Do you have a favorite EC concert?

[Hawksmoor]

26 gigs in 40 years and I'll honestly say that the best of the lot was Manchester on 12th March this year. I did Liverpool a couple of weeks earlier, but on this occasion I took a dear friend who is to Bob Dylan as I am to Elvis Costello. As we stood outside after the gig, in the cold Manchester air, Nick rolled a cigarette and conceded 'yeah, that was bloody good. He played like a man possessed'. And now we know why - they were probably having the conversation about how long they could keep the tour going that very afternoon. He was on fire that night, and I will always treasure it.

[Harry Lime]

So many to choose from. Some memorable ones for me:
The First One
Cleveland with the Attractions August 15 1982
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... _Cleveland

Two Days After the First One
Pittsburgh with the Attractions August 17, 1982
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... Pittsburgh

What a great way to start off a career of watching Elvis live. I used to travel around a lot to see shows, so, until I settled into the NYC area, each of my first 9 Elvis shows was in a different city. Added bonus: August 18 was the Clash.

The First Solo Show
Rochester NY April 20 1984
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... _Rochester
Great song selection, a Specials cover, special appearance by the Coward Brothers. Good stuff.

With the Brodsky Quartet
NYC March 18 1993
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... 8_New_York
So cool seeing the Juliet Letters performed live. Bonus of my buddy yelling out "Jacksons, Monk, and Rowe" right before the last encore was to be played played, and Elvis obliging.

The Attractions Are Back
NYC August 3 and 6, 1995
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... 4_New_York
Warmups for the recording of All This Useless Beauty. New songs! Old band! Two shows!

The Royal Albert Hall
London April 15, 1999
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... -15_London
Elvis and Steve invite you into their lounge at the beautiful Royal Albert Hall. Couldn't Call It Unexpected #4 off mic brought the house down.

Late Night April Fool
NYC April 1, 2011
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... (3rd_show)
A fun, loose gathering of the Imposters and the Secret Sisters. With a start time after 11:00, made me feel like I was 18 again. Added bonus: country-blues version of Luxembourg.

The Spectacular Spinning Songbook
NYC October 1, 2011
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... 1_New_York
34 big hits--including Alison to start things off. Mary Louise Parker takes a spin. Everyone has a great time.

End of the Tour
Morristown NJ November 27, 2013
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... Morristown
35 big hits! Too many personal debuts to count. The encore you hoped would never stop.

And so many more not documented here. Hooray for Elvis!

[sheeptotheslaughter]

i am sure that a few want to hear what i have to say.
as an out and out loon and stated somewhere above, i have seen way too many to pick just one. i would need to enumerate top ten and even that will leave many unlisted. so, let me give you a few and see where my mind takes me.

10/27/1986 TOWER THEATRE Confederates; my longest (AND A GREAT ONE) show i ever saw E perform
8/18/1984 FOREST HILLS Attractions Papa's Got a Brand New Bag show...FUNKY
9/22/2003 Town Hall with STEVE....other worldly set!!! Radio Silence!
12/31/1981 NYC Palladium Almost Blue Almost 82 44 songs plus Steve solo ten minutes till midnight
11/27/2013 Morristown New Jersey solo! last night of tour with 14 tour debuts and my beloved IMAGINATION, KNUCKLES and HAUNT
8/21/1982 JFK Philly Attractions hell bent on winning over several thousand GENESIS fans and succeeding
4/15/1984 Avery Fisher Hall solo....a monstrous performance. all those debuts.
5/24/2011 BEACON Pete sings up front w/ EC on B & W WORLD & other rarities: LET ME ROLL IT, EARTHBOUND, BIRD CAN SING
10/1/2011 United Palace Another spinning songbook, fresh off the anger of abbreviated Long Island show....INSANE!!!
5/22/1996 late show SUPPER CLUB duo with Steve just absurd how good they were and the they songs played
10/24/1986 Broadway my first spinning songbook....just TOO MUCH FUN with Penn and Teller, Soozie Tyrell and Buster Poindexter!!
6/25/2014 Carnegie Hall SIDE ONE of MAIT to start the show???? AND Tommy's Coming Home!! A+++
6/11/1994 Jones Beach Attractions Brutal Youth; MAD AS HELL EC because of his guitar tuning problems equals a FANTASTIC SHOW!!!!

there's the lucky 13....just like his albums, i could name many different tomorrow if asked to name thirteen again.

do i make it top 25?? LOL i left out a couple of SUPER SHOWS!!!

