http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/02003 ... orcatid=60
Elvis Costello and the Imposters
The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Sat, May 19, 2007 08:30 PM
Elvis plays Philadelphia , May 19 '07
-
Lester Burnham
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:55 pm
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/weekend/ ... 57467.html
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA
May 18 '07
Concert Previews
Elvis Costello
With two new compilation CDs – Rock and Roll Music and The Best of Elvis Costello: The First Ten Years – each focusing on his blunt beginnings as an acerbic, angry young new waver, it stands to reason that the first stop by the peripatetic 52-year-old entertainer born Declan MacManus this season will be an aggressive evening that revisits the early years of his superb back catalog with vigor and vitriol.
Let's hope so, anyway. And for those interested in the softer side, Costello will return to town Sept. 8 to play with the Mann Festival Orchestra in Fairmount Park.
- Dan DeLuca
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA
May 18 '07
Concert Previews
Elvis Costello
With two new compilation CDs – Rock and Roll Music and The Best of Elvis Costello: The First Ten Years – each focusing on his blunt beginnings as an acerbic, angry young new waver, it stands to reason that the first stop by the peripatetic 52-year-old entertainer born Declan MacManus this season will be an aggressive evening that revisits the early years of his superb back catalog with vigor and vitriol.
Let's hope so, anyway. And for those interested in the softer side, Costello will return to town Sept. 8 to play with the Mann Festival Orchestra in Fairmount Park.
- Dan DeLuca
-
Lester Burnham
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:55 pm
Wow.
Great show, great set. For the most part, the same as the other sets throughout the tour, except no 'Riot Act' to close out the first set, instead a SCORCHING rendition of 'I Want You'.
I can't remember the exact set list, but the biggest surprise of the night was when Allen Toussaint came on during the second encore and played a few songs with EC and the Imposters. I think 'The River In Reverse', 'A Certain Girl', 'Yes We Can Can', and 'Fortune Teller' were played, though there may have been more.
Highlights were 'I Want You', 'The Sharpest Thorn', 'Clubland', 'Beyond Belief'.. hell, the whole show was great. Davey was having a ball, laughing and smiling and playing some really great licks, almost mimicking some of Bruce's more difficult parts. Pete was bashing the hell out of his set, and even snapped his bass drum during the fourth song, so that 'Secondary Modern' had no bass drum. Funny stuff. Steve, as ever, was great, all over the place, surprised Elvis in a few places.
Say what you want about the man appearing in a Lexus commercial or reissuing his CDs for the ten thousandth time (shock! horror!), but he still ROCKS. His energy, his voice, and his humor was on fine form tonight. Definitely one of the best shows I've ever seen.
Great show, great set. For the most part, the same as the other sets throughout the tour, except no 'Riot Act' to close out the first set, instead a SCORCHING rendition of 'I Want You'.
I can't remember the exact set list, but the biggest surprise of the night was when Allen Toussaint came on during the second encore and played a few songs with EC and the Imposters. I think 'The River In Reverse', 'A Certain Girl', 'Yes We Can Can', and 'Fortune Teller' were played, though there may have been more.
Highlights were 'I Want You', 'The Sharpest Thorn', 'Clubland', 'Beyond Belief'.. hell, the whole show was great. Davey was having a ball, laughing and smiling and playing some really great licks, almost mimicking some of Bruce's more difficult parts. Pete was bashing the hell out of his set, and even snapped his bass drum during the fourth song, so that 'Secondary Modern' had no bass drum. Funny stuff. Steve, as ever, was great, all over the place, surprised Elvis in a few places.
Say what you want about the man appearing in a Lexus commercial or reissuing his CDs for the ten thousandth time (shock! horror!), but he still ROCKS. His energy, his voice, and his humor was on fine form tonight. Definitely one of the best shows I've ever seen.
