A set list is beyond my capabilities at this hour, but I'll tease you just a bit.
28 songs by my count, none of which was "Alison," none of which was "Watching the Detectives," and none of which was "Pump It Up." The evening was devoid of anything which might be called a hit: no "Veronica" and no "Every Day I Write the Book."
He did 12 North songs, pretty much in order but not all at once. He did five together near the beginning of the show; but after that they were interspersed. None of the North songs featured guitar, and Elvis sent Steve packing to play piano himself for the last three of them.
MAIT was completely unrepresented, as was TYM.
Also Get Happy!!, Almost Blue, Goodbye Cruel World, Blood & Chocolate, Out of Our Idiot, The Juliet Letters and ATUB.
Nothing from Taking Liberties was performed; the same cannot be said of Ten Bloody Marys and Ten Hows Your Fathers.
Burt had a hand in the proceedings, but Macca didn't.
Howard Tate was heard from, but Solomon Burke stayed away.
More later.
Town Hall 9/22/03
-
HungupStrungup
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 12:14 pm
- Location: NE USofA
Town Hall 9/22/03
"But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
Great, Great, GREAT show! I'm ecstatic. The setlist was a diehard fan's dream. Songs I never expected to see - Rocking Horse Road, All the Rage, Shot with His Own Gun, MOOT, and God's Comic with the audience singing "now I'm dead, now I'm dead. . . "
The North material went over extremely well. People really seemed to be into it.
Even my wife loved it. She thought it was the best concert she has ever been to. My only complaint - lousy T-shirts. There were only 2 kinds, neither of which was worth buying.
Alright I'm going to bed now. Hope someone can post a proper setlist.
The North material went over extremely well. People really seemed to be into it.
Even my wife loved it. She thought it was the best concert she has ever been to. My only complaint - lousy T-shirts. There were only 2 kinds, neither of which was worth buying.
Alright I'm going to bed now. Hope someone can post a proper setlist.
-
E.C. Lover
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- Location: Arizona
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so lacklustre
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HungupStrungup
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 12:14 pm
- Location: NE USofA
Setlist
Okay, so here it is.
First a caveat: I get my copy of North tomorrow, and I didn't download, so I heard most of the songs for the first time tonight. I may mix up a couple of titles of the ones EC didn't introduce, but since he did them all, that just means the order will be wrong.
SN piano, EC acoustic guitar (sometimes w/ effects) unless noted.
Accidents Will Happen
45
Rocking Horse Road
Shot with His Own Gun (SN piano, no guitar)
You Left Me in the Dark (SN piano, no guitar)
Someone Took the Words Away (SN piano, no guitar)
When Did I Stop Dreaming? (SN piano, no guitar)
You Turned to Blue (SN piano, no guitar)
Fallen (SN piano, no guitar)
God's Comic
Indoor Fireworks
Either Side of the Same Town
Man Out of Time
When It Sings (SN piano, no guitar)
1st Encores:
In the Darkest Place (SN piano, no guitar I think)
When Green Eyes Turn Blue (SN piano, no guitar)
Can You Be True? (SN piano, no guitar)
All the Rage
Tart
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
Shipbuilding
Radio Silence
2nd Encores:
North (SN piano, no guitar)
Almost Blue (SN piano, EC guitar until the end - EC moves to piano and SN plays melodica coda)
Still (EC piano)
Let Me Tell You About Her (EC piano)
I'm in the Mood Again (EC piano)
Couldn't Call It Unexpected #4 (SN piano, EC sings off-mike)
First a caveat: I get my copy of North tomorrow, and I didn't download, so I heard most of the songs for the first time tonight. I may mix up a couple of titles of the ones EC didn't introduce, but since he did them all, that just means the order will be wrong.
SN piano, EC acoustic guitar (sometimes w/ effects) unless noted.
Accidents Will Happen
45
Rocking Horse Road
Shot with His Own Gun (SN piano, no guitar)
You Left Me in the Dark (SN piano, no guitar)
Someone Took the Words Away (SN piano, no guitar)
When Did I Stop Dreaming? (SN piano, no guitar)
You Turned to Blue (SN piano, no guitar)
Fallen (SN piano, no guitar)
God's Comic
Indoor Fireworks
Either Side of the Same Town
Man Out of Time
When It Sings (SN piano, no guitar)
1st Encores:
In the Darkest Place (SN piano, no guitar I think)
When Green Eyes Turn Blue (SN piano, no guitar)
Can You Be True? (SN piano, no guitar)
All the Rage
Tart
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
Shipbuilding
Radio Silence
2nd Encores:
North (SN piano, no guitar)
Almost Blue (SN piano, EC guitar until the end - EC moves to piano and SN plays melodica coda)
Still (EC piano)
Let Me Tell You About Her (EC piano)
I'm in the Mood Again (EC piano)
Couldn't Call It Unexpected #4 (SN piano, EC sings off-mike)
Last edited by HungupStrungup on Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
"But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
From alt.fan.elvis-costello -
EC and Steve Nieve played a generous two and a half
hour set to an adoring,
sold out house Monday night in NYC. Most of 'North'
was played in addition
to mostly familiar songs that spanned his career.
While I am not going to
make final judgments on 'North' based on these live
performances, I have to
say that the new material paled in comparison when
played next to songs like
"Shot With His Own Gun' and 'God's Comic' (among many
others). My initial
take on 'North" is that is almost willfully devoid of
the incisive wit and
rich imagery of most of EC's best work. Most of the
arrangements seem
instantly forgettable as well, not a good combination.
Perhaps the songs
will reveal more on repeated listenings. Some may
compare this stuff to PFM,
but to me PFM is infinitely more tuneful and
evocative. If EC wanted to
write an album that entirely avoided using the "clever
wordplay" for which
he is known he apparently succeeded, but much of what
I heard was almost
shockingly pedestrian.