7/22/2005 Wallingford with Emmylou....tremendously big setlist, stellar performances, band unleashed + Emmylou & Larry too
8/13/1996 Beacon...did the ATTRACTIONS know it was their last EVER NYC show? sure played that way
10/28/2002 Newark BEAUTIFUL room, great sound ALIBI a la Neil Young; Mood Swings too. just a FANTASTIC night
10/13/1998 RADIO CITY with the BURT BACHARACH show, from EC singing first song behind curtain to finale...AMAZING!
4/23/2005 Atlantic City NEW band THE PICK UPS only time w/ STEVE. one for the ages indeed
6/10/2009 Beacon NYC SUGARCANES just a joy to see so much different, arrangements and new songs. MAGNIFICENT
8/27/1982 Forest Hills jam packed tennis stadium, 4th row seats, a band and man unconscious

okay, that makes it top 20....i bet i dream up a couple more that belong here before long! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS!!!

I came over to New York for the World Cup in June 94 and only just missed the Jones Beach gig. I was gutted as us londoners say when I found out I had only missed EC by 4 days

[sheeptotheslaughter]

Offshoreram has picked a few of my favourites.

Dingwalls Camden Lock 1983 I maybe wrong but I think it was the first gig with the TKO horns. That was for Capital Radio's 10th birthday

Royal Albert Hall April 1999 as I got into the after party and had a chat with Elvis for the very first time

Royal Albert Hall with the London Philharmonic was special, me in my bow tie and 50's suit, the former mrs Sheep in her party gown. And all to no avail as its wasnt shown on TV.

Spinning songbook in Southend when I met VG, John Foyle, MOOT for the first time.

Taking the current Mrs Sheep to see the Brodsky quartet show at the Theatre Royal. Her first EC show. She was impressed and said you can see he is a real superstar.

[rightbrain]

I've been fortunate to have seen EC about 75 times in a 37-year period (1982-2019). A shout-out to HARRY LIME for how similar our EC Paths have run.

My first concert was Friday, August 13, 1982 at The Ohio Center, Columbus, Ohio and my second was Sunday, August 15, 1982 Music Hall, Cleveland, Ohio (the first time I got to meet EC backstage . . . thanks to Sheva Golkow and Natalie Rubin!)

So those two experience have to be in my Top 5. But like Harry Lime, the Spring 1984 Solo Acoustic Tour was absolutely spellbinding - hearing all those songs in stripped-down, unvarnished glory for the first time. A cover of Prefab Sprout's "CRUEL!" You could hear a pin drop at Hill Auditorium on on the University of Michigan's campus, Easter Sunday, April 22, 1984. Could be my #1 concert, if it wasn't for . . .

. . . (again, following Harry Lime's list of notable gigs) is the March 14, 1993 Juliet Letters concert with the Brodsky Quartet at UCLA's Royce Hall. The acoustics were impeccable. I sat in hushed attention grinning from ear-to-ear for the entire 2 hours - with the exception of gasping here and there at the purity and grace of the performance. EC was literally ACTING out every line with his facial expressions, hand gestures and posture. A tour de force. And I've never seen him happier and more full of joy. Exhilarating from first note to last. My #1.

For those interested (if any!) here's the entire list of every gig in chronological order:

August 13, 1982 at The Ohio Center, Columbus, Ohio
August 15, 1982 Music Hall, Cleveland, Ohio

August 23, 1983 Pine Knob Music Center, Clarkston, Michigan

April 22, 1984 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
August 25, 1984 Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

October 1, 1986 The Beverly Theatre, Beverly Hills, California
October 2, 1986 The Beverly Theatre, Beverly Hills, California
October 3, 1986 The Beverly Theatre, Beverly Hills, California
October 4, 1986 The Beverly Theatre, Beverly Hills, California
October 5, 1986 The Beverly Theatre, Beverly Hills, California