From listserv-
5/19 - Electric Factory
Welcome To The Working Week
Shabby Doll
The Beat
Lovers Walk
Party Girl
Secondary Modern (Pete had his bass drum replaced)
Strict Time
Big Tears
Either Side Of The Same Town
Clubland
Beyond Belief
Alibi (with I Don't Want To Be A Soldier)
Watching The Detectives
American Gangster Time
Lipstick Vogue
I Want You
E1-
I Dont Want To Go To Chelsea (*done the regular way)
Man Out Of Time
High Fidelity
Uncomplicated (with Shotgun)
Radio Radio (with In The City)
The Imposter
E2-
Alison (EC solo)
All I've Got To Do
River In Reverse (with I Don't Want To Be A Soldier)*
Monkey To Man*
Yes We Can**
Sharpest Thorn*
E3-
A Certain Girl**
Fortune Teller*
Hey Bulldog
Pump It Up
PLU (with Bring The Boys Home)
*with Allen Toussaint
** Allen Toussaint lead vocal
Elvis sang I Don't Want To Be A Soldier twice - not a
typo above.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://feedingthewatersphere.blogspot.c ... ellos.html
Saturday, May 19, 2007
taking food out of Elvis Costello's mouth
the truth is that I probably would not have eaten tonight if I did not help myself to some of the food backstage at the Electric Factory, where I am working the video tonight. It was vegetable enchaladas (i think). And I'm not sure if that stuff was meant for Elvis and his caravan. I'm not complaining, cause I was really hungry but I hope that Elvis had a better meal somewhere else. It was kind of disgusting.
5/19 - Electric Factory
Welcome To The Working Week
Shabby Doll
The Beat
Lovers Walk
Party Girl
Secondary Modern (Pete had his bass drum replaced)
Strict Time
Big Tears
Either Side Of The Same Town
Clubland
Beyond Belief
Alibi (with I Don't Want To Be A Soldier)
Watching The Detectives
American Gangster Time
Lipstick Vogue
I Want You
E1-
I Dont Want To Go To Chelsea (*done the regular way)
Man Out Of Time
High Fidelity
Uncomplicated (with Shotgun)
Radio Radio (with In The City)
The Imposter
E2-
Alison (EC solo)
All I've Got To Do
River In Reverse (with I Don't Want To Be A Soldier)*
Monkey To Man*
Yes We Can**
Sharpest Thorn*
E3-
A Certain Girl**
Fortune Teller*
Hey Bulldog
Pump It Up
PLU (with Bring The Boys Home)
*with Allen Toussaint
** Allen Toussaint lead vocal
Elvis sang I Don't Want To Be A Soldier twice - not a
typo above.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://feedingthewatersphere.blogspot.c ... ellos.html
Saturday, May 19, 2007
taking food out of Elvis Costello's mouth
the truth is that I probably would not have eaten tonight if I did not help myself to some of the food backstage at the Electric Factory, where I am working the video tonight. It was vegetable enchaladas (i think). And I'm not sure if that stuff was meant for Elvis and his caravan. I'm not complaining, cause I was really hungry but I hope that Elvis had a better meal somewhere else. It was kind of disgusting.
I was at the show an arms length away from the stage. Great show, yes, possibly the best , or one of the best, I've ever been to.
Elvis was just incredible....he was spot on. The band was hot, Elvis was hot, Alan was wonderful. Great set. (He played The Beat!! Ha! Never heard that one live.) So, so cool. He freakin played for 2 1/2 hours too.
Honestly, he just gets better and better every time I see him. He sneered and scowled and rocked his way through a lifetime of music. It was great.
What a great Mother's Day present...and a total surprize too. I didn't think I was going to get to go.
Yay me!
Elvis was just incredible....he was spot on. The band was hot, Elvis was hot, Alan was wonderful. Great set. (He played The Beat!! Ha! Never heard that one live.) So, so cool. He freakin played for 2 1/2 hours too.
Honestly, he just gets better and better every time I see him. He sneered and scowled and rocked his way through a lifetime of music. It was great.
What a great Mother's Day present...and a total surprize too. I didn't think I was going to get to go.
Yay me!
I'm not angry anymore....
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine ... ening.html
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA
May 21 '07
Costello uneven in concert after his strong opening
By Michael Pelusi
For The Inquirer
Elvis Costello doesn't have new material out, but he does have two new anthologies (The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years and Rock and Roll Music) chronicling his celebrated early work. So you could assume that the creatively restless Brit would be more inclined than usual to load up his Electric Factory show on Saturday with plenty of crowd-pleasing classics.