Having said that, the show was very good. Steve
Nieve's brilliant playing
was well brought out by the Town Hall's intimate
acoustics. EC sang
passionately and was in fine voice. He seemed to be
enjoying himself and
chatted between (and in the middle of) songs, in
contrast to his short
summer tour. The audience was quiet when it was
supposed to be and cheered
deliriously when it was not. EC closed with 'Couldn't
Call It Unexpected
#4'- one of my favorites-
As I walked out, I heard more than one person say "I
hope he breaks up with
her soon, I liked the mean Elvis
EC and Steve Nieve played a generous two and a half
hour set to an adoring,
sold out house Monday night in NYC. Most of 'North'
was played in addition
to mostly familiar songs that spanned his career.
While I am not going to
make final judgments on 'North' based on these live
performances, I have to
say that the new material paled in comparison when
played next to songs like
"Shot With His Own Gun' and 'God's Comic' (among many
others). My initial
take on 'North" is that is almost willfully devoid of
the incisive wit and
rich imagery of most of EC's best work. Most of the
arrangements seem
instantly forgettable as well, not a good combination.
Perhaps the songs
will reveal more on repeated listenings. Some may
compare this stuff to PFM,
but to me PFM is infinitely more tuneful and
evocative. If EC wanted to
write an album that entirely avoided using the "clever
wordplay" for which
he is known he apparently succeeded, but much of what
I heard was almost
shockingly pedestrian.
Having said that, the show was very good. Steve
Nieve's brilliant playing
was well brought out by the Town Hall's intimate
acoustics. EC sang
passionately and was in fine voice. He seemed to be
enjoying himself and
chatted between (and in the middle of) songs, in
contrast to his short
summer tour. The audience was quiet when it was
supposed to be and cheered
deliriously when it was not. EC closed with 'Couldn't
Call It Unexpected
#4'- one of my favorites-
As I walked out, I heard more than one person say "I
hope he breaks up with
her soon, I liked the mean Elvis
-
spooky girlfriend
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3007
- Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 5:19 pm
- Location: Huntsville, Alabama
- Contact:
*Ahem* I've said on more than one occasion I like my Elvis angry.
I mean, I want him to be happy, but I liked his more edgy lyrics.
Anyway, Hungup, I'm glad you enjoyed the show.
You'll post the details after you get back won't you, So Lack?
Still waiting for EC to come south. I'll go buy North after I drop the kids off at school.
I mean, I want him to be happy, but I liked his more edgy lyrics.
Anyway, Hungup, I'm glad you enjoyed the show.
You'll post the details after you get back won't you, So Lack?
Still waiting for EC to come south. I'll go buy North after I drop the kids off at school.
-
HungupStrungup
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 12:14 pm
- Location: NE USofA
One more detail: there was no opening act. To those who might otherwise arrive late Wednesday, I say don't.
Elvis Week continues: I buy North today, and he's on Letterman tonight. I hope he sits and talks with Dave!
Elvis Week continues: I buy North today, and he's on Letterman tonight. I hope he sits and talks with Dave!
"But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
I timed it, it was actually just over 2 hours.johnfoyle wrote:From alt.fan.elvis-costello -
EC and Steve Nieve played a generous two and a half
hour set to an adoring,
sold out house Monday night in NYC.
The fans were adoring. Even this immense 250 lb guy in front of me that looked like an extra on the Sopranos.
-
HungupStrungup
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 12:14 pm
- Location: NE USofA
Hey, Pov, I was that guy!
(just kidding)
I think once you say "250 lb guy" you can pretty much omit "immense."
Wasn't Town Hall the perfect venue for this show?
EC: "If I'm playing Town Hall, does that make me the mayor?"
(just kidding)
I think once you say "250 lb guy" you can pretty much omit "immense."
Wasn't Town Hall the perfect venue for this show?
EC: "If I'm playing Town Hall, does that make me the mayor?"
"But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
-
miss buenos aires
- Posts: 2055
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:15 am
- Location: jcnj
- Contact:
He wrote it for Howard Tate.which album is "Either Side of the Same Town" on?
What a perfect show. Perfect perfect perfect. I must admit, I found my mind wandering a bit during the North songs, but that might be because I don't know them yet. Loved the stripped-down version of "In the Darkest Place"; if I could get an alternate version of all of PFM, I'd be the happiest girl.
I was certainly adoring. I hope Christina Ricci had a good time.
-
selfmademug
Billboard review of Costello/Nieve , Town Hall , N.Y. , Sept.22
see
http://www.billboard.com/bb/livereviews ... id=1984816
------------------------------------------------------
September 23, 2003
Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve / Sept. 22, 2003 / New
York (Town Hall)
Accompanied only by longtime collaborator/pianist
Steve Nieve, Elvis Costello took to the stage at New
York's Town Hall last night (Sept. 22) to introduce
"North." The new album of ballads, in stores today via
Deutsche Grammophon, is a departure from the wry,
often bitter material for which the artist is so well
known, and he wisely couched the material within
selections spanning his career.
Costello performed nearly the whole of the new album,
plus the title track (only available to buyers via
free download) throughout the more than two-hour
exhibition to an overly eager audience in the pristine
theater. And while sparse arrangements of such beloved
songs as "Accidents Will Happen," "Man Out of Time"
and "All the Rage" met the new ballads on a musically
even field, differences between old and new were
easily notable.
The new material is passionate traditional pop in the
vein of George and Ira Gershwin or Costello's one-time
collaborator, Burt Bacharach and his songwriting
partner, Hal David. The lyrics are direct, devoid of
clever-clever wordplay and cheeky humor, instead
laying matters of the heart out in the open. And it's
mostly a startling success; sophisticated, not syrupy,
and seemingly screaming for an ancillary narrative for
which to frame it for a long life on Broadway.
