What I want from an Elvis Costello show: most of my favorite songs from his best albums (Model - Bedroom); great sound, especially on the vocals(1), keys(2), and drums(3); energy from the band; witty, engaging banter from between songs; and the man himself leading the show at center stage. This show hit every bit of these criteria save one, which probably wasn't EC's fault. Nieve could've been way up in the mix. He deserves better.
Stage right is a bird cage with beaded strings for bars, lit up to showcase the scantily clad women dancers. This doubles as space for the hot audience members to dance in after they are called up to the stage to spin the song wheel (more on that later). Just to the side of the cage is Steve Nieve and his massive keys setup. Drums to the left of him at center stage and elevated. Bassist next to drums, almost behind the spinning wheel. And the man himself front and center, playing guitar on all songs and master of ceremonies when the spinning wheel got some action.
Taking a page out of the Tom Waits stage setup, there were barstools and assorted kitsch on tables, with a 14" old TV tuned to static. The male audience members who got called up on stage sat in the barstools sipping martinis as though they, and vicariously all of us in the crowd, were invited down to Costello's basement bar for a personal performance. The entire back wall was covered in those color bars that used to appear when UHF stations went off the air at 2am and woke you up on the couch in a haze to realize you should've gone to bed hours ago.
From a Chicago show in May
Costello and company took the stage and broke immediately into "I Hope You're Happy Now", which I've seen him playing on a lot of youtube videos from events over the last five years, and with good reason. The Imposters rip it. They played another four songs in succession without stopping even for applause. This was the mission statement for the evening. We're good. Very good. And these songs are as much a part of us as our fingerprints, but we're still going to kill 'em just for you.
At this point it's becoming apparent that they're going to bring out all the goodies. The wheel is lined with many hits, like Chelsea, Watching the Detectives, Allison, and a few deeper cuts. Costello puts on his best master of ceremonies affect and welcomes us to the show, introducing the concept of the wheel with some self-deprecating humor which goes over well. He invites his first hottie on stage to spin the wheel, and then she moves over to the dancing cage for the rest of the song.
This process of finding willing participants, introducing them briefly, then playing every song like they'd just been practicing it the hour before, went on to the tune of a dozen more songs, sometimes breaking it up by playing whatever the hell they wanted for a few songs. My personal favorites were Chelsea and Lipstick Vogue, not only because they're high on my list of all time favorites, but they came down the sharpest and liveliest.
Two encores and 30+ songs, spanning just under 3 hours, later, EC and the Imposters retired for the night, earning every cent of the dollars I can only hope are lining their pockets this tour. The songs I remember them playing are below.
01. I Hope You're Happy Now
02. Heart Of The City
03. Mystery Dance
04. Uncomplicated
05. Pump It Up
introduction of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook
06. Oliver's Army - spin 1
07. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea - spin 2
08. Hand In Hand
09. And Your Bird Can Sing - spin 3
Detectives vs Hoover Factory - spin 4
10. Watching The Detectives
11. Help Me
Joker - spin 5
12. Black And White World
13. Beyond Belief
14. Daddy Can I Turn This?
15. I Want You - spin 6
"I Can Sing A Rainbow" Jackpot again - spin 7
16. Green Shirt
17. Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution) - spin 8
18. So Like Candy / Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - spin 9
19. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
20. Purple Rain
21. Pills And Soap - "Joanna" Choice - with Steve Nieve
"I Can Sing A Rainbow" Jackpot again - spin 10
22. Almost Blue
23. New Lace Sleeves - request
24. Lipstick Vogue
25. Waiting For The End Of The World / I Can Only Give You Everything
26. A Slow Drag With Josephine - Elvis solo
27. Sulphur To Sugarcane
28. Alison
29. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
30. Substitute
At this point it's becoming apparent that they're going to bring out all the goodies. The wheel is lined with many hits, like Chelsea, Watching the Detectives, Allison, and a few deeper cuts. Costello puts on his best master of ceremonies affect and welcomes us to the show, introducing the concept of the wheel with some self-deprecating humor which goes over well. He invites his first hottie on stage to spin the wheel, and then she moves over to the dancing cage for the rest of the song.
This process of finding willing participants, introducing them briefly, then playing every song like they'd just been practicing it the hour before, went on to the tune of a dozen more songs, sometimes breaking it up by playing whatever the hell they wanted for a few songs. My personal favorites were Chelsea and Lipstick Vogue, not only because they're high on my list of all time favorites, but they came down the sharpest and liveliest.
Two encores and 30+ songs, spanning just under 3 hours, later, EC and the Imposters retired for the night, earning every cent of the dollars I can only hope are lining their pockets this tour. The songs I remember them playing are below.
01. I Hope You're Happy Now
02. Heart Of The City
03. Mystery Dance
04. Uncomplicated
05. Pump It Up
introduction of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook
06. Oliver's Army - spin 1
07. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea - spin 2
08. Hand In Hand
09. And Your Bird Can Sing - spin 3
Detectives vs Hoover Factory - spin 4
10. Watching The Detectives
11. Help Me
Joker - spin 5
12. Black And White World
13. Beyond Belief
14. Daddy Can I Turn This?
15. I Want You - spin 6
"I Can Sing A Rainbow" Jackpot again - spin 7
16. Green Shirt
17. Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution) - spin 8
18. So Like Candy / Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - spin 9
19. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
20. Purple Rain
21. Pills And Soap - "Joanna" Choice - with Steve Nieve
"I Can Sing A Rainbow" Jackpot again - spin 10
22. Almost Blue
23. New Lace Sleeves - request
24. Lipstick Vogue
25. Waiting For The End Of The World / I Can Only Give You Everything
26. A Slow Drag With Josephine - Elvis solo
27. Sulphur To Sugarcane
28. Alison
29. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
30. Substitute
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