And, at first, that proved to be the case. Costello and his backing band, The Imposters (featuring two longtime collaborators, keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas, plus bassist Davey Faragher), opened with speedy takes on "Welcome to the Working Week," "Shabby Doll," and "The Beat."
Not every song retained its original intensity. "Big Tears" and "Clubland" sounded merely rote. Even when The Imposters gamely added new accents or textures to songs, Costello's rather rudimentary electric guitar buzz killed any drama.
Not that Costello wasn't capable of nuance, as on a soulful "Secondary Modern," a creepy "I Want You," and a stately "Man Out of Time." And when he played favorites like "Watching the Detectives" and "Radio Radio," the audience's rabid response seemed to inspire him to perform with more conviction. Proving that he was, indeed, in a nostalgic mood, Costello added two fine Beatles covers to his set, "All I've Got to Do" and "Hey Bulldog."
Halfway through the second of three encores, Costello brought out legendary New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint, with whom he collaborated on The River in Reverse last year. And suddenly, the greatest-hits show sprouted a spirited R&B set. Costello beat "The Sharpest Thorn" into submission by endlessly reprising its coda. He could learn a thing or two from Toussaint's effortless rendition of "Yes We Can."
But closing the 21/2-hour show with "Pump it Up" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," Costello provided a memorable conclusion with his usual high-energy gusto.
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA
May 21 '07
Costello uneven in concert after his strong opening
By Michael Pelusi
For The Inquirer
Elvis Costello doesn't have new material out, but he does have two new anthologies (The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years and Rock and Roll Music) chronicling his celebrated early work. So you could assume that the creatively restless Brit would be more inclined than usual to load up his Electric Factory show on Saturday with plenty of crowd-pleasing classics.
And, at first, that proved to be the case. Costello and his backing band, The Imposters (featuring two longtime collaborators, keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas, plus bassist Davey Faragher), opened with speedy takes on "Welcome to the Working Week," "Shabby Doll," and "The Beat."
Not every song retained its original intensity. "Big Tears" and "Clubland" sounded merely rote. Even when The Imposters gamely added new accents or textures to songs, Costello's rather rudimentary electric guitar buzz killed any drama.
Not that Costello wasn't capable of nuance, as on a soulful "Secondary Modern," a creepy "I Want You," and a stately "Man Out of Time." And when he played favorites like "Watching the Detectives" and "Radio Radio," the audience's rabid response seemed to inspire him to perform with more conviction. Proving that he was, indeed, in a nostalgic mood, Costello added two fine Beatles covers to his set, "All I've Got to Do" and "Hey Bulldog."
Halfway through the second of three encores, Costello brought out legendary New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint, with whom he collaborated on The River in Reverse last year. And suddenly, the greatest-hits show sprouted a spirited R&B set. Costello beat "The Sharpest Thorn" into submission by endlessly reprising its coda. He could learn a thing or two from Toussaint's effortless rendition of "Yes We Can."
But closing the 21/2-hour show with "Pump it Up" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," Costello provided a memorable conclusion with his usual high-energy gusto.
http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/ ... 7804.shtml
The Triangle,
Drexel University
30 years and Costello's still got it
By: Eamon R. McIvor
Posted: 5/25/07
Breaking with the Triangle's tendency to write music reviews almost exclusively about this hardcore punk band you've never heard of but-oh-my-freaking-god-they're-freaking-fantastic, I'm here to talk to you about an Elvis Costello concert I attended at the Electric Factory on May 19.
Costello was in town with his band the Imposters (basically 2/3 of his previous band, the Attractions), presumably touring behind a greatest hits package recently released by Universal Records. It was the last night of a short ten-city U.S. tour, sponsored by Visa. It doesn't warm my heart to see one of my musical heroes subsidized by a credit card company, but I'm not going to go all on hipster on you and rail against corporate sponsorship. Costello may be a big name, but he's got a cult audience. I'm just glad he came to Philadelphia and played the Factory, as his last few trips this way were expensive casino gigs in Jersey.
