Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Pretty self-explanatory
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EarlManchester
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Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by EarlManchester »

Elvis Costello and the Imposters
The Pageant
St Louis, MO
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 08:00 PM


http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/06004 ... orcatid=60
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Emotional Toothpaste
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by Emotional Toothpaste »

gots my tickets, tho I'm hoping for National Ransom to take up maybe 1-2 songs
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oily slick
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by oily slick »

got my seats in the balcony. hoping for no banjos.
I'm not concerned about the very poor.
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

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mood swung
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by mood swung »

OS, you want the banjos. You know you want the banjos. :lol:
Like me, the "g" is silent.
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

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bronxapostle
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by bronxapostle »

hopeful "bump"...any tweeters tonight??
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by And No Coffee Table »

New "Aim vs. Model" jackpot on the wheel:
http://twitpic.com/5jrmhg/full

"Riot Act" is back too.
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Twitter:
Ok, Eddie Vedder just showed up to guest with Elvis Costello!
And Eddie freaking Vedder is now on stage w/ Elvis Costello playing a Who song. #OMG
On stage with elvis costello? Eddie vedder!
At the Pageant for Elvis Costello & Eddie Vedder popped up to sing The Who and then spun the wheel to Pump It Up!!!
Eddie Vedder just helped @Elviscostello rock "Substitute" by the Who at @ThePageantSTL!
Eddie vedder and elvis Costello. I don't even know. http://instagr.am/p/Gwr0-/
Vedder also has a show in St. Louis tonight.
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Elvis Costello is now playing Prince's Purple Rain. It's a killer rendition.
So @Elviscostello hasn't played for an hour yet and this is already the best show I've seen all year! Already got "Red Shoes"
Alison. Purple Rain. Everyday I Write The Book. Radio Radio. And Your Bird Can Sing. Chelsea. Watching the Detectives. Veronica. Awesome.
Steve Nieve just got his Garth Hudson on in the last jam
Gold jacket. Leopard print fedora. "Lipstick Vogue".
Steve Nieve just got his Monty Norman on in that last jam
Nieve has been getting his Nieve on all night.... He's an institution all his own.
"Spooky Girlfriend" is one of my favorite cuts from the deep groove that is 'When I Was Cruel'
Encore has included Beyond Belief, I Can't Stand Up, High Fidelity, and Man Out of Time. And is still going.
The @ElvisCostello show just hit 2 1/2 hours @ThePageantSTL! Already 10 songs deep into Encore. Last night of The Spinning Wheel show. #wow
And he closed on Peace Love and Understanding! 2 hours 45 minutes of awesome!
Strangest tweet so far (from someone not at the show):
Not a fan of either, but WOW! RT @billymonster49 Eddie vedder and elvis Costello. I don't even know. http://instagr.am/p/Gwr0-/
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Setlist from official site:

Overture - featuring the former Mother Superior of Our Lady of Perpetual Torment, Dixie De La Fontaine

I Hope You're Happy Now
Heart Of The City
Substitute - duet with Eddie Vedder

The Spectacular Spinning Songbook

Pump It Up - SPIN 1 - EDDIE'S SPIN

Human Hands - SPIN 2

Living In Paradise - SPIN 3

"I Can Sing A Rainbow" Jackpot - SPIN 4

Greenshirt
Blue Chair
Red Shoes
Purple Rain

Everyday I Write The Book - SPIN 5

Veronica - SPIN 6

Long Honeymoon - SPIN 7 (HELD)

Alison - SPIN 8

Radio Radio - IMPROMPTU

Mystery Dance - IMPROMPTU

You Belong To Me - - IMPROMPTU

Accidents Will Happen - IMPROMPTU

And Your Bird Can Sing - IMPROMPTU

Turpentine - SPIN 9

Chelsea - SPIN 10

Riot Act - SPIN 11

Watching The Detectives/Help Me - IMPROMPTU

This Wheel's On Fire/The River In Reverse/On Your Way Down/I'll Take Care Of You/This Wheel's On Fire - SPIN 12

