Elvis (solo), Oxford (UK), June 23, 2010

[sweetest punch]

Tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/170 ... orcatid=60

[Man out of Time]

Tickets also here:

http://www.ticketline.co.uk/search/site ... &commit=Go

if you don't want to use Ticketb*****d. Currently selling stalls Row H.

MOOT

[so lacklustre]

Booked through ticketline - row G

[sweetest punch]

Setlist from wiki:

Setlist
01. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
02. Either Side Of The Same Town
03. Veronica
04. Down Among The Wines And Spirits
05. Brilliant Mistake
06. Condemned Man
07. Good Year For The Roses
08. Everyday I Write The Book
09. Bedlam
10. Jimmie Standing In The Rain
11. A Slow Drag With Josephine - off-mic
12. Watching The Detectives
13. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said
14. God's Comic
15. Alison
16. Point Of No Return
Encore 1
17. I Felt The Chill Before The Winter Came
18. Lucky Dog
19. Sleep Of The Just
20. Sulphur To Sugarcane
21. All Or Nothing At All
22. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
23. Shipbuilding
24. My Three Sons
25. The Spell That You Cast
26. Oliver's Army
27. One Bell Ringing

[so lacklustre]

Another good gig - I was a lot nearer the front than at meltdown so more enjoyable. Good to meet FFK before the show.

[Fishfinger king]

And good to meet you and some of the others on the Board.
Enjoyed the show but thought some of the song choices a bit predictable.
Sorry I missed 45 and Hope you're happy now
Point of no return was my fave.

[sulky lad]

Great to meet FFK and the other regulars and long term correspondent Terry C. Mortified to find I'd only managed to record first 6 songs, thereby missing such greats as Point Of No Return, I Felt The Chill, Lucky Dog and Sleep Of The Justnot to mention a surprise Oliver's Army (who shouted out for that !!) Anybody else manage to get a decent recording ?

[sweetest punch]

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/leisure/82 ... e__Oxford/

Elvis Costello: The New Theatre, Oxford
By Reg Little

His plan to play a solo show or it was going to be quite a night. Two hours later we had our answer as Elvis left the building, acoustic guitar held aloft, his suit still unbuttoned. A set that had begun with a no-nonsense Red Shoes, from his debut album, ended with one of the handful of impressive new songs delivered during an evening that reminded us of his mastery as a song writer.

Anyone who caught him back in the 1970s snarling lyrics about all those girls who left “with another guy”, could not have guessed how the seriously good pub rocker on the Stiff tour, with the geeky look and one of the best bands around, would become a musician ready to steep himself into everything from country to classical music.

Introducing one song he paid a touching tribute to his father, a former big band singer, with whom he first performed — and it’s clear he is still learning the family trade, as a vocalist and seriously underrated guitarist. At one stage he took unplugged to a new level, by stepping away from the microphone to belt out “a 1920s rock’n’roll” song in its entirety.

Strong melodies mean his songs lend themselves well to the stripped down treatment, while the lyrics of Ship Building, written after the Falklands War, and Oliver’s Army have never sounded more poignant, as we all reflected on what the boys of the Mersey, Thames and the Tyne are now being asked to do in our name.

The evening was first ignited by a powerful vocal performance of Good Year for the Roses, while God’s Comic showed that for all his relaxed style and readiness to share anecdotes about working with Bob Dylan and performing for Paul McCartney in the White House, he can still spit out with relish lines about “wading through all this unbelievable junk”.

Then taking a stool, he offers us the sweetest version of the Sinatra favourite All or Nothing at All, perfectly summing up his approach to performing. Maybe that’s what he really learnt from his dad.

[johnfoyle]

http://www.cherwell.org/content/10563


Photo: Jeff Turner


Elvis Costello @ The New Theatre

by Alistair Smout
Mon 05 July 2010

Elvis Costello has had to adjust with age. Known for his New Wave snarl, as the years have passed he has changed his tune significantly, working with everyone from Allen Toussaint to the Brodksy Quartet. Therefore, seeing him solo, I wasn't sure what to expect. Normally he is backed up by a band of some description, be it the Attractions, the Imposters, the Confederates, or any number of other groups, and much of his work seems dependent on his backing. Indeed, one of his stand-out albums, This Year's Model, is notable for its incredible drumming, basswork, keyboards... in short, everything that Costello didn't have when he came to the New Theatre.