Selling it to last night's crowd was easy, although
hardcore fans frothing in anticipation of an intimate
evening with Costello at times detracted as much from
the experience as the occasional ringing cellular
phone. Anxious applause broke out as the quietest
moments of these unfamiliar and subdued songs were
mistaken for the songs' end. Tittering sometimes
spread as some searched for sardonic meaning in words
and actions where none was intended.
Nonetheless, the heartbreak of "You Left Me in the
Dark" and "You Turned to Me" and the rebirth of "Let
Me Tell You About Her" and "I'm in the Mood Again"
soared even to the upper reaches of the cozy theater.
Costello's investment in the songs and arrangements
were obvious as he prefaced some with explanation,
stood by the grand piano to enjoy Nieve's playing
during "Someone Took the Words Away" and basked in the
approval of the faithful.
"It's the first time we've incorporated so many of
these works into a full length concert," Costello
said, admitting that he and Nieve "appreciate your
appreciation."
Aside from the "North" selections, the crowd was also
treated to such gems as "Indoor Fireworks," a
mid-tempo version of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace,
Love & Understanding" and "God's Comic," as well as a
poignant rendition of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss
Someone" by Costello alone at the piano. Only "45" and
"Tart," both from last year's "When I Was Cruel"
(Island), belied the majority of the set with caustic
distortion wailing from his acoustic guitar.
Nieve's astounding abilities at the piano aside, the
charm of "North" and its performance lay in Costello's
vocal abilities and limitations. Emotional camouflage
and lyrical conventions stripped away, the pain of
betrayal and loss feels alarmingly real, and by the
same token, the fragility of the first steps of
finding love again is relived with hesitation and
excitement.
As such, fans who have indulged Costello's seemingly
constant exploration of music's varied landscapes with
an open mind will be rewarded if they follow him
"North."
Costello & Nieve play Town Hall again on Wednesday
(Sept. 24) and will spend October and early November
visiting Japan and Europe.
Here is the set list:
"Accidents Will Happen"
"45"
"Rocking Horse Road"
"Shot With His Own Gun"
"You Left Me in the Dark"
"Someone Took the Words Away"
"When Did I Stop Dreaming?"
"You Turned to Me"
"Fallen"
"God's Comic"
"Indoor Fireworks"
"Either Side of the Same Town"
"Man Out of Time"
"In the Darkest Place"
Encore:
"When It Sings"
"Still"
"Can You Be True?"
"All the Rage"
"Tart"
"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding"
"Shipbuilding"
"Radio Silence"
Encore two:
"North"
"Almost Blue"
"I Still Miss Someone"
"Let Me Tell You About Her"
"I'm in the Mood Again"
"Couldn't Call it Unexpected, No. 4"
-- Barry A. Jeckell
see
http://www.billboard.com/bb/livereviews ... id=1984816
------------------------------------------------------
September 23, 2003
Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve / Sept. 22, 2003 / New
York (Town Hall)
Accompanied only by longtime collaborator/pianist
Steve Nieve, Elvis Costello took to the stage at New
York's Town Hall last night (Sept. 22) to introduce
"North." The new album of ballads, in stores today via
Deutsche Grammophon, is a departure from the wry,
often bitter material for which the artist is so well
known, and he wisely couched the material within
selections spanning his career.
Costello performed nearly the whole of the new album,
plus the title track (only available to buyers via
free download) throughout the more than two-hour
exhibition to an overly eager audience in the pristine
theater. And while sparse arrangements of such beloved
songs as "Accidents Will Happen," "Man Out of Time"
and "All the Rage" met the new ballads on a musically
even field, differences between old and new were
easily notable.
The new material is passionate traditional pop in the
vein of George and Ira Gershwin or Costello's one-time
collaborator, Burt Bacharach and his songwriting
partner, Hal David. The lyrics are direct, devoid of
clever-clever wordplay and cheeky humor, instead
laying matters of the heart out in the open. And it's
mostly a startling success; sophisticated, not syrupy,
and seemingly screaming for an ancillary narrative for
which to frame it for a long life on Broadway.
Selling it to last night's crowd was easy, although
hardcore fans frothing in anticipation of an intimate
evening with Costello at times detracted as much from
the experience as the occasional ringing cellular
phone. Anxious applause broke out as the quietest
moments of these unfamiliar and subdued songs were
mistaken for the songs' end. Tittering sometimes
spread as some searched for sardonic meaning in words
and actions where none was intended.
Nonetheless, the heartbreak of "You Left Me in the
Dark" and "You Turned to Me" and the rebirth of "Let
Me Tell You About Her" and "I'm in the Mood Again"
soared even to the upper reaches of the cozy theater.
Costello's investment in the songs and arrangements
were obvious as he prefaced some with explanation,
stood by the grand piano to enjoy Nieve's playing
during "Someone Took the Words Away" and basked in the
approval of the faithful.
"It's the first time we've incorporated so many of
these works into a full length concert," Costello
said, admitting that he and Nieve "appreciate your
appreciation."
Aside from the "North" selections, the crowd was also
treated to such gems as "Indoor Fireworks," a
mid-tempo version of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace,
Love & Understanding" and "God's Comic," as well as a
poignant rendition of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss
Someone" by Costello alone at the piano. Only "45" and
"Tart," both from last year's "When I Was Cruel"
(Island), belied the majority of the set with caustic
distortion wailing from his acoustic guitar.
Nieve's astounding abilities at the piano aside, the
charm of "North" and its performance lay in Costello's
vocal abilities and limitations. Emotional camouflage
and lyrical conventions stripped away, the pain of
betrayal and loss feels alarmingly real, and by the
same token, the fragility of the first steps of
finding love again is relived with hesitation and
excitement.
As such, fans who have indulged Costello's seemingly
constant exploration of music's varied landscapes with
an open mind will be rewarded if they follow him
"North."
Costello & Nieve play Town Hall again on Wednesday
(Sept. 24) and will spend October and early November
visiting Japan and Europe.