April 17, 1987 University of California, Irvine, California
April 18, 1987 San Diego State University, San Diego California*
*My wife got to spin the Spectacular Spinning Songbook on stage! (Landed on “C&W Request”)

September 8, 1989 San Diego State University, San Diego California
September 9, 1989 Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, California
September 10, 1989 Santa Barbara County Bowl, Santa Barbara, California
September 12, 1989 Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
September 13, 1989 Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, California

May 25, 1991 Santa Barbara County Bowl, Santa Barbara, California
May 26, 1991 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, California
May 28, 1991 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, California
May 29, 1991 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, California
June 3, 1991 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, California
June 4, 1991 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, California

March 14, 1993 Royce Hall UCLA, Los Angeles, California
March 16, 1993 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Burbank, California

May 10, 1994 Santa Barbara County Bowl, Santa Barbara, California
May 11, 1994 Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
May 12, 1994 Late Show with David Letterman, Television City, California
May 13, 1994 Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
May 14, 1994 Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, California
May 16, 1994 Starlight Bowl, San Diego, California

May 13, 1996 John Anson Ford Theatre, Los Angeles, California
May 14, 1996 The Troubadour, West Hollywood, California
August 27, 1996 Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
August 28, 1996 Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, California

October 16, 1998 Chicago Theater, Chicago, Illinois

May 30, 1999 Copley Symphony Hall, San Diego, CA
June 1, 1999 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 2, 1999 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 22, 1999 Nautica Stage, Cleveland, Ohio
October 12, 1999 Louisville Palace, Louisville, Kentucky
October 13, 1999 Park West, Chicago, Illinois
October 16, 1999 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN

June 9, 2002 Promowest Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio
June 11, 2002 Tower City Amphitheatre, Cleveland, Ohio
October 11, 2002 Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio
October 13, 2002 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN
October 30, 2002 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

February 24, 2004 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
March 16, 2004 Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, Chicago, IL

March 9, 2005 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
April 20, 2005 House of Blues, Cleveland, Ohio
[May 5, 2005 Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio – had tickets, but EC CANCELLED THE SHOW]
July 29, 2005 Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, Ohio
July 30, 2005 Promowest Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio

June 20, 2006 Lifestyles Communities Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio

April 13, 2007 Rubin Museum of Art, New York City
September 9, 2007 Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN
October 16, 2007 Nutter Center Wright State, Dayton, Ohio

April 23, 2008 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
May 7, 2008 Louisville Palace, Louisville, KY

June 16, 2009 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
August 27, 2009 Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, Ohio

May 16, 2011 Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio
June 19, 2011 Lifestyle Community Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio
September 26, 2011 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN

June 17, 2014 Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY
June 21, 2014 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

October 28, 2016 Akron Civic Theatre, Akron, Ohio

June 10, 2017 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN
July 18, 2017 Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, Ohio

November 19, 2019 Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio

[Dr. Luther]

< ... the Spring 1984 Solo Acoustic Tour was absolutely spellbinding - hearing all those songs in stripped-down, unvarnished glory for the first time. ... >

I have been considering posting something very similar to this. It would be hard to explain the feeling of these shows in today's context, as we are used to expecting virtually anything from Costello, but those 1984 solo shows were a clear benchmark in a still-developing music career. They just felt special at the time. Tremendous fun.

[bronxapostle]

agree Dr. Luther and right brain too!! SOLO 1984 did truly mean ANYTHING was possible. And we have seen that for 35 more years since.
want a funny stat RB??? with all your Ohio shows...the one time that i came to see CLEVELAND AKRON ELVIS ATTRACTIONS in the flesh...you were NOT there!!! 1994 Cuyahoga...my first A's show in 8 years and what a raucous night. the boys were unleashed. also, oddly funny how similar our extended tour visits resemble each other too. i got a good 40 or so more shows on you, but, of course as a New Yorker will all the one offs we are lucky to acquire here and that i started in 1979. but, looks greatly similar otherwise. and i was indeed remiss to also not include my JULIET LETTERS show in my top 20. surely i must amend the number to top 25 to include that one and another 2 or 3 that FOR SHAME i had omitted. best, ba

