On this day in 1957: Elvis Presley plays his only shows in Seattle and Tacoma
On September 1, 1957, Elvis Presley captivated audiences in Seattle and Tacoma with back-to-back performances that left a lasting impression on the Pacific Northwest. The rock ‘n’ roll icon first took the stage at Tacoma’s Lincoln Bowl for a matinee concert before heading to Seattle’s Sicks’ Stadium for an evening show that drew an estimated 16,200 fans, making it the largest crowd for a single performer in Seattle’s history at the time.
Presley, who was 22 at the time, performed a set filled with his chart-topping hits, including “Heartbreak Hotel,” “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear,” and “Jailhouse Rock.”
Backed by the Jordanaires quartet and a trio of musicians, Elvis delivered a high-energy 45-minute performance that kept the audience on their feet from start to finish. In Tacoma, the intimate setting of Lincoln Bowl allowed about 6,000 fans—mostly teenage girls—to experience the performance up close.
According to a report by the Tacoma News Tribune, Elvis’s stage presence was electric, with the young star strutting, shaking, and shimmying his way through his setlist. Reporter Don Duncan described the show as “burlesque with a twist” and noted how Elvis’s movements and rhythm had a profound effect on the crowd.
After the Tacoma concert, Elvis and his band quickly traveled to Seattle for the evening show at Sicks’ Stadium. The performance was just as thrilling, with Elvis kicking off the concert with “Heartbreak Hotel” and closing with a rousing rendition of “Hound Dog,” which he introduced as the “Elvis Presley national anthem.”
The crowd’s energy was palpable as they screamed and cheered throughout the show. Despite the frenzy, police reported that the crowd was generally well-behaved, with the only incident being the theft of a taillight from a car that someone mistook for Elvis’s vehicle. After his final note, Elvis quickly exited the stadium in his rented Cadillac before the crowd could catch another glimpse of him.
The next day, Elvis took the time to read the reviews of his performances. He even personally called Duncan to thank him for what he described as “the best article ever written about me.” The encounter left a lasting impression on Duncan, who later wrote a follow-up column detailing his conversation with the rock star.
Elvis’s Pacific Northwest performances in 1957 were part of a larger tour that also included stops in Spokane, Vancouver, B.C., and Portland.
