Palais Theatere, Melbourne, Thu 21 Apr 2011

[Jeremy Dylan]

I think I'll fly down for this one.

[krm]

I think I'll fly down for this one.

a very good decision!

[johnfoyle]

Tickets -

http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/13 ... orcatid=60

[Jeremy Dylan]

I think I'll fly down for this one.

a very good decision!

In the end the bank balance got the better of me and I may have to settle for just the Sydney show.

[krm]

I think I'll fly down for this one.

a very good decision!

In the end the bank balance got the better of me and I may have to settle for just the Sydney show.

Enjpy the one you will see! It will be great!

[Ypsilanti]

I have a feeling Elvis meant it when he talked about bringing back the Spinning Songbook. I'll bet you're going to see something really special...

[Jeremy Dylan]

I don't really want the Spinning Songbook, to be honest (unless they can bring Tom Waits along to host). Maybe after I've seen four or five regular Imposters shows, but as for now, I'd prefer a straight set of beat music.

[johnfoyle]

Besides Jeremy anyone else here going to this?

[toofargone]

Hi John, I'll be there. I went to 3 shows last time round - Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney and loved every minute (I even snuck into the sound check in Hobart). My financial advisor (wife) insists that I stick to one show this time, especially since I am going to see Mr Dylan the night before.

My dream is that EC will come on stage at Bob's show - I think he has a free night on the 20th and will be somewhere between Sydney and Melbourne??? No chance of the reverse happening on the 21st as they each have their own shows.

[Jeremy Dylan]

I suspect EC is more likely to put in an appearance at the Secret Sisters show at the Vanguard on the 20th.

[Ronnie Pudding]

Hi folks, first time poster here. I'm coming over from Adelaide tomorrow for this show...unfortunately as is quite common Adelaide has been left off of EC's last two Aus tours. I managed to see him in Melbourne and Sydney on his last solo tour, but I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night with the Imposters in tow.

[Jeremy Dylan]

Adelaide gets left off most tours - it's really expensive to get all the gear up there and there aren't enough people to sell the numbers needed. Hope the Palais show is as killer as the Sydney one was.

[Ronnie Pudding]

Adelaide gets left off most tours - it's really expensive to get all the gear up there and there aren't enough people to sell the numbers needed. Hope the Palais show is as killer as the Sydney one was.

Glad to hear that the Sydney show was great. Can't wait for tomorrow night!

I wouldn't say we miss out on most tours, but it's enough to have me in Melbourne or Sydney a couple of times a year to see shows I would have otherwise missed. I don't think it's a cost issue, or anything to do with population. If it was then we wouldn't get any shows here. I mean EC went to Hobart on his last tour but not Adelaide. It'd cost a bunch more to get down there, to play in a city with a quarter of the population here. I've even noticed in recent years bands going to NZ and playing Wellington as well as Auckland. Again, travelling a fair way to play in a much smaller city than Adelaide. I can't think of any other country in the world where touring bands would skip a city with a population over a million people. Probably time I moved back to Melbourne.

[toofargone]

One thing I found out in 2009 is that it is easier to get good seats in a small place like Hobart. With equal effort (without paying scalpers) I got row 10 Melbourne, row 6 Sydney and row 3 Hobart.

Hey, turns out EC did make an appearance at Bob Dylan in Melbourne last night. I spotted him at the mixing desk at the side of the stage just before Bob came on. He was wearing his working clothes (suit & hat) and stayed there for most of the show, then disappeared back stage. I thought he was a certainty to come on with Bob for the encore........But it wasn't to be. Doh! It was the first time I have seen Bob and I now realise he is a bit "vocally challenged" at this stage of his career. EC would have well and truly showed him up.

[sweetest punch]

A Good Year For The Roses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0-YtU-nLew

[verbal gymnastics]

Welcome Ronnie and toofargone.

It's good to have some further antipodean input to the board.

Can't wait to hear about the show.

[bronxapostle]

Welcome Ronnie and toofargone.

It's good to have some further antipodean input to the board.

Can't wait to hear about the show.

especially THE SETLIST!!! welcome newbs!

[verbal gymnastics]

Yep.

I want a brilliant show but with no new songs

(purely for the sake of the big prize )

[And No Coffee Table]

http://www.facebook.com/notes/david-odo ... 1463640243

GrumpyMan review of Elvis Costello and the Impostors- The Palais April 21

by David O'Donoghoe on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 5:55pm

The Impostors are all talented experienced musicians.