Interlude

Lipstick Vogue - IMPROMPTU

Beyond Belief - - IMPROMPTU

Waiting For The End Of The World/I Can Only Give You Everything

Spectacular Spinning Songbook Finale

"Girl" Jackpot - Ms. VALENTINE'S SPIN

This Year's Girl
Spooky Girlfriend

"Happy" Jackpot - Ms. VALENTINE'S SPIN

I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
High Fidelity

"Time" Jackpot - Ms. VALENTINE'S SPIN

Strict Time
Man Out Of Time
Out Of Time

Peace, Love And Understanding - SPIN 13


Could Emotional Toothpaste or oily slick confirm whether "The Long Honeymoon" was actually played?
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EarlManchester
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

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verbal gymnastics
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by verbal gymnastics »

Wow - what a show!
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
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Jeremy Dylan
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by Jeremy Dylan »

That SUBSTITUTE had better surface in recorded form.
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by the_platypus »

Eddie Vedder and Elvis Costello singing together? It's like my 15 year old self and my present self are finally at peace with each other.
bronxapostle
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by bronxapostle »

where's the youtube? guess its a good chance to gain the admiration of the vastly devoted PJ fans. had to be filmed, right?

oh, i forgot they played together already. tho the duet from yesterday much more impressive i'm certain!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLl7HypR1MY
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Emotional Toothpaste
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by Emotional Toothpaste »

I was there. Best Elvis show I've been to out of 5 other times I've seen him. Just outstanding all the way around. Started off with the audience being very stiff, but when Eddie Vedder came out during the 3rd song -- I think they were 2/3rds of the way through the song before the mostly older audience even knew who it was. By the end of that song, the place was rocking.

Elvis is in fine shape and his endurance and stamina are amazing. His voice was in top form. Audience interaction was hilarious and highly entertaining. Highlights for me were Green Shirt, Human Hands, Veronica, And Your Bird Can Sing,Blue Chair, and Substitute with Eddie Vedder.

Only minor criticism I could give was it seemed that Steve, Pete, and Davey didn't get much attention. Hard to compete with go-go girls and Elvis for the attention.

5-star performance though. Elvis just keeps getting better.
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by docinwestchester »

Emotional Toothpaste wrote: Only minor criticism I could give was it seemed that Steve, Pete, and Davey didn't get much attention.
The ultimate backup band needs no special attention. For me, watching Steve and Pete do their thing can be highly entertaining, but that's not their role. You can't say enough good things about their musicianship, however.
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by sweetest punch »

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2 ... etlist.php

Elvis Costello & the Imposters at the Pageant, 7/1/2011: Review, Photos and Setlist

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When Elvis Costello finally sells out, quits working as a tireless singer, songwriter and music scholar, and takes over Celine Dion's gig in Las Vegas, he'll have a great stage show to fall back on.

Costello and his backing band of nearly ten years, the Imposters, brought its "Spectacular Spinning Songbook" tour to the Pageant last night, and its garish, over-the-top kitsch provided an alternate entry into Costello's peerless catalogue. Rather than write a setlist the old-fashioned way, Costello has been allowing his fans to come to the stage, spin a red-and-yellow game-show wheel with song titles printed on its sections and let the hits fall where they may. Oh, and after the contestants spin the wheel, they can have a cocktail in the "Society Lounge" or take a turn in the "Hostage of Fortune" go-go cage. This is how brilliant songwriters cope with middle age, right? Pat Sajak impersonations and a little sexy swiveling? It's a testament to Costello's good-hearted showmanship and tongue-in-cheek demeanor that the show, with its self-knowing hokeyness, never detracted from the breadth and brilliance of Costello's songs.