Here is the set list:
"Accidents Will Happen"
"45"
"Rocking Horse Road"
"Shot With His Own Gun"
"You Left Me in the Dark"
"Someone Took the Words Away"
"When Did I Stop Dreaming?"
"You Turned to Me"
"Fallen"
"God's Comic"
"Indoor Fireworks"
"Either Side of the Same Town"
"Man Out of Time"
"In the Darkest Place"
Encore:
"When It Sings"
"Still"
"Can You Be True?"
"All the Rage"
"Tart"
"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding"
"Shipbuilding"
"Radio Silence"
Encore two:
"North"
"Almost Blue"
"I Still Miss Someone"
"Let Me Tell You About Her"
"I'm in the Mood Again"
"Couldn't Call it Unexpected, No. 4"
-- Barry A. Jeckell
wow, i'm so excited! i can't wait to go wednesday (today!)
of those who went to monday's show, tell me, how intimate is intimate? i have seats in the loge 2nd row just off center. will i need my opera glasses? what about cameras, did they check your bags and stuff? and after the show, was there any 'hanging around' because you might get an autograph or anything?
and just one last thing, how were people generally dressed....esp the men? jeans? jackets? ties? i know EC always wears a suit but was he wearing a tux?
(anybody see diana?)
of those who went to monday's show, tell me, how intimate is intimate? i have seats in the loge 2nd row just off center. will i need my opera glasses? what about cameras, did they check your bags and stuff? and after the show, was there any 'hanging around' because you might get an autograph or anything?
and just one last thing, how were people generally dressed....esp the men? jeans? jackets? ties? i know EC always wears a suit but was he wearing a tux?
(anybody see diana?)
I'm not angry anymore....
-
Misha
- Posts: 733
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2003 6:59 pm
- Location: Northern Cold England, and Los Angeles, CA
I hate you all!!!--ok, hate is a strong word....envy....let's use that one.
What a great set list!!
I almost feel as if I've been robbed for the Irvine show!!!
Hope you all had a great time at the one that was there tonight!!--With an envious green heart beating in my breast!
What a great set list!!
I almost feel as if I've been robbed for the Irvine show!!!
Hope you all had a great time at the one that was there tonight!!--With an envious green heart beating in my breast!
Where are the strong?
Who are the trusted?
Who are the trusted?
Four NY newspaper reviews of this gig.
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/ledger/ ... 329090.xml
Elvis points 'North' -- Costello devotes much of Town
Hall show to his newest CD
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
BY JAY LUSTIG
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- Elvis Costello's Monday night show at Town
Hall took place on the eve of the release of his new
album, "North." Yet it would be hard to imagine an
event that ranked lower on the fanfare scale.
Throughout the show, he was backed only by his
longtime keyboardist, Steve Nieve, and he didn't even
play his guitar on the "North" material. Nieve left
the stage at one point, and Costello presented solo
piano-and-vocal versions of three songs. For the final
number, "Couldn't Call It Unexpected, No. 4," Costello
sang with no amplification.
There were no visual gimmicks, and Costello even
joked, during "God's Comic," that the show didn't have
a high enough budget for someone to kill the lights,
for theatrical effect, when he sang the line, "turn
out the light."
Costello managed to dazzle in the unflashy setting,
though, warmly crooning 10 songs from "North" -- his
first full-length cabaret-style album -- and
performing scaled-down versions of tunes from
throughout his career.
He rocked at times, muscularly strumming a distorted
acoustic guitar on songs like "45," "Tart" and
"(What's So Funny'Bout) Peace, Love and
Understanding?" There was just as much tension and
release in "Rocking Horse Road" and "Radio Silence" as
there would have been with a full band. But most of
the numbers were in a more calm, thoughtful mode.
"North" is a soul-searching song cycle about losing
love, then finding it again. While it does display
some of Costello's trademark cleverness, it also
contains some of his most plainspoken lyrics.
"I wasn't very conversational, except to say that
you're sensational," he sang, with disarming
enthusiasm, in "Let Me Tell You About Her," a song
that painted this 48-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of
Famer as a lovestruck schoolboy: "Friends now regard
me with indulgent smiles/But when I start to speak
they run for miles." Whether Costello or the more
virtuosic Nieve was playing piano for "North" songs,
they stuck to a simple, uncluttered style that never
distracted from the lyrics.
In addition to the 10 album tracks, Costello performed
the song "North," which was left off the album, but is
currently available for free downloading on his Web
site, http://www.elviscostello.com. Presumably, it didn't
make the album because its whimsical flavor would have
been out of place, but in concert, it supplied some
necessary comic relief. It's a quirky song of praise
for the healing powers of Canada. "The polar bears and
moose and geese will play/And some of them address you
en français/Give me the ice and snow/Time to go
north," sang Costello.
Other surprises in the show included the country
standard, "I Still Miss Someone," and "Either Side of
the Same Town," which Costello co-wrote for
"Rediscovered," the recent comeback album by soul
singer Howard Tate. Songs from old Costello albums
included everything from the Dylanesque anthem "Man
Out of Time" to elegant ballads like "Almost Blue" and
"Shipbuilding."
"In the Darkest Place," a gorgeous song from "Painted
From Memory" (Costello's 1998 collection of
collaborations with Burt Bacharach), proved perfectly
suited for the unplugged treatment. And show-opener
"Accidents Will Happen," which dates back to
Costello's punk/new wave phase of the late'70s,
supplied an ideal first line for this down-to-earth,
conversationally toned evening: "I just don't know
where to begin."
Costello's show tonight at Town Hall is sold out.
Tomorrow at 10 p.m., he will perform at John Jay
College in New York. This concert will not be open to
the general public, but will be broadcast live on the
A&E cable television network, with an encore
presentation Sunday at 10 a.m.
