Montreal review

Pretty self-explanatory
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martinfoyle
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Montreal review

Post by martinfoyle »

Here's a review of the Montreal show from the ec listserv

- Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 19:07:46 -0400
From: Dominic <punchclock@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Montreal show

Hi !

Thursday night, I went to the concert in Montreal. It was my first Elvis
concert (I've been a fan for about 5 years now) and I was highly
impressed...It was actually better than I expected it to be ! The man has
such a presence on stage...even though I was a bit disappointed he didn't
talk AT ALL between songs (ok...he did say a couple of words in French...but
not much !) Is he always that quiet between songs ? The set list seemed
pretty similar to the one in Toronto, but the band didn't play 'Indoor
Fireworks' - simply one of my favorites (Elvis sang it in Toronto, right ?)
He sang 'Still Too Soon To Know' without his mic...and that was the
highlight of the evening for me...The crowd was REALLY into it...giving him
a standing ovation after almost every song...Honestly, I didn't want it to
end...I guess you know the feeling too !

Take care !

Dominic
Montreal
martinfoyle
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Post by martinfoyle »

Craig Montoya posted this on the ec listserv

-I didn't write down the set list, but it was fairly similar to
Toronto, though Ken and Gerard both said that Montreal
was a better, rockier show.

Some highlights:

"My Dark Life" -- one of my very favorite songs and one
that I've always dreamed of hearing live. I was not
disappointed.

Nice band versions of Painted From Memory material --
"In the Darkest Place" and "Toledo" both sounded great
and were greeted with cheers before Elvis sang a word.
It was a very gracious and enthusiastic audience. ("God
Give Me Strength" was on the setlist, but sadly was not
played.)

"Still Too Soon to Know" performed completely off-mic.
(Lots of Brutal Youth -- he also played a jazzy "Clown
Strike" and "All the Rage")

"Either Side of the Same Town" -- this song is remarkable!!
As strong as the Howard Tate version is, Elvis's performance
blew Tate's away! Great harmonies from Davey on the
chorus. Elvis needs to get in the studio immediately and
record this one if he hasn't already. This was the highlight
of the show for me.

"North" -- Elvis debuted the song during the encores,
accompanied only by Steve on piano. Thankfully Elvis
hammed it up and played the song for laughs, because the
lyrics are so cringe-inducing that I'd be worried about our
hero if he'd sung it seriously. Mentions of rivers rushing,
salmon leaping, polar bears and moose frolicking in the
ice. It's a cute little song and was fun to hear, but one
best left to slip into obscurity. We had great fun making
up new verses for it after the show, but some things are
best left unspoken :-)

Incredibly intense version of "I Want You" to end the final
encore. Much more vicious than any of the performances
of the song I've heard from last year (and some of those
were pretty frightening).

Hopefully the others will be able to flesh out the details
a bit better when they get home. It was a fantastic show,
and the tightness and intensity of the band was a real
surprise and treat given that it was only the second show
of the tour. I'm looking forward to Boston and Providence
next weekend!

Craig
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DrJ
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Post by DrJ »

Why don't these people post here? Join the party...

DrJ
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Otis Westinghouse
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Post by Otis Westinghouse »

They're too busy obsessing with the listserv. I could only handle a week of it, too scary for me. Even the digest was too much. Though it was nice to be recognised by Jillbeast (remember her?), who was an old hand on Island when I was a fledgling. So good to have the Martin Foyle digest instead, much more accessible.

So he is playing IWY again! I kind of wanted it to be 2002's thing, buut would kill to see it again, especially if it's even more intense and scary.
martinfoyle
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Post by martinfoyle »

They're too busy obsessing with the listserv. I could only handle a week of it, too scary for me. Even the digest was too much. Though it was nice to be recognised by Jillbeast (remember her?), who was an old hand on Island when I was a fledgling. So good to have the Martin Foyle digest instead, much more accessible
.

Thanks for the compliment. Yes the guys on the listserv do appear a bit lost in themselves, there are weirder ones. Still, I'm happy to relay the hard news items, and vice versa.
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Man out of Time
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Re: Montreal review

Post by Man out of Time »

Review by Sylvain Cormier from Le Devoir on 4 July 2003:

"Elvis Costello & The Imposters à la PdA - Heureux le chanteur

Cinq minutes avant l'entrée d'Elvis Costello et ses Imposters, Claudia la relationniste est revenue de l'arrière-scène avec ce que tout journaliste veut: la conduite du spectacle, c'est-à-dire la liste des chansons prévues, dans l'ordre prévu. Liste de dernière minute, déduisai-je de sa provenance.

Pensai-je! Elvis s'est amené et, au cinquième titre, Elvis étant Elvis, la liste ne tenait plus. Et elle ne tint plus de tout le spectacle. C'était l'Elvis qu'on aime: depuis la fois où, fin 1977 à Saturday Night Live, il interrompit Less Than Zero après quelques accords pour lancer l'interdite Radio Radio, Elvis Costello n'en fait qu'à sa tête. Qu'il a pleine d'idées et de mélodies.