Of course, it takes supreme confidence and good editing to leave your setlist in the hands of fate, so Costello wisely pruned his 34 years of songwriting into about 40 selections, from his best-known hits to his most obscure B-sides, album tracks and random covers. A lesser performer would stack the deck with easy ones; Costello decided to give the people what they wanted while keeping a firm hand on the wheel. He sang a snippet of The Wizard of Oz's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" last night, if only to remind us that there's always someone behind the curtain, winding gears and turning a mere mortal into something larger than life.

The concept of the Spinning Songbook was born 25 years ago on the Blood & Chocolate tour, so it was fitting that Costello and his Imposters -- Steve Nieve on keyboards, Pete Thomas on drums, and Davey Faragher on bass -- took the stage with a blistering "I Hope You're Happy Now" from that album. Looking especially trim and dapper in a conservative gray suit and stylish straw hat, Costello is older and wiser than he was when he put that vitriol to tape in 1986, but somehow his venom never seems phoned-in or insincere. As original members of the Attractions, both Nieve and Thomas have been with Costello off and on since 1977, and their pedigree was on display with Nieve's endlessly inventive organ solos and Thomas' propulsion of the set's momentum. The pace continued to pick up steam with a cover of Nick Lowe's "Heart of the City," a nod to Costello's producer, collaborator and long-time friend.

The hat-tip to Lowe was a subtle one, and it was quickly overshadowed by the night's special guest: Pearl Jam majordomo (and recent ukulele huckster) Eddie Vedder joined the band for a bashing take on the Who's "Substitute." (Vedder played last night at the Fox Theatre. Eagle-eyed fans will note that he sported a Who 1982 tour shirt under his denim vest; most everyone else noticed that his fervent two-handed grip on the mic proves that old grunge dies hard.)

Vedder's brief surprise appearance also signaled the start of the night's proceedings. On his way off the stage, Elvis asked Eddie to spin the great wheel and let fate take its course in charting the night's set list. It landed on one of the wheel's many curiosities: "Pump It Up in 6/8." This time the band ignored the new time signature and plowed ahead in trusty old 4/4, keeping with the brash, bloody pace of the set's opening salvo.

It was here that Costello went into full game-show-host mode. Assuming the nom du rock of Napoleon Dynamite (a moniker he created long before a certain cult film made it famous), Elvis sported a cheap top hat, bejeweled cane and benevolent smirk to welcome contestants to the stage and have a spin of the wheel. As the band played a vamp on (appropriately enough) Blood Sweat & Tears' "Spinning Wheel," a young woman named Erin gave it a spin and landed on "Human Hands," a deep cut from 1982's masterful Imperial Bedroom. Without a blink, Costello and Co. launched into the song's pianistic flash and herky ska upticks. It's a minor song in an overstuffed catalogue, but it's nice the Elvis hasn't forgotten his stepchildren along the way, and he performed it with all the care of one of his marquee tunes.

Along with song titles on the McDonald's-esque red-and-yellow placards, Costello placed a few purple "jackpot" selections on the wheel as well. These were either vague or hard to parse from first glance, but they allowed the band to string a medley of related songs together. The first jackpot landed on one called "I Can Sing a Rainbow," which touched on some of Costello's more, ahem, "colorful" songs. "Green Shirt" was first and it landed perfectly; Thomas kept military time and Nieve nailed the minimalist flourishes while Costello, free from his guitar, worked the stage. Next came "Blue Chair," "Red Shoes," and an impassioned section of "Purple Rain." Is it too soon to request that Prince be a guest on Costello's cable interview show Spectacle?

The Spinning Songbook provided a ballast for the night's set, but Costello was far from shackled to his twelve-foot circular taskmaster. After a young couple named Joe and Alison spun the wheel to "The Long Honeymoon" and, of course, "Alison" (with some help from the host), Costello and the Imposters did a fine take on his best-known song before embarking on a five-song set that veered from the established format: "Mystery Dance," "Radio Radio" and the Beatles' "And Your Bird Can Sing" all followed in machine-gun succession. Who can argue with such a break in decorum? For what it's worth, he returned to the tango-laced "Honeymoon" later in the set, after he had exorcised those particular demons.