However, seated among one of the most middle-class audiences of my life, it is clear that Costello knows how to play to his strengths. For starters, he ignored large sections of his back-catalogue, including the entirety of This Year's Model. Armed with an array of guitars, he has perfected his troubadour act, impishly bouncing around the stage, tilting his hat, taking about twenty bows, the whole bit. More importantly though, his stripped down set reveals the strength of his songwriting, with opener 'Red Shoes' rendered in a much more delicate manner than on his seminal debut My Aim Is True. Already poignant songs such as 'Alison' and 'Either Side Of The Same Town' become even sadder, and playful songs like 'Sulphur to Sugarcane' become more fun. His father was a big band leader, and his influence becomes more apparent on Costello's performances as he grows older - at one point he introduces a 'rock song', before qualifying it as what would be a rock song 'in the twenties', unplugging his acoustic and performing 'Slow Drag With Josephine' without any amplification whatsoever. There was even a whistling solo.

But while Costello could have kept the whole show at the same comfortable and homely tone, he did reveal some of the edge which defined his early career. The very next song he even plugged in his electric (*gasps*) guitar to play breakthrough single 'Watching The Detectives', and rediscovers his snarl, accompanied by an oppressive, distorted, and effects-laden guitar line. It nearly collapsed underneath its own weight as Costello arguably had a bit too much fun with his delay pedal, but given how easily he could have impishly bounced through his whole set, a touch of the more ambitious was certainly welcome. It's what sets him apart from other singer-songwriters with acoustic guitars. Of which it's fair to say there are a few.

[verbal gymnastics]

One of Elvis' stage setlists

Point of no return/Blue Chair/45
Either side of the town*
Veronica
Down among the wines and spirits
Brilliant mistake
My all-time doll
Condemned man
Good year for the roses
Everyday I write the book
Bedlam/Stations of the cross
Jimmie standing in the rain
A slow drag with Josephine
Watching the detectives
Radio sweetheart
God's comic
The river in reverse
Alison/In another room/I hope

Sulphur to sugarcane
Lucky dog
Oliver's army/Sleep of the just
Shipbuilding

One bell ringing
Peace love and understanding

All of nothing at all
Man out of time/I want you

* note: the London, Birmingham and Oxford shows had this as "Either side of the town", omitting the word "same"

This was another excellent show at the "old New Theatre" as Elvis put it. Elvis was on fine form. We had front row centre seats so we were close but to be honest, it didn't really matter where you were. The show was not quite sold out (or there were a few no shows).

It was interesting to see from the setlist what the opening song was going to be and then in true Elvis style he took no notice and started with Red Shoes.

Elvis told a story about when he played for Sir Paul MacCartney and President Obama and illustrating how close he was said "he was this far away just where you're sitting" and pointed to me. Which was nice.

A slow drag with Josephine was great when he switched the mics off but there was a slight noise because of the air conditioning in the theatre (not that it spoiled the performance of it).

Alison tagged Wind cries Mary before the startling closer. Point of no return was fantastic and Sulky Lad and I just looked at each other in utter surprise.

We had one long encore again.

I felt the chill was also excellent.

Elvis played Peace Love and Understanding which was not a "usual" version. It added a song that I could not make out towards the end before repeating the first verse, missing out from "So where are the strong..." verse onwards. This was followed by Shipbuilding which then, clumsily in my view, segued into My three sons. It didn't work for me in that the songs didn't readily merge musically and certainly not thematically. I thought Elvis had lost his way although others disagreed.

It was a 2 hour show (7.45pm to 9.45pm).

Outside Elvis was happy to chat and pose for photos and sign anything going.

I asked him which song he played for the President and he told me it was Penny Lane (you can tell I haven't been on the board much!!!). Elvis told me what a fantastic experience it was and also how frightening it was.