[sulky lad]

agree Dr. Luther and right brain too!! SOLO 1984 did truly mean ANYTHING was possible. And we have seen that for 35 more years since.
want a funny stat RB??? with all your Ohio shows...the one time that i came to see CLEVELAND AKRON ELVIS ATTRACTIONS in the flesh...you were NOT there!!! 1994 Cuyahoga...my first A's show in 8 years and what a raucous night. the boys were unleashed. also, oddly funny how similar our extended tour visits resemble each other too. i got a good 40 or so more shows on you, but, of course as a New Yorker will all the one offs we are lucky to acquire here and that i started in 1979. but, looks greatly similar otherwise. and i was indeed remiss to also not include my JULIET LETTERS show in my top 20. surely i must amend the number to top 25 to include that one and another 2 or 3 that FOR SHAME i had omitted. best, ba

I'm sure I've mentioned being "spellbound" in Cardiff in 1984 at the solo show and how nearly every song stood up in it's own right. I think that concert more than any other convinced me that Elvis was more than just a pop star and that his songs, which had withstood all the Attractions could throw at them could then stand naked as solo performances and still sound magnificent - and the song that convinced me ?...................

of all tracks it was Luxembourg!
I remember Elvis saying people didn't know the words from previous performances and that someone had said they didn't even think there were words .... but it was priceless as a solo slowed down version. The whole of St. David's hall was like a cathedral that night, a solemn awe-struck audience drinking in every second - rarely matched perfectly executed - though the keyboard playing was a bit naff !
And I got a great recording of it too !

[bronxapostle]

well, if i don't have that recording...i would love to acquire!!!

[Dr. Luther]

< ... I think that concert more than any other convinced me that Elvis was more than just a pop star and that his songs, which had withstood all the Attractions could throw at them could then stand naked as solo performances and still sound magnificent ... >

Exactly. It seems hard to fathom now, given all that we've witnessed in the impending years, but that tour/timeframe truly felt like a "coming of age" moment for an already established musical artist.

This is when I pretty much confirmed to myself: "OK, it's not just me. This guy is the real deal, and perhaps even more." In retrospect, I feel fully validated, internally.

[sulky lad]

< ... I think that concert more than any other convinced me that Elvis was more than just a pop star and that his songs, which had withstood all the Attractions could throw at them could then stand naked as solo performances and still sound magnificent ... >

Exactly. It seems hard to fathom now, given all that we've witnessed in the impending years, but that tour/timeframe truly felt like a "coming of age" moment for an already established musical artist.

This is when I pretty much confirmed to myself: "OK, it's not just me. This guy is the real deal, and perhaps even more." In retrospect, I feel fully validated, internally.

Absolutely, perfect summation !

[verbal gymnastics]

Those 1984 solo concerts need to be put in context. Given his deteriorative relationship with the Attractions and his new found friendship with T Bone Burnett, the solo shows allowed him to do more (or less) with his own songs as well as exploring others in a wider set which he could not do in a band setting (adept as the Attractions were).

1985 was a fraught year with the Attractions (and being bumped off Live Aid didn’t help).

Anyway, back to the topic...

[Dr. Luther]

I don't disagree. I will say, however, that the songs themselves were gracefully liberated from the unfortunate clutches of Goodbye Cruel World in one fell swoop. Having seen three solo shows in April/May '84, I was fairly bemused upon release of the new album. I played along -- it was well above most popular music of the time, but it just didn't feel right, for the most part. It has its moments. For instance, Great Unknown is among my favorites, all-time. But that sax, the overall production, etc -- yikes.

It was an interesting juxtaposition. A misfire of a studio pop album, containing well-written and (sometimes) transcendent songs that were treated unfairly -- contrasted by a series of concerts with the same artist, the same songs (plus a plethora of others), stripped down to their inherent strengths.

Again, these shows just felt different.
A bridge was crossed. Or something...

[sulky lad]

I don't disagree. I will say, however, that the songs themselves were gracefully liberated from the unfortunate clutches of Goodbye Cruel World in one fell swoop. Having seen three solo shows in April/May '84, I was fairly bemused upon release of the new album. I played along -- it was well above most popular music of the time, but it just didn't feel right, for the most part. It has its moments. For instance, Great Unknown is among my favorites, all-time. But that sax, the overall production, etc -- yikes.

