Elvis is in the building.
Well, perhaps not the real Elvis, but the next best thing, Ben Portsmouth, from Berkshire, who last year made history when he became the first artist from outside the US to be crowned the Worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist.
Since winning the competition, the 34-year-old’s profile has gone supersonic – even Hollywood legend Al Pacino knows of him.
So it’s a real coup for Eden Court Theatre to have him appearing in the show Taking Care of Elvis next week.
Since his win – and appearance on the David Letterman show – he has been in huge demand to play 1,000-strong venues across the world, so this may be his last visit to Scotland for some time.
Ben, who presents the show described as a fitting tribute to the King of Rock’n’roll, is a talented musician, singer and songwriter in his own right.
And while he’s regarded as the world’s best Elvis impersonator, it’s something he never set out to achieve.
“My dad was a great fan of Elvis, so I grew up listening to his music and became aware of him at an early age,” said Ben.
“I picked up a guitar that was lying around the house and learned to play and I used to sing and record myself.
“As an older teenager, I’d go occasionally to social clubs with my parents and every now and then you’d get an Elvis impersonator, but I’d cringe because they were always pretty awful.
“At that time, I was making a living as a session guitarist playing with people like Limahl and Busted, but I became fed up with this and preferred to play Elvis’s music, so began impersonating him.”
Ben started his journey as an Elvis tribute artist in 2005, when he formed the Taking Care of Elvis Band, a nine-piece outfit that will be on stage with him at the Inverness show.
Audiences and promoters realised quickly that this was someone with a special talent.
He looked like Elvis, sang like Elvis and had an onstage charisma that had audiences believing at times they were watching the King himself.
“Elvis was a very different-looking chap and no one really looks like him, but I do what he did, which is dye my hair and grow my sideburns,” said Ben.
And as for those famous snake-hip moves?
“Yes, I can wiggle it when I want to,” he said.
A year after forming his band, Ben was voted the best Elvis at the largest Elvis festival in Europe.
He was the youngest competitor and different to the other impersonators as he was young, sexy, didn’t need a wig, wore authentic outfits from the US and, more important, sounded like him.
Further successes followed, but the crowning glory came last year when he scooped the ultimate title in Elvis’s home state, Tennessee.
“I was lucky enough to win the biggest Elvis competition in the world and I’m the first non-American to win it: my parents love that,” said Ben.
“TV chat show host David Letterman hosted an Elvis week and the winner of the competition was invited on to sing.
“I’d an idea of what I wanted to do, but Al Pacino, who was a guest on Letterman, and David decided I should bring the week to a climax by performing American Trilogy.”
That TV appearance, plus the competition win, has seen Ben become a superstar, but he remains remarkably grounded.
“Although I’ve never met any of the Presley family I have been to Graceland four times, which has given me an insight into the man himself, to see what he achieved,” said Ben.
“To see the gold records and suits that everyone remembers him for and to visit the grave is very touching and this insight certainly helps when you are on stage singing certain songs.”
His tribute show starts with a look at Elvis in the 1950s, when he set the music scene alight with the likes of Jailhouse Rock and That’s All Right Mama; looks at the years he made countless movie musicals, and the 1968 comeback special.
The second half focuses on the 1970s, the big concerts when some of his music became orchestral.
“I don’t try to impersonate Elvis entirely through the show, as you have to put a bit of yourself into it and have fun,” said Ben.
“The audience reaction is always great, as those who come to the show are generally Elvis fans and have a great love for his music, which is good, and good music never dies.”
Taking Care of Elvis is at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, on Thursday, February 13, at 7.30pm. Contact 01463 234234 or visit www.eden-court.co.uk