And that's how Costello works. He'll give you the hits -- thanks to either fortuitous spins or his own maneuvering, most of his best-known songs were played last night -- but he'd rather take you to school with a guided tour of his own bottomless scholarship. He had a chance to do that with "This Wheel's On Fire," a song written by Bob Dylan and the Band's Rick Danko that appeared on Music From Big Pink. He used the roiling melody from his own "River in Reverse" to cast the song in a more ominous light, and by tacking on verses from Costello collaborator Allen Toussaint's "On Your Way Down" and Brook Benton's soul classic "I'll Take Care of You," the song became a holding pen for any manner of American soul music.

After a brief respite, the band returned to encore with This Year's Model's "Lipstick Vogue," the most scathing track on an album brimming with them. A few more curated "jackpot" spins yielded songs with "Girl" and "Time" in the title (including a fine take on the Rolling Stones' "Out of Time," with Steve Nieve nailing the marimba solo on his old, trusty Vox Continental combo organ). One last spin proved that providence really did have a hand in last night's set -- the needle fell on "(What's So Funny About) Peace Love and Understanding," a standard set-closer. So fate won out and closed the show in a familiar way, but not after nearly three hours of a topsy-turvy, common-sense-be-damned approach to something as rote and routine as a rock & roll concert.

As Costello and his crew left the stage, drummer Pete Thomas gave an errant spin of the wheel as the house lights came on. It landed on "I Want You," almost certainly Costello's darkest song of violent lust and barely contained sexual rage. Fitting, then, that after a night of excess, the wheel leaves us with a message about insatiable desire. The crowd certainly would have stuck around for one more song, or twenty, but Costello understands that showbiz adage: Always leaving them wanting more.

Critic's Notebook

Personal Bias:

-Elvis Costello is by far my favorite musical artist. This was at least my tenth show in as many years, but I don't blindly love every direction he takes and don't totally lose my critical faculties when he takes the stage. That said, you'd have to be a stonehearted and cauliflower-eared to not take great enjoyment from last night's set.
-I saw the Spinning Songbook tour in Chicago in the middle of May, and I was surprised by how different the St. Louis set was -- more hits, less drawn-out banter, more energy. Like the last Cards-Cubs series, St. Louis can claim dominance this time, too.
-It was a cruel tease that, before the show started, the wheel was set to "New Lace Sleeves," a near-perfect song from Trust that rarely gets aired live. So many songs, so little time.

By The Way:
-Did anyone else wonder what the other "jackpot"/purple tiles meant? "Imperial Chocolate" is kind of self-explanatory, but what about "Joanna"? Would Elvis have played the immortal Kool & the Gang song if it landed on that?
-"This Wheel's on Fire" isn't the first time Costello has played a Band song in St. Louis; when he opened for Bob Dylan at the Fox Theatre in 2007, the two dueted on another Big Pink song "Tears of Rage."
-At the end of the night, Costello appeared to be holding up a flyer commemorating the new Chuck Berry statue in the Loop. Kind of shocked he didn't sneak one of his songs in, as he did with Sheryl Crow back in 2009 under the Arch.
-Costello included snippets of other covers throughout the night; if I missed some, please add them in the comments.

Overheard:
-"There are metal bands that don't play that hard." - one 40-plus gent to another, marveling at the 2 hour, 45 minute show time.
-"Old people don't know how to get in lines. They're like teenagers -- they think rules don't apply to them." - A young woman perturbed by the cattle-like system of moving from the Halo Bar into the Pageant.

----------------------------------------

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/eddie-ve ... -st-louis/

Eddie Vedder and Elvis Costello Cover The Who in St. Louis

Wearing a Who t-shirt, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder popped in on Elvis Costello’s Friday night show at the Pageant in St. Louis to jam out on a cover of ‘Substitute,’ by, go figure, the Who.

