Calgary report/setlist! Calgary loves Elvis!

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little martinet
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Calgary report/setlist! Calgary loves Elvis!

Post by little martinet »

This is going to be a long one....
Well I just don't know where to begin!!! Calgary was fantastic!

First off, the setlist (again, it might not be in exact order, and I may have missed a few...)

Rocking Horse Road
Accidents Will Happen
Shot With His Own Gun
In The Darkest Place
Brilliant Mistake
45
(The angels wanna wear my) Red Shoes
All This Useless Beauty
New Amsterdam/Hide your love away
Someone took the words away
Still
God's Comic
Alison
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror/Really got hold on me
Watching The Detectives
====
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding
North
====

He definitely would have played longer, but I think they had to cut it short for 10 pm, since it was a folk festival in a park in the middle of the city...permits and crap I guess. Damn rules!! The park is only a 10 minute walk from my place, which is great.

OK, this show was amazing. There was about 8,000 (maybe 10,000??) I could be way off base here, but there was a lot of people! First, Ricky Skaggs played, and he was a huge hit with the Calgary crowd of course (they *love* their country music...'Cowtown's biggest party is the Calgary Stampede, a big rodeo drunk-fest..) anyway, first I was worried b/c I thought Ricky might be a tough act to follow in this city....but course Elvis proved me wrong!!

Highlights- every celebrity that visits Calgary is presented with a white cowboy hat (and maybe made an honorary citizen or something?)...anyway EC came out for the encore with the white cowboy hat on!!!! he only left it on for a few secs though (it didn't look that cool on EC! haha).

The crowd went crazy for Elvis...I think he was genuinely amazed at the reponse. Early in the set, he mentioned that they hadn't played Calgary since 1978, and the last words he said were, "I can't believe it's been 25 years since we played here - we're definitely coming back!" YAY!

The last song he played was North - he could probably have a friggin' hit single here with that song...Canadians seem to love it when outsiders compliment our country!

The crowd was really into the show the whole time, in the palm of Elvis' hand, singing, clapping, etc without much encouragement from EC at all, and by the end of his show, *everyone* was on their feet going nuts. I was on my feet the whole time (I stood just outside the festival seating area, right up front!)..and I mean everybody, from 5 years old to 75 years, got off their little festival seats and blankets and gave Elvis the respect he deserves!!!

This was the first night of the Calgary Folk Festival...I was planning to go to the rest of it this weekend...but I don't know now, it would just seem like an anti-climax to my week of Elvis!!!! As I was leaving the park, walking amongst everyone, I didn't hear one complaint about EC's performance, people were raving about it, and about the new songs too!

Hmmmm...I think Elvis could become quite the celebrity (even more so) in Canada...him and Diana will be like the royal couple of music or something!

PS - anybody know anything about Sondre Lerche, the Norwegian singer? He opened up for EC in Edmonton and Calgary....
little martinet
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Post by little martinet »

I just found this on Sondre Lerche's website...sorry if you've seen it before...
http://www.sondrelerche.com/diary/dagbok71.shtml

He was actually quite charming at the Edmonton show...he only got to play maybe 3 or 4 songs tonight (damn rules, again). Looks like he is gaining a following on this side of the pond...

or maybe, have I been living under a rock and everybody's heard of him?

...anyway, back to Elvis-related stuff!
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miss buenos aires
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Post by miss buenos aires »

I have Sondre Lerche's album, it's quite good. Along the lines of Kings of Convenience (fellow Norwegians), but more tuneful, and happier.
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so lacklustre
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Post by so lacklustre »

Another good report lm, thanks again. You are very good at conveying the atmosphere and excitment.
little martinet
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Post by little martinet »

Thanks sl!
Whenever I go to a great concert like that, I always think "I want to remember this forever!!" so I try to remember the little details, you know?

Also, it's funny, because although I've never met anyone on this board I found myself at concert thinking "I'll have to remember that to post later!"

Here is an excerpt from the Calgary Sun today:

"Skaggs and Co. brought the Ole Opry to life, with their picking and plucking, swinging and strumming and -- oh, my -- that vocal harmonizing.

It was absolutely 100% pure.

And the Nashville sounds they whipped up danced as effortlessly and as coolly through the air as the ever-increasing wind blowing in off the Bow.

Speaking of which, that was about the only sign of weather worries -- Thunder brought no rain and the climate was as comfortable as the music.

Continuing that was Sondre Lerche, who headliner Elvis Costello tacked on to the lineup last minute.

Lerche made the most of his 15-minute opportunity, winning the Island over with his clean, romantic pop.

It was a great call by Costello, who, in his almost 30-year career, has made many of them.

With a wealth of tunes to chose from, the veteran tunesmith, who was joined by pianist Steve Nieve, hopped around his various incarnations and dipped into his deep, deep catalogue to pluck out gems such as Accidents Will Happen and turn them into quiet, pretty, classical works.

It's been 25 years since he last was here, and Costello left the crowd completely enthralled and wanting more.

Not a bad way to end a first date, eh? "
johnfoyle
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Post by johnfoyle »

http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx ... b30fd70fe3

Stars shine on opening night
Elvis Costello sings himself into frenzy

Heath McCoy and Nick Lewis
Calgary Herald


Friday, July 25, 2003




Review

Thursday at the Calgary Folk Music Festival. Performers included Elvis Costello, Ricky Skaggs, Sondre Lerche, Petrona Martinez and Kris Demeanor. Attendance: About 9,300.

