Elvis/Imposters, Huntington, NY , Sept. 30 '11

[Otis Westinghouse]

Totally support his actions, but were the morons aware they were to blame? Probably not. There is a gene which makes some people become 50% more moronic when they get behind the wheel of a car, likewise rock concerts. My enjoyment and memory of a superb Fleet Foxes gig this summer was badly scarred by loud morons banging their chairs and stomping up and down the rear circle aisles in pursuit of more beer.

And what about all these tweets? Is it really so exciting and necessary to stand there writing up what's happening on stage right now? What about just listening to it? I'm constantly having to hold my hand up at sit-down gigs to block out the gleam from people's screens as they text/tweet/facebook away. For crying out loud! Likewise flash photos, especially in the quieter moments.

I'm looking forward to two classical concerts later this year, and recently had a sublime three-play weekend in Stratford, but they have their equivalent too: coughing. Why do people think everyone else wants to hear their overly thespian coughing when others are trying to concentrate?

The moronic inferno of other people, to doubly cite Martin Amis.

[sweetest punch]

An explanation

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/mu ... -1.3214558


Elvis Costello & The Imposters @ Paramount Theatre, 9.30.11

7:37 AM By Glenn Gamboa


As walk-offs go, it was remarkably polite.

When parts of the crowd at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington got way too chatty during the lovely “A Slow Drag with Josephine,” from his recent “National Ransom” album, Elvis Costello stepped away from the mic and simply sang to himself for a bit.

He was trying to get the crowd to quiet down and listen to him again, but that didn't work. When people started screaming for “Alison” in the middle of the song, he simply walked to the mic and finished it up and then walked off the stage. He did not return, ending what was still a wonderful opening night for The Paramount, on an odd, but memorable note.

After all, Costello's entire “Revolver” tour is built around the idea that the audience really can't lose. Sure, there is some chance involved, thanks to The Wheel, which people spin to determine the next songs. (Costello even slipped in great versions of The Beatles' “And Your Bird Can Sing” and Them's “I Can Only Give You Everything” when he wasn't delivering fiery versions of his own “Pump It Up” and “Radio, Radio.”)

But if all those songs are good and they're played by Costello — who was in great voice all evening and gamely walked deep into the crowd several times — backed by the great Steve Nieve on keyboards and Pete Thomas on drums, why on earth would anyone complain? Or not pay attention? Is your conversation really more important than watching three Rock and Roll Hall of Famers in an intimate, impressive new setting that you presumably paid good money to see?

Costello was right to walk off the way he did. He actually would have been justified to tell some people off first.

SETLIST: I Hope You're Happy Now / Heart of the City / Mystery Dance / Uncomplicated / No Action / Radio, Radio / Everyday I Write the Book / Accidents Will Happen / And Your Bird Can Sing / Pump It Up / I Want You / I Hope / Monkey to Man / The Long Honeymoon / Watching the Detectives / Waiting for The End of the World / I Can Only Give You Everything // ENCORE: Condemned Man / (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea / Sleep of the Just / A Slow Drag with Josephine

------------

So in remembering back to when Elvis stepped off mic during Josephine, I couldn't hear him. Didn't think much of it since I was sitting in the reserved seating in the back. It was very noisy, it was during all the slower songs.

Elvis has this review posted on his website: so he agrees. More so, he ends with : "Costello was right to walk off the way he did."
http://www.elviscostello.com/#/news/elv ... heatre/228

[supermaz62]

Elvis was obviously very tired from the get go. You could see it in his face and hear it in his voice. Understandable after a very long, strenuous tour. He was fabulous at the Beacon in May. Can't blame him for walking off. The asshole me, me, me attitude of LIers pissed him off. They don't deserve to be entertained by such a gifted artist. Elvis usually plays 2:00 - 2:30 hrs. Thanx LI for screwing up the show for us true Costello fans.

[bronxapostle]

man....couldn't agree more. as tempting as it was to go see E in a "new" venue, the LI mentality on a traffic friday night kept me home. it sure looks like i picked the better of this weekend shows by going tonight. i'll let you know tonight.

[supermaz62]

Never underestimate how selfish and moronic your fellow man can be.

[bronxapostle]

Never underestimate how selfish and moronic your fellow man can be.

well said....

[supermaz62]

Enjoy the show, I am sure the crowd will be more appreciative and not as full of themselves as the morons on LI.

[bronxapostle]

thanks supermaz...are YOU elvis costello???? we are trying this week to ascertain whether the man himself posts here and under what user name. welcome here either way! i am simply trying to be "apostolic" by NOT wholeheartedly agreeing with your accurate estimation of the mentality of islanders.

[SoulForHire]

Never underestimate how selfish and moronic your fellow man can be.

well said....

I whole heartedly agree with all the comments in this vein. Sure, I feel sympathy for people what paid a lot of money and this will be their only viewing of EC this tour, possibly their own time they see EC live in their life.

However, just because EC is a Rock n Roll Hall of Famer does not mean he does not feel frustrations. Actually, maybe it makes the frustrations worse. He is a Hall of Famer, doing this for 30+ years. He probably thinks he deserves more than what he got. And he does. So he gets a major pass from me for walking off last night.