In a lot of ways, it was the most pleasant concert I've ever attended. My previous concert experiences were all pretty homogeneous: being banged around in mosh pits instigated by big, sweaty guys with drooping mohawks, wannabe punk sixteen-year-old girls fighting tooth and nail to get to the front of the crowd and the band's singing drowned out by a chorus of off-key fans intent to prove they know every word of every song. It was refreshing to attend a show with a crowd both young and middle-aged (Costello did hit the stage in '77, after all) where everyone was content to stand in place, gently sway, and at most, mouth the lyrics. Except for this one guy behind me. Man, I wanted to punch him. Baby-boomers ain't got no reason to skank.
With 20 plus albums under his belt, it'd be difficult for even a big fan to know every song in the set list. I must confess that I was only able to identify about 60 percent of them. Fortunately, in addition to being an ace songwriter, Costello is a master showman, which made it easy to enjoy the songs I wasn't well acquainted with. The guy can elicit a chuckle from the crowd with simple a heightening of an eyebrow. He did whip out a fair number of his signature tunes, such as "Pump It Up," "Radio Radio," "Watching the Detectives," and, of course, "Alison." Seeing him perform that particular song alone onstage with just an acoustic guitar was worth the price of admission (not really, but I had to get that review cliché out of the way). Personal favorites like "No Action," "Everyday I Write the Book," and "45" didn't make the cut, but there's always next time. As long as it's not one of those damned casino gigs.
He opened the show with "Welcome to the Working Week," which was quite fitting, as it's the first song from his first album. One of the song's lyrics, "Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired," has to be the best euphemisms for masturbation I've ever heard. Love that song. Another highlight was the performance of "I Want You," a slow-burning rocker that builds to a chilling crescendo. It's perhaps the most bitter song in his huge catalogue, which says something considering he's a man known for his bitter song writing.
Halfway through, he was joined onstage by R&B legend Allen Touissant. The two recently collaborated on an album Rivers in Reverse which had something to do with Hurricane Katrina, but I forget what. I'm guessing there was a collective mental groan in the audience when Touissant took the stage. This crowd didn't want to hear any of his wacky collaboration material; just the key tracks from his late 70's and/or early 80's new wave albums. That's the challenge of being a veteran performer: balancing your new less-popular work while satisfying an audience that demands the greatest hits even though you're sick of playing songs you wrote thirty years ago. Oh, well. At least such performers can find solace by swimming through their big piles of money, Scrooge McDuck-style. I was among the eye-rollers in the crowd, but I'll admit Costello did a satisfactory job of combining the concert staples with the new stuff from his pet projects.
The show ended with a spirited rendition of the Nick Lowe-penned "What's So Funny (About Peace, Love, and Understanding)," which he expanded to include his sentiments about the Iraq War (bring the boys home, bring them back alive!). Such proclamations come standard with rock concerts these days, but it was a tasteful and tuneful way of doing it. Certainly more creative than the raised middle finger and "Fuck Bush" chant you get at most Warped Tour performances. All told, I probably would have been happy with any set list Costello presented because he's a favorite of mine I've never seen before as well as a music legend still in his prime. Well done, Visa.
The Triangle,
Drexel University
30 years and Costello's still got it
By: Eamon R. McIvor
Posted: 5/25/07
Breaking with the Triangle's tendency to write music reviews almost exclusively about this hardcore punk band you've never heard of but-oh-my-freaking-god-they're-freaking-fantastic, I'm here to talk to you about an Elvis Costello concert I attended at the Electric Factory on May 19.
Costello was in town with his band the Imposters (basically 2/3 of his previous band, the Attractions), presumably touring behind a greatest hits package recently released by Universal Records. It was the last night of a short ten-city U.S. tour, sponsored by Visa. It doesn't warm my heart to see one of my musical heroes subsidized by a credit card company, but I'm not going to go all on hipster on you and rail against corporate sponsorship. Costello may be a big name, but he's got a cult audience. I'm just glad he came to Philadelphia and played the Factory, as his last few trips this way were expensive casino gigs in Jersey.