Once again I chatted with his manager and she was asking about when our baby is due. When she and Elvis were getting in the car she said "Good luck with the baby" and Elvis wished me good luck as well. The chances of the baby being called Elvis or Declan if it's a boy went up in my estimation but Mrs VG soon put a stop to that when I got home.

Great as ever to see Sulky Lad, Man Out of Time, So Lack and to meet Fishfinger King. What I want to know is how FFK managed to miss the first two songs when he walked into the theatre with us

[sulky lad]

We're all assuming Mrs VG is sitting at home with her legs crossed as VG plays on the computer !!

[krm]

http://www.cherwell.org/content/10563


Photo: Jeff Turner


Elvis Costello @ The New Theatre

by Alistair Smout
Mon 05 July 2010

Elvis Costello has had to adjust with age. Known for his New Wave snarl, as the years have passed he has changed his tune significantly, working with everyone from Allen Toussaint to the Brodksy Quartet. Therefore, seeing him solo, I wasn't sure what to expect. Normally he is backed up by a band of some description, be it the Attractions, the Imposters, the Confederates, or any number of other groups, and much of his work seems dependent on his backing. Indeed, one of his stand-out albums, This Year's Model, is notable for its incredible drumming, basswork, keyboards... in short, everything that Costello didn't have when he came to the New Theatre.

However, seated among one of the most middle-class audiences of my life, it is clear that Costello knows how to play to his strengths. For starters, he ignored large sections of his back-catalogue, including the entirety of This Year's Model. Armed with an array of guitars, he has perfected his troubadour act, impishly bouncing around the stage, tilting his hat, taking about twenty bows, the whole bit. More importantly though, his stripped down set reveals the strength of his songwriting, with opener 'Red Shoes' rendered in a much more delicate manner than on his seminal debut My Aim Is True. Already poignant songs such as 'Alison' and 'Either Side Of The Same Town' become even sadder, and playful songs like 'Sulphur to Sugarcane' become more fun. His father was a big band leader, and his influence becomes more apparent on Costello's performances as he grows older - at one point he introduces a 'rock song', before qualifying it as what would be a rock song 'in the twenties', unplugging his acoustic and performing 'Slow Drag With Josephine' without any amplification whatsoever. There was even a whistling solo.

But while Costello could have kept the whole show at the same comfortable and homely tone, he did reveal some of the edge which defined his early career. The very next song he even plugged in his electric (*gasps*) guitar to play breakthrough single 'Watching The Detectives', and rediscovers his snarl, accompanied by an oppressive, distorted, and effects-laden guitar line. It nearly collapsed underneath its own weight as Costello arguably had a bit too much fun with his delay pedal, but given how easily he could have impishly bounced through his whole set, a touch of the more ambitious was certainly welcome. It's what sets him apart from other singer-songwriters with acoustic guitars. Of which it's fair to say there are a few.

No Hat?

[FAVEHOUR]

that pic's from 2006 or 2007, I'd say....

[johnfoyle]

Any photos from anyone of this?


A interesting promo interview is on wiki -

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... _June_2010

(extracts)


And yet despite his passion Mr Costello has had some bad press recently about allegedly slagging off the Brits, a statement that clearly irritates this overtly amenable man.

“Here’s what I think you’re talking about. I came off stage after playing solo for 12,000 people on the Bob Dylan show and was asked to contrast that experience with a specific appearance in England.

“In the rush of the moment, my remarks were straight ahead but probably a little intemperate and the next thing I know people are calling my mother asking her why ‘I hate Britain’. I defy anyone to find those words in that interview. It was actually quite a thoughtful conversation. Someone was just creating mischief and trying to sell newspapers. I suppose that’s their job. Mine is to play the next show.”

(That '07 interview - http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... jo_2007-12)

So tell us about the one we haven't heard yet.

“A new recording will be released later this year,” he reveals. “The title was leaked, but oddly enough it was incorrect, so I think I’ll allow that to be a surprise,” he smiles.

[Man out of Time]

Any photos from anyone of this?

A set of 11 photos here: Flickr
Credit to Wallingford Bloke

MOOT