Copyright 2003 The Star-Ledger
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/24/arts/ ... ner=GOOGLE
------------------------------------------------------
POP REVIEW | ELVIS COSTELLO
Elvis Costello Returns, Brooding and Restless
By JON PARELES
Style, it might be argued, is the sum of a musician's
reflexes: the melodic contours, harmonic turns,
rhythms and verbal patterns that come most naturally.
Elvis Costello is determined to refute that argument.
Whenever he grows secure in a style, he sets it aside
and seeks out another one, fighting his own reflexes
to a draw.
His new album, "North" (Deutsche Grammophon), is his
latest battle with himself. Last year he reunited with
most of his crafty late-1970's band to speed up and
rock out on "When I Was Cruel" (Island); now he has
veered to the opposite extreme, singing slow,
sustained ballads. At Town Hall on Monday night (he
has a second concert there tonight), accompanied only
by Steve Nieve on piano, Mr. Costello retrofitted his
old songs with his latest approach while he unveiled
new ones. He made up in drama what he had sacrificed
in decibels.
The songs from "North" turn Mr. Costello's usual
gambits inside out. The album has a story line about
an old romance collapsing and a new one beginning
(although the title song, which is available only on
the Internet, is more playful, a tribute to Canada).
On the album the lyrics replace Mr. Costello's usual
rush of images and wordplay with brief, emotionally
direct verses: "Maybe this is the love song that I
refused to/Write her when I loved her like I used to."
While the words aspire to transparency, the music
grows complex, as if Mr. Costello soaked up as many
convolutions as he could from his 1998 collaboration
with Burt Bacharach, "Painted From Memory" (Mercury),
then set out to bend and fold them further. He sounds
as if he has been studying Cole Porter, Randy Newman,
Paul Simon, Stephen Sondheim, Chopin and Schubert,
too. The "North" album features Mr. Costello's own
arrangements for strings and horns, but onstage he put
down his guitar for the new songs, letting Mr. Nieve
provide pastel jazz harmonies and pristine
quasi-classical embellishment.
In the past a typical Costello melody has taken clear,
stepwise motions up and down the scale, while using
symmetry to make the audacious lyrics more
approachable. But his new tunes rarely go very far
without taking a leap to an unlikely note. They also
use harmonic nuances to paint the lyrics, with rising
or falling chords to match mood shifts and chromatic
tensions giving way to reassuring major-chord
resolutions.
Mr. Costello chose older songs, like "Shot With His
Own Gun," "All the Rage," "Rocking Horse Road" and
"Almost Blue," that are full of betrayals and bitter
aftermaths. As he sang them, Mr. Costello reveled in
dynamics: a desperate crescendo followed by a brooding
hush, a shout leading to a pained reconsideration. He
often moved away from the microphone, letting his
voice be heard unadorned.
Mr. Costello hasn't made his songs easy on himself.
He's at the limits of his vocal instrument in his new
ones, trying to use the strain in his voice to suggest
yearning. Another singer might be more comfortable
with this music. But Mr. Costello would clearly rather
find comfort in romance than in songwriting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... 8278c.html
-----------------------------------------------------
Onstage, Costello
finds true 'North'
By MAC RANDALL
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS
Elvis Costello played from his new album.
"So I'm at Town Hall," Elvis Costello cracked near the
start of his performance at the venerable W. 43rd St.
auditorium Monday.
"Does that make me the mayor?"
Well, no.
But easy as it was to answer that question, a bigger
one remained:
Which Elvis Costello was in the house?
The spiky rocker? The classical buff? The jazz
aficionado? Or the Merle Haggardloving country
crooner?
During a generous two-hour set, Costello - who plays
Town Hall again tonight - displayed all these sides of
his dizzyingly eclectic musical personality.
He did it in ultra-Spartan style, accompanied only by
longtime foil Steve Nieve on piano and melodica,
occasionally joining in himself on acoustic guitar.
And he did it with seemingly effortless command.
Nine of the show's 27 songs came from Costello's new
CD, "North," a subdued collection of ballads tracing
the demise of one relationship and the start of
another. According to Costello, it was the first time
they'd been played in a full-length concert.
On record, many of the "North" numbers feel washed
out, handicapped by string and horn arrangements that
are tasteful to a fault.
But stripped down to just piano and voice, they gained
a surprising intensity.
Taking advantage of Town Hall's stellar acoustics,
Costello sang in an intimate, conversational fashion,
often abandoning his microphone. Nieve tossed off
florid trills, broke into jaunty bursts of stride and
lingered over pregnant pauses, during which you could
hear the crowd breathe.
"Fallen," with its dreamy autumnal melody plumbing the
depths of Costello's vocal range, was a particular
standout.
Besides the "North" tracks, Costello and Nieve
peppered the set with fan favorites ("Accidents Will
Happen," "Man Out of Time"), rarities ("Either Side of
the Same Town," written for soul singer Howard Tate)
and a tender tribute to Johnny Cash, "I Still Miss
Someone."
They also, quietly, made a political point with three
songs in a row: "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love
and Understanding," "Radio Silence" and the haunting
anti-war anthem "Shipbuilding."
Originally published on September 24, 2003
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/40565.htm
------------------------------------------------------
COSTELLO STEERS TO TRUE 'NORTH'
By DAN AQUILANTE
September 24, 2003 -- ELVIS Costello's new album,
"North," released yesterday, is an affected nostalgia
record that hits the musical retro rockets so hard,
the guy lands somewhere in the '30s, when tunes were
powered with sentimental sophistication.
That's right - it ain't rock 'n' roll.
So when the Irish songwriter celebrated the release of
that disc Monday with a gig at Town Hall featuring
most of those new songs, there was as much trepidation
as anticipation in the air.
But there was no need for worry. Costello and his
ex-Attractions bandmate pianist Steve Nieve were very
good at making the blue, moody, very old-fashioned
love songs come to life.
While the program was uniformly slow, Costello's
emotive delivery and physical showmanship kept the
concert from becoming a yawn fest.