Hier, il s'est promené dans sa liste de chansons comme un type qui, à mesure, décidait de ce qui conviendrait bien après. Plus fort encore, il a semblé changer son répertoire en fonction de ce qu'il constatait du lieu, à savoir: une fort belle réverbération naturelle. Ce Wilfrid-Pelletier lui donnait visiblement le goût de chanter, et pourquoi pas hors-micro, alors il a chanté guitare-voix, loin du micro, la finale d'In The Darkest Place, titre éminemment lyrique de l'album-duo avec Burt Bacharach, Painted From Memory. Et personne n'a fait de bruit et c'était un moment de grâce. Souvent, comme inspiré par la direction du vent, il indiquait à ses Imposters — ses vieux potes Steve Nieve (claviers) et Pete Thomas (batterie), avec Davey Faragher à la basse — de baisser le volume, ce qu'ils faisaient, et seule la voix du Londonien émergeait, belle et forte. C'était franchement fascinant.

Dans un tel contexte, ce sont les mélodies les plus ambitieuses du canon Costello qui tenaient le haut du pavé, My Dark Life, Either Side Of The Same Town, Man Out Of Time: les airs étaient révélés comme autant de morceaux d'une sorte de comédie musicale pour homme seul, les textes résonnant comme autant de brillants monologues enfin audibles. Certes, le rock reprenait ça et là ses droits et Elvis, Fender Telecaster ou grosse Gibson semi-acoustique en main, plaquait presque furieusement Pump It Up, (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea ou I Hope You're Happy Now. On ne se refait pas à ce point.

Tout était possible dans ce spectacle, et tout est arrivé, y compris une reprise absolument inattendue de You Really Got A Hold On Me (lancée au beau milieu de Deep Dark Truthful Mirror!), le fabuleux blues à la Motown de Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, donné à la manière Beatles: Costello prenait la foule à partie avec le plus évident plaisir. Et c'est avec le même bonheur, jouant la comédie comme s'il était à Broadway, qu'Elvis a offert l'inédite North, chanson-titre de l'album à paraître en septembre, dédiée — en français — aux gens du nord que nous sommes. À croire que sa fiancée Diana Krall, chérie du FIJM, lui a tellement vanté l'événemet qu'il s'y est senti libre. Libre d'être imprévible à s'en étonner lui-même."

and in "English" via Google Translate:

"Elvis Costello & The Imposters in PdA - Happy singer

Five minutes before the commencement of Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Claudia's publicist returned from backstage with what every journalist wants: the conduct of the show, that is to say, the list of songs planned in the order specified. List last minute, I deduced its origin.

I thought! Elvis has brought and the fifth title, Elvis being Elvis, the list no longer held. And no longer stood for the whole show. It was Elvis we love: from the time when, in late 1977 Saturday Night Live, he interrupted Less Than Zero after a few chords to start the forbidden Radio, Elvis Costello does as his head . It was full of ideas and melodies.

Yesterday, he walked around in his song list as a guy who, as, decided what would work well after. Stronger still, he seemed to change his repertoire based on what he had observed the place, namely: a very beautiful natural reverb. This Wilfrid-Pelletier gave him obviously want to sing, and why not off-mic, then he sang guitar voice, away from the microphone, the final In The Darkest Place, as eminently lyrical duet-album with Burt Bacharach, Painted From Memory. And nobody made ​​noise and it was a moment of grace. Often, as inspired by the wind, he indicated his Imposters - his old buddies Steve Nieve (keyboards) and Pete Thomas (drums), Davey Faragher on bass - volume down, which they did, and only the voice of emerging Londoner, beautiful and strong. It was downright fascinating.

Against this backdrop, it is the most ambitious melodies in the Costello canon which held the upper hand, My Dark Life, Either Side Of The Same Town, Man Out Of Time: The tunes were revealed as so pieces of a sort of musical comedy man alone, the texts as resonant as brilliant monologues finally heard. While the rock here and there resumed his rights and Elvis, Fender Telecaster or Gibson semi-acoustic bass in hand, plastered almost furiously Pump It Up (I Do not Want To Go To) Chelsea or I Hope You're Happy Now . We never change at this point.

Anything was possible in this show, and it all happened, including a completely unexpected cover of You Really Got A Hold On Me (launched in the middle of Deep Dark Truthful Mirror!), the fabulous blues to Motown Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, given the way Beatles: Costello took the crowd to part with the most obvious pleasure. And with the same happiness, playing comedy like he was on Broadway, Elvis offered unprecedented North, title track of the album to be released in September, dedicated - in French - the people of north than we are. To believe that his fiancee Diana Krall, Jazz Fest darling, he was so touted the événemet it is felt free. Free imprévible to be surprised himself. "

And yeah, why don't those Listserv people post here? :wink:

MOOT
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