017 is unforgettable.
A week with 2 concerts, some big surprises and his parents traveling along.
A very special week in the city of Bluess and Rock´n Roll.

At Thursday the 10th of August, Bouke took a flight to Memphis, which was a pretty long one. After putting his feet on American floor, he was ready for his big adventure!

While the fans, that traveled with ElvisMatters, were having a fun day in Nashville (Saturday), Bouke and ElvisMatters band were secretly busy with something really awesome.
They had told everyone they would do a rehearsal for the concert on Sunday, but nothing was more true than that.
They were actually recording an album in the Sun Studio, in which Elvis´ and many other famous artists like Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins also have made some great music!
The Album Bouke and ElvisMatters band recorded, would be later known as Bouke At Sun. People can enjoy this album as a cd, lp and also on Spotify.

Sunday the 13th of August, Bouke gave his first concert, at the Guesthouse of Graceland.
A concert with the title; ´A Celebration of Elvis´.
Bouke told me in the morning that he felt incredibly good, so this show would be sparkling. And it was!
After a city tour through Memphis, the people that joined this trip, made a stop at the Levitt Shell, the open air stage where Elvis did his first performance.
When the words; ´and this is how it must have sound´ were spoken, everyone knew Bouke would be stepping upon this stage, and he did.  
With only his guitar and his voice, he played ´Guitar Man´ and ´That´s All Right Mama´. Incredible. The footage I´ve made of that moment I have never shared before, maybe I will someday.. (Such a good reason to keep in touch with BoukeL8).

At the Guesthouse you feel Elvis´ spirit right away, it´s a vibe which I can´t really describe, something you must feel for yourself to know how it is.
When you arrive, you already hear Elvis´ voice through the speakers.
At 1 o´clock American time, an audience with people from literally EVERYWHERE, was invited to enter the room. 
People from America, Australia, Germany, and of course The Netherlands..

The show, full of Elvis´ classics, took about 1.5 hours.
Since Bouke is Bouke, he also put an extra song; ´Great Balls of Fire´.
Songs of the setlist of A Celebration of Elvis, were songs as; ´In the Ghetto', 'Hurt', 'Johnny B. Goode', 'Suspicious Minds', 'Polk Salad Annie', 'Hound Dog', 'Love me, love the life I lead', 'It's Midnight', 'Walk a mile in my shoes', 'Burning Love', 'See See Rider', 'Baby what you want me to do', 'Are you lonesome tonight', 'A little less conversation' and 'Big Boss Man'

Just as on the ElvisMatters Cruise, ´An American Trilogy´ became a BIG goosebumps-moment. Bouke asked if all American people could stand up. 
For us, fans that came from the Netherlands, it was kind of confusing, but when Bouke´s dad, Jochem, was the first one to stand up with the words; ´TODAY I AM AN AMERICAN´, everyone followed him.
I still feel the goosebumps when I am writing this story down again.. 
While standing, the whole audience sang this song together. Truly amazing.
Bouke closed the concert with ´I Can´t Help Falling In Love´.

After the concert Bouke took his time for everyone, EVERYONE. Photo´s, signatures and talks. People were amazed by the concert and Bouke got a lot of compliments.

Happy to read about these memories? There is much more to come..

On Monday the group went to Tupelo, Elvis birth-town.
Because of personal reasons, me and my friend didn´t travel here that day, but we got something special in return, which to me will be forever more special than, I think, the visit to Tupelo could be.
Since we didn´t travel, we were relaxing in the lobby of the hotel, prepared for the second concert that would happen in the evening.
When the group arrived back in the hotel, Bouke came straight to us for a little get-together. 
Dylan, the youngest traveler of the group, just got a new guitar.
A very special one, with the image of Elvis on it. 
Of course, when Bouke gets a guitar in his hands (Dylan wanted Bouke to sign it), he has to play it. 
And this is how a special jamsession started.
While singing and playing, hotelguests became very curious, and at one point there was a gathering of 15 people around Bouke. 
A colorful lady started singing with Bouke; ´Can´t Help Falling In Love´.
After this spontanious, beautiful experience, Bouke had to hurry to prepare for the concert in Alfred´s on Beale Street.

What can I say about this one, it is probably one of the best performances I have ever seen of Bouke & the ElvisMatters band, joined by some of the concerts and festivals that are happening now. At least, from that moment on, I knew I had never experience a performance like this one before. Maybe it was the fact that we were in Memphis, maybe it was the fact people outside on the street were dancing (speakers made everyone on the street hear what was happening inside), maybe it was because literally no one was sitting - everyone danced and jumped and was happy. Again something I can´t put into words, you must have been here to know how incredible this evening in Alfred´s was.
The fact that I only made one video, says enough..
Bouke played Elvis classics and also own songs, it truly was ´something´.

After all these beautiful musical moments, the whole group went on a boat trip over the Mississippi. It was kind of funny, cause after all impressions of that week (Candlelight included), many people had sleepy faces and it was very visible everyone was impressed by this rollercoaster-week.

Bouke went home with a lot of memories. Memories which I know he will keep a lifetime. 

The Monday after his return in The Netherlands on Friday, Bouke was invited at RTL SUMMERNIGHT, with our lovely host BEAU. 
Together with a big group of fans, I went there, as audience of that tv-show. I felt so blessed, sitting there with shared memories (with Bouke, Merijn and Rolf), just back from the United States. Unbelievable. 

I am thinking to rewrite some other memories in English too, so let me know what I should tell you about. The Dutch people can read my old stories, but for you, I can re-tell them in English (whenever I have the time). 
The Elvis Matters Cruise, Bouke playing Elvis´ guitar, about the concerts and festivals and tvshows, and year-stories, and radio things that happened in the past. 
When writing the story I instantly felt happy..
Any suggestions, let me know in a reaction underneath this story.

The Tribute; Battle of the Bands in nominated for a Televizier-Ring, which is a big price in the Dutch TV-world. The show can win the ring as the best programm of the year. Since Bouke was the winner and probably the reason so many people were watching the show, I would like to ask for your vote!
I have no clue whether you would be able to cast your vote from other countries, but I would like to give it a shot: Click here and vote for The Tribute; Battle of the Bands