It was an interesting juxtaposition. A misfire of a studio pop album, containing well-written and (sometimes) transcendent songs that were treated unfairly -- contrasted by a series of concerts with the same artist, the same songs (plus a plethora of others), stripped down to their inherent strengths.

Again, these shows just felt different.
A bridge was crossed. Or something...

Like you, I love the Great Unknown - even the production on his track showed how GCW should have been, with that mournful organ and the lack of "The Italian traffic jam". It meant that it had a subtlety lacking for so many of the other songs which in themselves weren't at all bad.
My first gig of 1984 was Oxford and then St. Austell in Cornwall both with the Attractions and whilst I was ecstatic at seeing them on home turf with a wonderful dietician girlfriend, the Cardiff concert took me totally by surprise and made me re-consider my opinion of Elvis and how I would relate to him and his music.

[Harry Worth]

A wonderful thread, and nice to see a few of my favourites of mine there. Most of my Costello gigs have either been in Liverpool or Manchester, though the only time I actually met the man was after a cracking might at the cavernous old Bingley Hall in Birmingham on the Bedrooms of Britain tour in September 1982.

This year’s Manchester gig at the Palace deserves the special mention others have give it. Bloody expensive, wondering if this might be the last time he ever tours – and then he sets the place on fire!

It’s actually hard to think of a Royal Court or Philharmonic Hall gig in Liverpool that wasn’t fantastic. The Spinning Wheel gig with Andrew Schofield that Neil mentioned is certainly up there as one of the best for me. As is the Coward Brothers gig at the Phil where after a blistering version of ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now’ EC mentioned having just been in the studio with Nick Lowe to demo it and so looking forward to what I expected was an imminent release. Thank goodness we had to wait for the B&C version as the demo version (it’s on the GBCW Rhino bonus disc) is a pretty weak affair.

But, overall, I think the Royal Court gig just before Christmas 1982 – backed with a horn section on a Trust / Imperial Bedroom / Get Happy laden set with three encores - is my winner. I remember feeling pretty poorly during the day but being determined to make it and emerging into the cold night air afterwards cured! Such is the power of a great Elvis gig!

[Top balcony]

... overall, I think the Royal Court gig just before Christmas 1982 –- is my winner.

Wow - I'd forgotten about this one, that was indeed a wonderful night with The Imperial Horns. Goes to show how lucky we've been to experience these epics.

[bronxapostle]

OKAY, LET ME FIX THIS TO MY TOP 25....getting the five more here that should NOT have been left out!