Vedder’s performance was a surprise drop-in prior to his own show at the Fabulous Fox Theatre that same night. He hung out after ‘Substitute’ to participate in Costello’s ongoing spinning wheel gag, a bit in which audience members get to spin the wheel to help pick the setlist for Costello’s show. Vedder’s spin landed on ‘Pump It Up.’

--------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/a ... f6878.html

Elvis Costello presents a gem at the Pageant


With two major concerts in town on Friday night -- Elvis Costello at the Pageant and Eddie Vedder at the Fox -- some fans may have been hard-pressed to choose which show to attend.

Those who wanted to see both but opted for Costello wound up getting their wish. Just a few minutes into the show, Vedder strode out of the wings and joined Costello on a driving cover of the Who's "Substitute."

Special moments like that happen all too rarely in St. Louis, and the packed house went suitably bonkers.

It was merely the first of many highlights to come, however.

Costello's show featured his "Spectacular Spinning Songbook," a giant, multicolored wheel covered with song titles. Audience members were invited onstage to spin the wheel, thus determining much of the evening's set list.

"Tonight, we are gonna hear songs about love! Songs about sex! Songs about death and songs about dancing," Costello declared. "But not necessarily in that order."

Once onstage, the wheel spinners were invited to sit in the "society lounge" -- a chintzy bar set-up Costello claimed he'd gotten from Donald Trump - or dance in a go-go cage.

Costello served a variety of roles. He was a rock star, a song and dance man, a game show host and comedian. "I don't want to worry you, but these people's enjoyment of the next five minutes is entirely in your hands," he told one contestant.

With so many distractions, it would have been easy for the music to get lost, but that never happened. Contestants drew hits as well as obscurities. When a girl named Alison spun the wheel, Costello walked over and stopped it on - what else? - his hit, "Alison."

There was a cascade of other favorites, including "Radio Radio," "Watching the Detectives" and "(What's So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding."

Some of the wheel's tiles contained themes, and when a spin landed on "I Can Sing a Rainbow," Costello reeled off a handful of color-oriented songs: "Green Shirt," "Blue Chair," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" and even a slice of Prince's "Purple Rain." Later in the show, Costello tackled the themes "Girl," "Happy" and "Time."

Musically, his band the Imposters -- keyboardist Steve Nieve, drummer Pete Thomas and bassist Davey Faragher -- were ready for anything Costello threw at them. Nieve supplied his familiar piano flourishes and showed his skill on the theremin, using it to duel Costello's fierce guitar solo on "Turpentine."

Costello interpolated songs like Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me," and Them's "I Can Only Give You Everything" into his own tunes, creating something new along the way. The technique was never more effective than when he began Bob Dylan and the Band's apocalyptic "This Wheel's on Fire," then moved into his own impassioned post-Katrina plea for New Orleans, "The River in Reverse."

It was a powerful but sobering moment in a concert that otherwise offered nearly three hours of hilarity, musicality and unabated joy.


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/a ... z1QyPNyUwh
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
Greg_R
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by Greg_R »

I was there. It was easily in the top 3 shows of my concertgoing career. I don't know what to say, except to be amazed that a 56 year old guy can have the passion and stamina to pull out essentially two full sets, moving in and out of the crowd, bantering throughout, easily controlling what seemed to be chaos, for almost 3 hours, and at the end, looking like he could have gone for another set. It was amazing. There was a truly unexpected special guest, stripper moves in the go-go cage, a shoutout to Clarence Clemmons, snagged dancers rescued by the guitar tech, and an unexpected kiss for Elvis.

By the way, did anyone notice Pete's broken stick that flew about 50 feet into the air? I don't know if it was from the hit, or a deliberate flip, but I think these guys have discovered the fountain of youth.
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oily slick
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by oily slick »

And No Coffee Table wrote:Setlist from official site:

Could Emotional Toothpaste or oily slick confirm whether "The Long Honeymoon" was actually played?
yes, he sang it while he walked through the crowd, way after the spin.
I'm not concerned about the very poor.
bronxapostle
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by bronxapostle »

Greg_R wrote: in the go-go cage, a shoutout to Clarence Clemmons, the fountain of youth.
i'm glad to hear/read this.
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by docinwestchester »

..."Human Hands," a deep cut from 1982's masterful Imperial Bedroom. Without a blink, Costello and Co. launched into the song's pianistic flash and herky ska upticks. It's a minor song in an overstuffed catalogue, but it's nice the Elvis hasn't forgotten his stepchildren along the way, and he performed it with all the care of one of his marquee tunes.