[fairweather1]

Was at the show last night. Stood right in front of the stage dead center. I've never (ok, maybe not ever) been so embarrassed to be from LI. I'd like to formally apologize to Elvis and crew for the obnoxious, selfish behavior of my fellow Long Islanders. The hour and 20 minutes we DID get was great. The amount of talking was unbearable. Then compounded by people "ssshhhhhhing" as loud as they could did not help. It seemed to only make the rude, ruder, and the drunk almost frat boyish behavior, more drunk and frat boyish. I'm all about having a few cocktails BEFORE a show. But when the lights go down, your attention should be on that stage. I saw MULTIPLE people having to be helped/carried out cause they could hardly walk form being inebriated. Hell, i even saw one being escorted out with his 10 yr old son in tow behind him.

I'm getting more angry just posting this so i'm gonna stop.

Sorry Elvis, Sorry Elvis fans

Was looking for a night i would always remember, but instead got a night I would soon like to forget.

[bronxapostle]

imagine...a-holes calling out for ALISON like it was the ONLY song they came to hear? any EC concert goer these past 35 years knows that NONE of the BIG FIVE (alison, pump, detectives, PLU & whatever you think # five is) are a lock. he is NOT the kind of artist that MUST do ANY one song nightly, thank God!

[docinwestchester]

He's back home in Manhattan, so we should be in for a good night tonight. Can we get that lost hour as a bonus?

[bronxapostle]

i bet we will...with a full-on insult of last night's boorish crowd! hey doc...please save me a REAL ticket stub as i got the print at home crap! see u there! i'll call about 7-7:15. got a recording or two for me from this week PLEASE???

[docinwestchester]

i bet we will...with a full-on insult of last night's boorish crowd! hey doc...please save me a REAL ticket stub as i got the print at home crap! see u there! i'll call about 7-7:15. got a recording or two for me from this week PLEASE???

I'll bring the Nashville CD tonight. Fantastic boot. Sample below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTyDSjc4im8

[Jocko Wainwright]

That Josephine bit was magical when I saw it in Indy. Dead silence once people realized what was up. Even the two gibbering twits in front of me managed to shut it for a minute. Goosebumps. I guess what happened at this show was the other side of the coin. I can imagine him thinking that there wasn't much use in playing for people who seemed more interested in the sound of their own voices than in the towering inferno of musical magic on the stage. Sorry for those of you who got a truncated show. At least no one yelled for Freebird. Did they?

[bronxapostle]

i bet we will...with a full-on insult of last night's boorish crowd! hey doc...please save me a REAL ticket stub as i got the print at home crap! see u there! i'll call about 7-7:15. got a recording or two for me from this week PLEASE???

I'll bring the Nashville CD tonight. Fantastic boot. Sample below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTyDSjc4im8

that's the baby i want...thanks sir! see you in four hours!

[sulky lad]

Eric wrote

I thought show was good but, yes, short. I got a very good recording that I'd like to share if someone can help me with that.

We love you for this Eric, I'm sure either myself or The Doc can give you any advice regarding upping it to dime or whatever ! Thanks for recording !

[docinwestchester]

Eric wrote

I thought show was good but, yes, short. I got a very good recording that I'd like to share if someone can help me with that.

We love you for this Eric, I'm sure either myself or The Doc can give you any advice regarding upping it to dime or whatever ! Thanks for recording !

I sent a PM.

[tinbrooklyn]

New venue opened with speech about bringing Manhattan type acts to Huntington maybe they could bring polite people. I was there last night and would have paid double to see Mr. Costello give this audience what it deserved. By walking off Elvis did me a favor, so I could walk out also. Smoking is now banned from concert halls maybe drinking, talking and cell phones should be next. A drunk, talkative, selfish crowd, shouting out stupid things is the norm now at concerts and last night was a perfect example. I much prefer the smokers. I am hoping for a great show tonight.

[Ypsilanti]

I was not there, thank God. And as a transplant on this island of idiots, I have to say...Long Islanders are mostly a pretty vile lot...not so different from "Jersey Shore"...

[The imposter]

I wasn't there so can't really say how the atmosphere was but I wonder if playing Josephine as an encore was the wrong move in front of a rowdy crowd. Just as a festival show would have a different tempo to the set, perhaps "Napoleon solo" should be in the middle somewhere. I remember seeing a Costello/Nieve show in 2004 and being afraid to cough it was that quiet. (although it was captivating for me) No songs from North on this tour I note.

Having said all that I defend Elvis' actions last night. I was at the Glasgow show with the heckler in 2009 but that didn't stop the show, just an amusing diversion. I get the feeling it was more than 1 individual last night.
I know Elvis looks upon the encore as the start of the 2nd half; if that was the case last night then the audience was the clear loserI

Come and play some gigs for us in Europe, where we're not so presumptuous!

[supermaz62]

I've seen EC at least 20 times...this was the worst, not even close.

[History History]

Nice cover of 'And Your Bird...'. Lovely red DW drum kit Pete's playing, not seen that one before.

Has he played 'Sleep of the Just' before on this tour? I can't recall hearing it live ever, though I must have it on a bootleg or two. One of my top 5 (or 3?) Elvis songs. Would blow my mind to see him play that, not that I'll ever get to see him live again.

How so, Otis? Is it because you are in the UK? If so, I know what you mean.

[Eric1616]

I uploaded the show this afternoon and it is being worked on as we speak. I'm told it may well be up on Dime tonight.

[Azmuda]

I uploaded the show this afternoon and it is being worked on as we speak. I'm told it may well be up on Dime tonight.

Wonderful! Thanks for taping!