10/27/1986 TOWER THEATRE Confederates; my longest (AND A GREAT ONE) show i ever saw E perform
8/18/1984 FOREST HILLS Attractions Papa's Got a Brand New Bag show...FUNKY
9/22/2003 Town Hall with STEVE....other worldly set!!! Radio Silence!
12/31/1981 NYC Palladium Almost Blue Almost 82 44 songs plus Steve solo ten minutes till midnight
11/27/2013 Morristown New Jersey solo! last night of tour with 14 tour debuts and my beloved IMAGINATION, KNUCKLES and HAUNT
8/21/1982 JFK Philly Attractions hell bent on winning over several thousand GENESIS fans and succeeding
4/15/1984 Avery Fisher Hall solo....a monstrous performance. all those debuts.
5/24/2011 BEACON Pete sings up front w/ EC on B & W WORLD & other rarities: LET ME ROLL IT, EARTHBOUND, BIRD CAN SING
10/1/2011 United Palace Another spinning songbook, fresh off the anger of abbreviated Long Island show....INSANE!!!
5/22/1996 late show SUPPER CLUB duo with Steve. just absurd how good they were and the songs they played
10/24/1986 Broadway my first spinning songbook....just TOO MUCH FUN with Penn and Teller, Soozie Tyrell and Buster Poindexter!!
6/25/2014 Carnegie Hall SIDE ONE of MAIT to start the show???? AND Tommy's Coming Home!! A+++
6/11/1994 Jones Beach Attractions Brutal Youth; MAD AS HELL EC because of his guitar tuning problems equals a FANTASTIC SHOW!!
7/22/2005 Wallingford with Emmylou....tremendously big setlist, stellar performances, band unleashed + Emmylou & Larry too
8/13/1996 Beacon...did the ATTRACTIONS know it was their last EVER NYC show? sure played that way
10/28/2002 Newark BEAUTIFUL room, great sound ALIBI a la Neil Young; Mood Swings too. just a FANTASTIC night
10/13/1998 RADIO CITY with the BURT BACHARACH show, from EC singing first song behind curtain to finale...AMAZING!
4/23/2005 Atlantic City NEW band THE PICK UPS only time w/ STEVE. one for the ages indeed
6/10/2009 Beacon NYC SUGARCANES just a joy to see so much different, arrangements and new songs. MAGNIFICENT
8/27/1982 Forest Hills jam packed tennis stadium, 4th row seats, a band and man unconscious
3/18/1993 the JULIET LETTERS at Town Hall, played completely with such verve, determination & amazing 8 encores! UNREAL night.
4/1/1979 Bottom Line middle slot of 3 April Fools shows. Jagger in the house. EXPLOSIVE 15 song set.
8/10/1983 Pier 84 nyc laryngitis, schmaryngitis. TKO HORNS, immense set including hour soundcheck (for me) a fave tour of mine
10/22/1986 Broadway Theatre night 2, my first Confederates/solo show got me 23 i never saw before...HEAVENLY
2/2/1981 Palladium nyc ENGLISH MUGS/SQUEEZE. didn't think i was getting a ticket in front, when i did? better than 2 nights earlier

[verbal gymnastics]

These are kinda moving away from Do you have a favourite EC concert? - note the singular use of the word concert

[bronxapostle]

Okay....i thought one meant 25 vg. Done

[sulky lad]

... overall, I think the Royal Court gig just before Christmas 1982 –- is my winner.

Wow - I'd forgotten about this one, that was indeed a wonderful night with The Imperial Horns. Goes to show how lucky we've been to experience these epics.

Mortified that I never saw EC with any horn section in 82/83 !

Also proves how great he has been over the decades when it's almost impossible to pick just one show!
If it hadn't been the amazing The New Picket show with Allen Toussaint, Steve and band, I couldn't pick a replacement but if you want I'll pick my top 25 too

[docinwestchester]

These are kinda moving away from Do you have a favorite EC concert? - note the singular use of the word concert

Fixed it for you.

[verbal gymnastics]

These are kinda moving away from Do you have a favorite EC concert? - note the singular use of the word concert

Fixed it for you.

Is Favourite Hour entitled Favorite Hour in the US?

[Neil.]

These are kinda moving away from Do you have a favourite EC concert? - note the singular use of the word concert

Chuckle!

[Ulster Boy]

First night of the residency at the Royalty Theatre London 1986.
First time I’d travelled outside Ireland to see EC & the A’s. Intimate venue. Stellar set, all but one track from Blood and Chocolate played and a 1-2-3-4 encore punch, then the stroboscopic unsettling closer of Poor Napoleon/Instant Karma. The fight during Watching the detectives. And years later stumbling across the This is Tomorrow bootleg.

The next two nights were brilliant too, first EC solo experience and the spinning songbook.

[sulky lad]

First night of the residency at the Royalty Theatre London 1986.
First time I’d travelled outside Ireland to see EC & the A’s. Intimate venue. Stellar set, all but one track from Blood and Chocolate played and a 1-2-3-4 encore punch, then the stroboscopic unsettling closer of Poor Napoleon/Instant Karma. The fight during Watching the detectives. And years later stumbling across the This is Tomorrow bootleg.

The next two nights were brilliant too, first EC solo experience and the spinning songbook.

Was it you asking for your money back at the second night ?
I sat next to an Irishman on that night and he shouted loudly " Kick the fecker out!!" when the prat said (in a posh English accent " I think you would expect to be misunderstood if the show isn't as advertised with The Attractions " ( or words to that effect!) And Elvis had to ask someone from his entourage to provide the cash to give the miserable git ( who only complained three quarters of the way through the concert ) his money back