It is the biggest Elvis retrospective staged in Europe and features everything from clothes to school reports, many items of which have never been seen outside of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Curiously, Elvis was, despite what you might think of one of the most influential individuals in popular music, actually quite a well behaved teacher’s pet in the classroom!!
Kicking off today and running all the way through to next summer, it is a collection that will delight fans of the hip-swaying man himself but will also be fascinating for those new to the King, as it shines a light on the man that he was off stage as well as on.
So while there are all manner of sequinned jumpsuits as the hip-swinger was famous for, there are also items that give us a glimpse behind the icon such as automobiles and historical documents alongside all the stage costumes, guitars and gold and platinum records.
“This is not a collection amassed from auctions, they are personal items from Graceland, where Elvis lived most of his life,” says director of archives at Graceland and curator of the show Angie Marchese.
“The exhibition will tell the story of a music revolution that began when Elvis first stepped into a recording studio in 1954 and the lasting impact of his incredible legacy.
“Elvis Presley is the greatest of all music icons and these artefacts are the symbols of the man and the music that changed popular culture forever.”
When: December 12 to August 2015.
Where: The O2, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX
Cost: £9+
Tube: North Greenwich
Web: elvisattthe02.com