Though the merits of these new songs should be
apparent on the CD, they aren't. Take the tune "Let Me
Tell You About Her."
On the disc, it's easy to overlook Costello's clever
writing when he croons the urbane couplet, "I wasn't
very conversational, except to say, 'You're
sensational.' Friends now regard me with indulgent
smiles, but when I sing, they run for miles."
But in concert, with a little hand jive and his
expressive rubber face, these lyrics got smiles and
out-loud laughs.
That happened again and again during the show.
In the song "North," Costello was the master of the
interior rhyme, creating whimsical lyrics such as, "Up
where the polar bear and moose and geese will play,
and some of them address you en Francais," was
terrific during his stage delivery - yet the Looney
Toons humor remains undetectable on the studio record.
The night was hardly perfect. Many of the in- and
out-of-love songs sounded alike under the influence of
Nieve's stark piano work.
That sameness was a constant, from Costello's musical
history lesson, "45," with which he opened the
concert, to his autumn love song, "Fallen."
Where he broke the stylistic pattern was with the
concert showstopper "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace,
Love and Understanding," played with fond memories for
the old new wave.
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/ledger/ ... 329090.xml
Elvis points 'North' -- Costello devotes much of Town
Hall show to his newest CD
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
BY JAY LUSTIG
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- Elvis Costello's Monday night show at Town
Hall took place on the eve of the release of his new
album, "North." Yet it would be hard to imagine an
event that ranked lower on the fanfare scale.
Throughout the show, he was backed only by his
longtime keyboardist, Steve Nieve, and he didn't even
play his guitar on the "North" material. Nieve left
the stage at one point, and Costello presented solo
piano-and-vocal versions of three songs. For the final
number, "Couldn't Call It Unexpected, No. 4," Costello
sang with no amplification.
There were no visual gimmicks, and Costello even
joked, during "God's Comic," that the show didn't have
a high enough budget for someone to kill the lights,
for theatrical effect, when he sang the line, "turn
out the light."
Costello managed to dazzle in the unflashy setting,
though, warmly crooning 10 songs from "North" -- his
first full-length cabaret-style album -- and
performing scaled-down versions of tunes from
throughout his career.
He rocked at times, muscularly strumming a distorted
acoustic guitar on songs like "45," "Tart" and
"(What's So Funny'Bout) Peace, Love and
Understanding?" There was just as much tension and
release in "Rocking Horse Road" and "Radio Silence" as
there would have been with a full band. But most of
the numbers were in a more calm, thoughtful mode.
"North" is a soul-searching song cycle about losing
love, then finding it again. While it does display
some of Costello's trademark cleverness, it also
contains some of his most plainspoken lyrics.
"I wasn't very conversational, except to say that
you're sensational," he sang, with disarming
enthusiasm, in "Let Me Tell You About Her," a song
that painted this 48-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of
Famer as a lovestruck schoolboy: "Friends now regard
me with indulgent smiles/But when I start to speak
they run for miles." Whether Costello or the more
virtuosic Nieve was playing piano for "North" songs,
they stuck to a simple, uncluttered style that never
distracted from the lyrics.
In addition to the 10 album tracks, Costello performed
the song "North," which was left off the album, but is
currently available for free downloading on his Web
site, http://www.elviscostello.com. Presumably, it didn't
make the album because its whimsical flavor would have
been out of place, but in concert, it supplied some
necessary comic relief. It's a quirky song of praise
for the healing powers of Canada. "The polar bears and
moose and geese will play/And some of them address you
en français/Give me the ice and snow/Time to go
north," sang Costello.
Other surprises in the show included the country
standard, "I Still Miss Someone," and "Either Side of
the Same Town," which Costello co-wrote for
"Rediscovered," the recent comeback album by soul
singer Howard Tate. Songs from old Costello albums
included everything from the Dylanesque anthem "Man
Out of Time" to elegant ballads like "Almost Blue" and
"Shipbuilding."
"In the Darkest Place," a gorgeous song from "Painted
From Memory" (Costello's 1998 collection of
collaborations with Burt Bacharach), proved perfectly
suited for the unplugged treatment. And show-opener
"Accidents Will Happen," which dates back to
Costello's punk/new wave phase of the late'70s,
supplied an ideal first line for this down-to-earth,
conversationally toned evening: "I just don't know
where to begin."
Costello's show tonight at Town Hall is sold out.
Tomorrow at 10 p.m., he will perform at John Jay
College in New York. This concert will not be open to
the general public, but will be broadcast live on the
A&E cable television network, with an encore
presentation Sunday at 10 a.m.
Copyright 2003 The Star-Ledger
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/24/arts/ ... ner=GOOGLE
------------------------------------------------------
POP REVIEW | ELVIS COSTELLO
Elvis Costello Returns, Brooding and Restless
By JON PARELES
Style, it might be argued, is the sum of a musician's
reflexes: the melodic contours, harmonic turns,
rhythms and verbal patterns that come most naturally.
Elvis Costello is determined to refute that argument.
Whenever he grows secure in a style, he sets it aside
and seeks out another one, fighting his own reflexes
to a draw.
His new album, "North" (Deutsche Grammophon), is his
latest battle with himself. Last year he reunited with
most of his crafty late-1970's band to speed up and
rock out on "When I Was Cruel" (Island); now he has
veered to the opposite extreme, singing slow,
sustained ballads. At Town Hall on Monday night (he
has a second concert there tonight), accompanied only
by Steve Nieve on piano, Mr. Costello retrofitted his
old songs with his latest approach while he unveiled
new ones. He made up in drama what he had sacrificed
in decibels.
The songs from "North" turn Mr. Costello's usual
gambits inside out. The album has a story line about
an old romance collapsing and a new one beginning
(although the title song, which is available only on
the Internet, is more playful, a tribute to Canada).