The problem with that is, the tendency to over-play,

to put frills where there does not need to be any.

Over embellishment.



The result?

It all sounds quite sloppy.

Especially in a concert hall, PLAY LESS NOTES.

Keep it simple, keep it tight



The keyboard player in particular was guilty of over playing/embellishing

(I wanted to break his Theremin!), as was Mr Costello Himself.

Elvis though is NOT a good lead guitarist, he is a competent rhythm player.

His solos are rambling and aimless.

Unfortunately, Elvis' electric rhythm sound was an indistinct Mish Mash.



What _did_ I like?

The support act was a Roots Country duo: "The Secret Sisters"

One Acoustic Guitar. SImple, sweet two part harmonies.

They covered songs by Patsy Cline and Hank Williams,

and a selection of their own material.



But What about Elvis?

Everything seemed boring and ponderous until the second 'Encore' (ahem) bracket.

It was Elvis Costello onstage, with one acoustic guitar. <Sigh of relief>

MUCH better.

The "Secret Sisters" then joined him onstage to add their sweet harmonies. Nice.

Unfortunately The Impostors then came back on stage.

I had had enough, I exited at that point



My rating? 5/10

According to Bob Links, Elvis was at Dylan's show on the 20th "watching the show from the right side of the stage."

[mightylikearose]

I believe the setlist went something like this:

I hope your happy now
Mystery dance
Uncomplicated
Either side of the same town
Everyday i write the book
Turpentine
Watching the detectives
Church underground
Shipbuilding
River in reverse
Good year for the roses
Bedlam
I don't want to go to Chelsea
Beyond belief
Clubland
Stella hurt
Jimmie standing in the rain
A slow drag with Josephine (with The Secret Sisters)
Why don't you love me like you used to (with The Secret Sisters)
The spell that you cast
Alison
Man out of time
National ransom
Pump it up
(What's so funny 'bout) peace, love and understanding

EDIT: I also came out from Adelaide for the show. Definitely worth it.

[FAVEHOUR]

Church Underground!! Really??

[Jeremy Dylan]

Holy Shit you lucky bastards. RIR, Bedlam and Church Underground?!

[aussiedave]

I was there. I disagree with Grumpy Man's review. It was Elvis and the Imposters. Of course Professor Nieve is going to go off with his theremin. Of course Elvis is going to do some crazy guitar work that doesn't seem to fit in if you've never heard it before. But I had a brilliant time and loved it. With me was my sister, who isn't a big fan, and kinda agrees with everything Grumpy Man said in his review.

Thanks for posting the setlist - the approximate list looks pretty much complete to me. I hope somebody recorded it.

Surprised he finished with Peace Love & Understanding, but then I haven't been following his setlists lately. I guess he's moved on from I Want You.

[Man out of Time]

In the "Comments" section, following a review of a different concert in the Sydney Morning Herald, DKDK75@GMAIL.COM wrote as follows:

"Saw Costello and band at the Palais in St Kilda on 23-04-11. He played with a lot of energy and style and was particularly good in the quieter songs when he was able to demonstrate a more subtle grasp of the difficult art of guitar playing. His electric guitar playing was interesting, more skilful than I expected, but mostly emanated as white noise in the style of Radiohead (or the resurgent Neil Young, from way back when...). The overall mix was muddy and bottom heavy (way too much of the unimaginative drummer) which undermined the quality of Elvis' fine songs. This settled as the gig progressed and the sound crew seemed to adjust to the characteristics of an old (but beautiful!) building not designed for such amplification. Watching the keyboard player have fun with his Theremin was a great side attraction (tee hee). Elvis has arranged a lot of his classic material in new and diverting ways to keep himself interested and freshen his work (although some would argue they don't need to be tampered with).It works well and not for as minute did I feel I was being subjected to a parade of jaded greatest hits. He pointedly emphasised this approach by turning the much called for Alison into a seamless medley, morphing the tune into the other Elvis' Suspicious Minds, the Hendrix classic The Wind Cries Mary and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Elvis was generous with his time and gave the impression he could play all night. The energy levels never slackened and, although he was restrained with his audience banter, his intelligence and wry take on the human condition shone brightly. A really enjoyable gig appreciated by a very enthusiastic crowd."

There was no show on 23 April 2011, and the only one at the Palais Theatre on the Australian tour was on 21 April.

MOOT