Very well written. I like the use of the words "forgotten stepchildren" here.
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Substitute with Eddie Vedder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZFcFt9-jcw
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis plays St Louis, Missouri, Fri, July 1, 2011

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Elvis Costello & the Imposters spin the wheel to win over fans at The Pageant
Posted on July 2, 2011 by 3minuterecord

With a full-frontal entertainment assault on the audience, Elvis Costello and the Imposters went all out leaving the stage drenched in sweat while giving St. Louis fans at the nearly sold out Pageant one of the best concerts they’ve ever seen.

Lucky enough to get a stop on Costello’s “Spectacular Spinning Songbook” tour, fans walking into the venue last night fans could not miss the huge wheel with red and yellow pie shaped triangles containing song titles standing toward the right of the stage. Purple wedges held themes while special green tiles were reserved for a mysterious “Joker” category. During the set, Costello explained that these special categories “held two, three, four or even 25 songs!” However, the stage also contained other special areas like a go-go dancer cage to the left, a vintage bar with stools stocked with drinks and a small television.

Starting promptly at five minutes after eight o’clock with no opening act, Elvis Costello and the Imposters hit the stage draped by a large backdrop of a television displaying the TV test pattern. A clean-shaven Costello sported a blue pinstriped suit, royal blue shirt with tie, black fedora and his signature horn rimmed glasses. Backed by two of the original Attractions – the spectacular Steve Nieve on organ and piano and the tight beats of Pete Thomas on drums – the Imposters round out the talented Davey Faragher on bass guitar and backing vocals.

Last night, the 56-year-old artist exuded energy like a man 30 years his junior. For over two hours and 45 minutes and whopping 36 songs, he worked the room of teenagers to 60-year-olds like a Master of Ceremonies making sure that everyone from floor to balcony got their money’s worth. By the end of the main set Costello’s suit was soaking wet with sweat.

For the prolific Costello, an artist with a particularly deep catalog, the Spinning Wheel tour is about the surprises that can happen during a set list for any given evening and last night’s special surprise happened quite early. Though not spinning the wheel to begin the show, Costello started the evening with bang, launching into “I Hope You’re Happy Now” followed by a cover of Nick Lowe’s “Heart Of The City.” The go-go dancers hit the stage giving off a sexy ‘60’s dance club vibe with fish net stockings and fringe on the dresses flying.

Before calling for song three, shouts and applause rose from the audience as out from the shadows walked Eddie Vedder to the stage! In town for his date at the Fabulous Fox Theatre the same night, Vedder helped Costello belt a raucous version of the Who classic “Substitute.” Not sharing the microphone, but standing close with a handheld, Vedder sang along with the ferocious power he’s known for. After the song, Costello called for Vedder to spin the wheel, his result landing on the classic “Pump It Up.” Off to a great start, the night was already special and only the four song of the set had passed.

Costello indicated that the St. Louis stop was “the last night of Spectacular Spinning Songbook” tour and checking his dance card on his website the band takes a 2 week break returning to the road in mid-July. It’s easy to see why. After one of these sets it would be like a football game, most people would have to take a week off to recover and train.

Next, Costello moved into host mode as his lovely assistants brought up a beautiful leggy audience member to spin the wheel. He explained that the evening was “about sex, death and dancing – not necessarily in that order.” Costello advised the participant, “I don’t want to alarm you, but the next five minutes are in your hands.” Her spin resulting in “Human Hands.”