On the album the lyrics replace Mr. Costello's usual
rush of images and wordplay with brief, emotionally
direct verses: "Maybe this is the love song that I
refused to/Write her when I loved her like I used to."
While the words aspire to transparency, the music
grows complex, as if Mr. Costello soaked up as many
convolutions as he could from his 1998 collaboration
with Burt Bacharach, "Painted From Memory" (Mercury),
then set out to bend and fold them further. He sounds
as if he has been studying Cole Porter, Randy Newman,
Paul Simon, Stephen Sondheim, Chopin and Schubert,
too. The "North" album features Mr. Costello's own
arrangements for strings and horns, but onstage he put
down his guitar for the new songs, letting Mr. Nieve
provide pastel jazz harmonies and pristine
quasi-classical embellishment.
In the past a typical Costello melody has taken clear,
stepwise motions up and down the scale, while using
symmetry to make the audacious lyrics more
approachable. But his new tunes rarely go very far
without taking a leap to an unlikely note. They also
use harmonic nuances to paint the lyrics, with rising
or falling chords to match mood shifts and chromatic
tensions giving way to reassuring major-chord
resolutions.
Mr. Costello chose older songs, like "Shot With His
Own Gun," "All the Rage," "Rocking Horse Road" and
"Almost Blue," that are full of betrayals and bitter
aftermaths. As he sang them, Mr. Costello reveled in
dynamics: a desperate crescendo followed by a brooding
hush, a shout leading to a pained reconsideration. He
often moved away from the microphone, letting his
voice be heard unadorned.
Mr. Costello hasn't made his songs easy on himself.
He's at the limits of his vocal instrument in his new
ones, trying to use the strain in his voice to suggest
yearning. Another singer might be more comfortable
with this music. But Mr. Costello would clearly rather
find comfort in romance than in songwriting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... 8278c.html
-----------------------------------------------------
Onstage, Costello
finds true 'North'
By MAC RANDALL
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS
Elvis Costello played from his new album.
"So I'm at Town Hall," Elvis Costello cracked near the
start of his performance at the venerable W. 43rd St.
auditorium Monday.
"Does that make me the mayor?"
Well, no.
But easy as it was to answer that question, a bigger
one remained:
Which Elvis Costello was in the house?
The spiky rocker? The classical buff? The jazz
aficionado? Or the Merle Haggardloving country
crooner?
During a generous two-hour set, Costello - who plays
Town Hall again tonight - displayed all these sides of
his dizzyingly eclectic musical personality.
He did it in ultra-Spartan style, accompanied only by
longtime foil Steve Nieve on piano and melodica,
occasionally joining in himself on acoustic guitar.
And he did it with seemingly effortless command.
Nine of the show's 27 songs came from Costello's new
CD, "North," a subdued collection of ballads tracing
the demise of one relationship and the start of
another. According to Costello, it was the first time
they'd been played in a full-length concert.
On record, many of the "North" numbers feel washed
out, handicapped by string and horn arrangements that
are tasteful to a fault.
But stripped down to just piano and voice, they gained
a surprising intensity.
Taking advantage of Town Hall's stellar acoustics,
Costello sang in an intimate, conversational fashion,
often abandoning his microphone. Nieve tossed off
florid trills, broke into jaunty bursts of stride and
lingered over pregnant pauses, during which you could
hear the crowd breathe.
"Fallen," with its dreamy autumnal melody plumbing the
depths of Costello's vocal range, was a particular
standout.
Besides the "North" tracks, Costello and Nieve
peppered the set with fan favorites ("Accidents Will
Happen," "Man Out of Time"), rarities ("Either Side of
the Same Town," written for soul singer Howard Tate)
and a tender tribute to Johnny Cash, "I Still Miss
Someone."
They also, quietly, made a political point with three
songs in a row: "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love
and Understanding," "Radio Silence" and the haunting
anti-war anthem "Shipbuilding."
Originally published on September 24, 2003
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/40565.htm
------------------------------------------------------
COSTELLO STEERS TO TRUE 'NORTH'
By DAN AQUILANTE
September 24, 2003 -- ELVIS Costello's new album,
"North," released yesterday, is an affected nostalgia
record that hits the musical retro rockets so hard,
the guy lands somewhere in the '30s, when tunes were
powered with sentimental sophistication.
That's right - it ain't rock 'n' roll.
So when the Irish songwriter celebrated the release of
that disc Monday with a gig at Town Hall featuring
most of those new songs, there was as much trepidation
as anticipation in the air.
But there was no need for worry. Costello and his
ex-Attractions bandmate pianist Steve Nieve were very
good at making the blue, moody, very old-fashioned
love songs come to life.
While the program was uniformly slow, Costello's
emotive delivery and physical showmanship kept the
concert from becoming a yawn fest.
Though the merits of these new songs should be
apparent on the CD, they aren't. Take the tune "Let Me
Tell You About Her."
On the disc, it's easy to overlook Costello's clever
writing when he croons the urbane couplet, "I wasn't
very conversational, except to say, 'You're
sensational.' Friends now regard me with indulgent
smiles, but when I sing, they run for miles."
But in concert, with a little hand jive and his
expressive rubber face, these lyrics got smiles and
out-loud laughs.
That happened again and again during the show.
In the song "North," Costello was the master of the
interior rhyme, creating whimsical lyrics such as, "Up
where the polar bear and moose and geese will play,
and some of them address you en Francais," was
terrific during his stage delivery - yet the Looney
Toons humor remains undetectable on the studio record.
The night was hardly perfect. Many of the in- and
out-of-love songs sounded alike under the influence of
Nieve's stark piano work.
That sameness was a constant, from Costello's musical
history lesson, "45," with which he opened the
concert, to his autumn love song, "Fallen."
Where he broke the stylistic pattern was with the
concert showstopper "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace,
Love and Understanding," played with fond memories for
the old new wave.
