By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
January 4, 2002
Forget about Ali. When Trent Carlini prepares for his musical tributes to Elvis Presley, the singer trains like a world-class athlete.
“I perform about 45 songs in the show, so I train for it like it’s a boxing event,” says Carlini, phoning from Las Vegas. “I raise my metabolism. I run though the show once every day with my headset on. I sing the entire show while I’m running on the treadmill. So when I’m performing on stage, I’m way ahead of the game because I don’t get tired as easily because I’m used to the workout.”
Still, the wear and tear is brutal enough that Carlini–a martial arts disciple–needs to have a physical therapist massage the kinks out of his body the morning after a performance.
“I just make sure I take care of myself,” says Carlini. “But for me to be sitting here complaining about how ‘rough’ my job is is insane. I get to go onstage, sing beautiful songs and mingle with all the pretty girls who come to the shows. Everyone should be so lucky.”
Carlini, who grew up in Chicago’s Little Italy, is arguably the world’s No. 1 Elvis entertainer. Besides bearing a striking physical resemblance, Carlini sounds almost more like Presley than the King himself. In concert, audience members easily lose themselves in a world where they feel as if they actually are at an Elvis concert. They beg for sweaty scarves and kisses, and Carlini complies.
This year’s show will be split into two sets. The first half will include 25 of Presley’s greatest Hollywood hits. The second half is re-enacting a 1974 concert Presley performed in Memphis.
SPEAKING OF CHICAGO, Carlini had this to say:
Favorite Chicago restaurant: There are very few places you can go wrong. I do like Topo Gigio on Wells a lot.
Favorite Chicago food: Chicago food is the ultimate. I love to go to Gene & Jude Red Hot Stand [in River Grove]. It’s amazing. There’s only one thing you can get there and if you try to change it, [the staff] won’t like it. I brought a friend there for a hot dog, which they make Chicago-style and with fries in them. My friend asked if she could have ketchup on hers and they just went nuts and embarrassed the heck out of her. We had to drive to McDonald’s to get some ketchup for her. But the hot dogs are that good.
Favorite Chicago nightspot: Chicago Blues on Rush. I also like playing pool at Excalibur.
Favorite Chicago sports team: White Sox.
Favorite Chicago personality: From many, many years ago: Frazier Thomas and Chelveston the duck. I guess I like the duck’s name because it sounds like something Elvis would sing. I loved the way he’d stick his head in the cereal box and eat right out of it. I’m talking about the duck, not Frasier Thomas. That’s how I started eating cereal.
Favorite Chicago venue: Definitely the Rosemont Theatre. It’s a great theatre, very clean and just nice.
Most memorable Chicago experience: When I came back from Italy to the old neighborhood after having been away for 15 years. Nothing really changed that much. It kind of looked like a movie set.
Favorite thing to do in Chicago during your time off: The first thing I like to do is visit old friends and family. Then I love to just hang out and play pool, go see a show, visit the Sears Tower or do a little shopping.
Best thing about playing to Chicago audiences: I like their enthusiasm. And I like the girls.
Favorite Chicago season: Spring and fall.
The last word on Chicago: Completely cool.
Elvis: From Hollywood to Memphis’
8 p.m. Saturday
Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Rd., Rosemont
Tickets, $35
(312) 559-1212