After another spin for “Living in Paradise,” the following spin landed on the “I Can Sing A Rainbow” jackpot. Breaking first into the deep cut “Green Shirt,” a demo included later on This Year’s Model moving into the mid’80s single “Blue Chair” from Blood & Chocolate. The color themed jackpot yielded the classic “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” and another surprise – Costello ended the category with a cover of “Purple Rain” by Prince. The color wheel never sounded so good!

Moving the show along, a couple is the next contestants to the giant spinning wheel. Costello took the role of Chuck Woolery making a “Love Connection” joking with the two, “you might get lucky! The wheel has the power of love for couples” describing that a young man in Boston proposed to his girl on the spot. The two spun up “Every Day I Write The Book” and “Veronica” As the two left the stage after the songs, Costello quipped of the couple “I think they’re starting a family tonight!”

Continuing the love theme, another couple is brought to the stage – Joe and fittingly his companion Alison. Costello directed them to the wheel, and as a hush fell over crowd the two spun for “Long Honeymoon” and with a little help from Costello, “Alison.” Costello moved into the “slow dance section of the evening” as he called it and playing a beautiful version of “Alison” with a medley of the Smokey Robinson classic “Tracks of My Tears.”

Calling an audible, Costello moved “The Long Honeymoon” later into the set list. Dispensing with the wheel for now, he called for songs in an impromptu fashion and the band ripped off four stone cold Costello catalog classics with “Radio, Radio,” “Mystery Dance,” “You Belong To Me” and “Accidents Will Happen.” Taking it up a notch (if you can imagine that) he added a cover of “And Your Bird Can Sing” by The Beatles for good measure. An hour into the show, Costello and the Imposters already have played 17 songs and the house buzzed with excitement!

In an era when many performers (especially older ones) freely use teleprompters or cheat sheets for lyrics, Costello amazed by machine gunning his lyrics throughout the night without fail engaging the audience, band or stage help with his eyes.

Back to the wheel an audience member spun to “Turpentine” and Costello broke out his Gibson Les Paul playing a psychedelic extended solo to end before being handed his Fender Jazzmaster complete with his name scrolled into the fret board for another classic tune “(I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea.” Bringing the previously held “The Long Honeymoon” back to the mix and waded thru crowd to look for more contestants to spin up “Riot Act” and “Watching The Detectives/Help Me.”

Ending the main set with an extended medley emphasizing the American aspects of his work. Starting with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “This Wheel’s On Fire” the mix morphed into The River In Reverse/On Your Way Down/I’ll Take Care Of You before reprising Dylan to finish. After the song Costello proudly held up the reverse side of his Gibson acoustic guitar that contained the bumper sticker “Forget Iraq, rebuild New Orleans” and walked off stage to gushing applause from the audience. Clearly, no one in the audience thought he was done yet. However, little did the excited crowd know that this show was far from finished.

For an extended encore stretching to over 45 minutes, Costello played 12 songs that most bands would play for an opening set! Weaving in rare covers of Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones along with classics of his own, Costello began the encore with “Lipstick Vogue,” “Beyond Belief” and “Waiting For The End Of The World.” He played Morrison’s “I Can Only Give You Everything” then called for his lovely assistant to spin the wheel to specific jackpots of his choosing and played two and three songs each time. The first, Girl, elicited “This Year’s Girl” and “Spooky Girlfriend.” The second, Happy, brought “I Cant Stand Up For Falling Down” and “High Fidelity” while the third contained “Strict Time,” “Man Out Of Time” and “Out Of Time” by the Rolling Stones.

Topping the previous 35 songs off with the sweetest icing on the cake, Costello called for the closer, the Nick Lowe song he stole 30 years ago, “(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love & Understanding” that had old and young alike loudly singing along. As the set finished our host for the evening enthusiastically introduced the band to the crowd, turned and headed backstage sending everyone out into the hot humid Midwestern night a joyous sweaty mess for home having just been “saved” by the power of rock and roll. Elvis had left the building a better place than it was before and for that we thank him!
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