Elvis Costello Fan Forum

... Hempstead Pavilion (UK) in March 1978. I was 15 and went with my two older brothers, the older of whom had seen EC at Live Stiffs in December 77. I've seen him over 110 times since ... but that is still the best gig ever (from him or anyone else). Nick L on bass, unbelievable energy and intensity in the air. EC stopped the show when someone threw a lit cigarette at him. A roadie came out and grabbed the guy's hair - who was standing right next to me - and shone a torch into the guy's face and EC challenged the guy to come up on stage and get the sh-t kicked out of him. Then they blasted into the next song at a zillion miles an hour. EC was just plain scary up close like that. In fact I always used to be really nervous standing down the front at EC gigs; he just looked like he would go mental at any time and physically assault you if you so much as looked at him the wrong way. The Rockplast (sp?) video up on YouTube is the best encapsulation of that fantastic time showing just how good the A's were and what a charismatic figure EC cut. So gooHemel ...