It's quite a sight. Hundreds of people running with folded chairs, padded seats, water bottles and backpacks, trying to overcome their sandals-on-gravel footing, trying not to lose anything on the way. They rush to get prime real estate in front of the main stage at the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

With a spectacular opening day lineup that featured Elvis Costello and Ricky Skaggs, it was understandable when the crowd bottlenecked through the park entrance as soon as the gates opened.

"I was among them, running with the tarps and chairs," said Joanne Bachynski, who was parked up front. "It's amazing, the gates opened 15 minutes ago and look at it now. It's filled with all us fogeys running in."

Now in it's 24th year, the folk festival has emerged as one the highlights of the Calgary summer. Opening day of the four-day event drew 9,300 fans to Prince's Island Park, just 700 short of a sellout. And like that other summer highlight, the Calgary Stampede, it's not just about Calgarians.

Two friends from Chicago were camped at the front of the stage Thursday, waiting to see their hero, Costello. Rozy Stevens, 50, and Mary Gear, 40, met and bonded over their mutual love of Costello in 1996, but the two have been following the singer individually for the past couple of decades, travelling as far as London and Hamburg to see him. Thursday night's folk festival gig marked the ninth time they've seen Costello this year.

"His current show is more for hard core fans than casual fans," said Stevens, referring to Costello's penchant for focusing on obscure and unreleased tunes on this tour. "That's what we like about it."

Local favourite Kris Demeanor kicked off the event appropriately with an upbeat set of folk-pop originals. Demeanor's Crack Band, featuring fellow Calgarians Chantal Vitalis and Diane Kooch, were in fine form during the set.

Colombia's Petrona Martinez followed with her six-piece band, giving the festival its first taste of the rich world music for which it has become famous. The 66-year-old Martinez played an infectious, rhythmically dynamic set that had a crowd of folkies up on their feet and dancing.

Eight-time Grammy Award winner Skaggs was up next, he and his bluegrass band Kentucky Thunder playing a strikingly honest set that alternated between fiery 'n' boot-stompin' and tear-in-your-beer tender.

In the lead-up to the much anticipated Elvis, Norway's Sondre Lerche (who was hand-picked by Costello for the gig) performed a short opening set. The 20-year-old Lerche played solo with only his acoustic guitar, his set matching the prettiness of his debut album Faces Down, even if he lost that CD's rich Bacharach-ish pop layering.

By far, however, the evening belonged to Costello, fiance of Canadian jazz singer Diana Krall. That was clear from the moment the 49-year-old songwriting pioneer hit the stage. Strumming an acoustic guitar, backed up on piano by his longtime collaborator, Steve Nieve, Costello performed epic, emotionally charged versions of such tunes as Accidents Will Happen, King of America, In The Darkest Place, All This Useless Beauty, and the ever-popular Alison.

Highlights of the set came during Forty-Five, with Costello singing himself into a frenzy. Of course, when he indulged his Beatles muse and his soul muse, on You've Got To Hide Your Love Away and You've Really Got A Hold of Me, respectively, the crowd was ecstatic.

Costello left the stage briefly and returned with a white hat on his head, presented backstage by Mayor Dave Bronconnier. He took the hat off, looking almost puzzled by the gesture, and launched into an encore that satisfied everybody. Watching The Detectives and (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding, no less.

Powerful stuff. One of the year's best. And a mighty start to this year's festival.

hmccoy@theherald.canwest.com; nlewis@theherald.canwest.com

© Copyright 2003 Calgary Herald


...and here`s link to video of Elvis in Calgary


http://www.calgaryfolkfest.com/html/video.html
little martinet
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Post by little martinet »

I just picked up a paper copy of the Calgary Sun, and on the cover of the folk fest pull-out section, is a photo of the mayor and EC with the white cowboy hat on....and he does kind of have a crazed, "what the hell am I doing with this hat on" kind of look!!!!

If I had a scanner I would post it...maybe I'll find it online somewhere...
little martinet
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Post by little martinet »

Steve Nieve's journal has been updated with details about the Canadian dates:

http://www.stevenieve.com/journal.html

FYI: the steakhouse he mentions is right next door to where I work!
Last edited by little martinet on Fri Jul 25, 2003 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
little martinet
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Post by little martinet »

Hey -
the Calgary Folk Fest's website has a video clip of EC performing last night:
http://www.calgaryfolkfest.com/html/video.html

enjoy!
johnfoyle
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Post by johnfoyle »

See a scan of the Calgary setlist at


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/L-ListCos ... llist1.bmp
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BlueChair
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Post by BlueChair »

hehe.. we have one of those steakhouses in Toronto too. They have a bunch across Canada.
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HungupStrungup
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Yes, I could too call it unexpected!

Post by HungupStrungup »

What! He did "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"????

It appears from the shows and setlists I've seen so far that "Brilliant Mistake" (a/k/a "King of America" - I know I know, nitpicking a favourable review is unkind) and "Shot with His Own Gun" only make appearances at Elvis & Steve shows. Maybe The Imposters haven't practiced them.
"But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
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