In a lot of ways, it was the most pleasant concert I've ever attended. My previous concert experiences were all pretty homogeneous: being banged around in mosh pits instigated by big, sweaty guys with drooping mohawks, wannabe punk sixteen-year-old girls fighting tooth and nail to get to the front of the crowd and the band's singing drowned out by a chorus of off-key fans intent to prove they know every word of every song. It was refreshing to attend a show with a crowd both young and middle-aged (Costello did hit the stage in '77, after all) where everyone was content to stand in place, gently sway, and at most, mouth the lyrics. Except for this one guy behind me. Man, I wanted to punch him. Baby-boomers ain't got no reason to skank.
With 20 plus albums under his belt, it'd be difficult for even a big fan to know every song in the set list. I must confess that I was only able to identify about 60 percent of them. Fortunately, in addition to being an ace songwriter, Costello is a master showman, which made it easy to enjoy the songs I wasn't well acquainted with. The guy can elicit a chuckle from the crowd with simple a heightening of an eyebrow. He did whip out a fair number of his signature tunes, such as "Pump It Up," "Radio Radio," "Watching the Detectives," and, of course, "Alison." Seeing him perform that particular song alone onstage with just an acoustic guitar was worth the price of admission (not really, but I had to get that review cliché out of the way). Personal favorites like "No Action," "Everyday I Write the Book," and "45" didn't make the cut, but there's always next time. As long as it's not one of those damned casino gigs.
He opened the show with "Welcome to the Working Week," which was quite fitting, as it's the first song from his first album. One of the song's lyrics, "Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired," has to be the best euphemisms for masturbation I've ever heard. Love that song. Another highlight was the performance of "I Want You," a slow-burning rocker that builds to a chilling crescendo. It's perhaps the most bitter song in his huge catalogue, which says something considering he's a man known for his bitter song writing.
Halfway through, he was joined onstage by R&B legend Allen Touissant. The two recently collaborated on an album Rivers in Reverse which had something to do with Hurricane Katrina, but I forget what. I'm guessing there was a collective mental groan in the audience when Touissant took the stage. This crowd didn't want to hear any of his wacky collaboration material; just the key tracks from his late 70's and/or early 80's new wave albums. That's the challenge of being a veteran performer: balancing your new less-popular work while satisfying an audience that demands the greatest hits even though you're sick of playing songs you wrote thirty years ago. Oh, well. At least such performers can find solace by swimming through their big piles of money, Scrooge McDuck-style. I was among the eye-rollers in the crowd, but I'll admit Costello did a satisfactory job of combining the concert staples with the new stuff from his pet projects.
The show ended with a spirited rendition of the Nick Lowe-penned "What's So Funny (About Peace, Love, and Understanding)," which he expanded to include his sentiments about the Iraq War (bring the boys home, bring them back alive!). Such proclamations come standard with rock concerts these days, but it was a tasteful and tuneful way of doing it. Certainly more creative than the raised middle finger and "Fuck Bush" chant you get at most Warped Tour performances. All told, I probably would have been happy with any set list Costello presented because he's a favorite of mine I've never seen before as well as a music legend still in his prime. Well done, Visa.
Last year's tour with AT blew this latest one away. The best EC show IMHO (going back 27 years). To me EC is at his best as a soul guy and 'The Great' AT bleeds soul!johnfoyle wrote:http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/ ... 7804.shtml
The Triangle,
Drexel University
30 years and Costello's still got it
By: Eamon R. McIvor
Posted: 5/25/07
Halfway through, he was joined onstage by R&B legend Allen Touissant. The two recently collaborated on an album Rivers in Reverse which had something to do with Hurricane Katrina, but I forget what. I'm guessing there was a collective mental groan in the audience when Touissant took the stage. This crowd didn't want to hear any of his wacky collaboration material; just the key tracks from his late 70's and/or early 80's new wave albums. That's the challenge of being a veteran performer: balancing your new less-popular work while satisfying an audience that demands the greatest hits even though you're sick of playing songs you wrote thirty years ago. Oh, well. At least such performers can find solace by swimming through their big piles of money, Scrooge McDuck-style. I was among the eye-rollers in the crowd, but I'll admit Costello did a satisfactory job of combining the concert staples with the new stuff from his pet projects.
.
-
Lester Burnham
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:55 pm
Would love to get a recording of this...