-
miss buenos aires
- Posts: 2055
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:15 am
- Location: jcnj
- Contact:
Intimate is pretty intimate. I was in the last row (row U) of the orchestra, and I had a very satisfying view.SweetPear wrote:of those who went to monday's show, tell me, how intimate is intimate? i have seats in the loge 2nd row just off center. will i need my opera glasses? what about cameras, did they check your bags and stuff? and after the show, was there any 'hanging around' because you might get an autograph or anything?
and just one last thing, how were people generally dressed....esp the men? jeans? jackets? ties? i know EC always wears a suit but was he wearing a tux?
(anybody see diana?)
I had a backpack with my work clothes in it, and the guy at the door gave it a very cursory inspection. I could have snuck in a camera, were I so inclined. I didn't hang around, so I don't know if other people did, though it seems a safe bet. The audience was dressed nicely, but casually; the women were more dressed up than the men. Anything you wear will probably fit in.
-
Copenhagen Fan
- Posts: 1192
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 3:00 am
- Location: København, DK
- Contact:
-
HungupStrungup
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 12:14 pm
- Location: NE USofA
ms.b.a. handled many of your questions quite accurately and admirably, so I'll just add a few words. I'd say intimate means 1500 seats max. Good sightlines everywhere, wonderful acoustics, and loge seats are ideal. I saw Richard Thompson from just about where you'll be sitting. You should easily make out his expressions and gestures without opera glasses.SweetPear wrote:. . . tell me, how intimate is intimate? i have seats in the loge 2nd row just off center. will i need my opera glasses? what about cameras, did they check your bags and stuff? and after the show, was there any 'hanging around' because you might get an autograph or anything? . . . . i know EC always wears a suit but was he wearing a tux?
I carried no bag, so I can't add to what was said about inspection, but I did see a couple of people with smallish cameras. One lout even used a flash at one point, which I advise and beg you not to do. Also, if you carry a cell or pager, please turn it to the "silent" setting, as the music is very quiet at many points.
I left quickly, but I think there's a "stage door" area just to the right as you face the lobby doors (toward 6th Ave.) where people seemed to be congregating. EC is generally very accommodating to the fans after shows, signing and even taking pictures, so it might be worth your while to hang around.
Neither he nor Steve wore a tux.
"But it's a dangerous game that comedy plays
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
Sometimes it tells you the truth
Sometimes it delays it"
-
miss buenos aires
- Posts: 2055
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:15 am
- Location: jcnj
- Contact:
-
Man out of Time
- Posts: 1880
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:15 am
- Location: just off the coast of Europe
- Contact:
Re: Town Hall 9/22/03
Review by Phil Gallo in Variety magazine: http://variety.com/2003/music/reviews/e ... 200539076/
Review: ‘Elvis Costello’
Costello's return to an orchestral blueprint received its live performance debut in short, stripped-down renditions. The works, all love songs, contain the most inward-looking lyrics Costello has written in his 26-year career. He has captured romance at its initial bloom, when love's flames singe the soul and thoughts of love are coalescing.
Phil Gallo
The songs of “North,” Elvis Costello’s return to an orchestral blueprint, received their live performance debut in short, stripped-down renditions at the first of two sold-out Town Hall concerts Monday. The works, all love songs, contain the most inward-looking lyrics Costello has written in his 26-year recording career. Taking them as a whole, he has captured romance at its initial bloom, when love’s flames singe the soul and thoughts of love are coalescing.
Rather than expand on any theme or speculate on a relationship’s destiny, Costello isolates each formed sentiment, eventually creating a song cycle that owes more to the art-song tradition than any other format he has worked in. While there are similarities in meter to his collaboration with Burt Bacharach and to “The Juliet Letters” with the Brodsky Quartet, the tunes of “North” are free of bitterness or fear. In the title track, he even lends a bit of whimsy singing about, of all things, Canada.
This is a composer with a new-found muse — it’s safe to suggest it’s singer Diana Krall, seated this night in 12th-row center — and his desire to express love and appreciation is buoyed by the vast musical language he uses to convey the message. The extravagant flourishes of Rachmaninoff show up here and there, as does the dryness of Randy Newman. For the most part, though, he has turned to Broadway for inspiration, spinning dramatic songs in the manner of Stephen Sondheim and comic tunes with a splash of Noel Coward.
Toward the end of the two-hour concert, Costello ventured into Krall territory, playing numbers such as his “Couldn’t Call It Unexpected No. 4″ re-conceived as a dark and bluesy standard. “I’m in the Mood Again,” from “North,” fit the mold, too, to the point where it could have been a track on one of Frank Sinatra’s late-’50s Capitol recordings
Costello, who played acoustic guitar, sang alone and ended the night at the piano, surrounded the new material with a random collection of older works. Night started with “Accidents Will Happen” and included stellar versions of “Indoor Fireworks,” “God’s Comic” and, most appropriately, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.” Set also featured his wondrous ballad from 1982, “Shipbuilding,” which could be the one piece from his repertoire that works as a foundation for the new works, and a tender “I Still Miss Someone,” a tribute to the late Johnny Cash.
After his New York shows, Costello begins a European tour.
Elvis Costello
Town Hall; 1,500 seats; $75 top
Production
Presented by Clear Channel Entertainment.
Cast
Band: Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve. Opened, reviewed Sept. 22, 2003; runs through Sept. 24.
MOOT (quietly adding to the bibliography on the wiki)
Review: ‘Elvis Costello’
Costello's return to an orchestral blueprint received its live performance debut in short, stripped-down renditions. The works, all love songs, contain the most inward-looking lyrics Costello has written in his 26-year career. He has captured romance at its initial bloom, when love's flames singe the soul and thoughts of love are coalescing.
Phil Gallo
The songs of “North,” Elvis Costello’s return to an orchestral blueprint, received their live performance debut in short, stripped-down renditions at the first of two sold-out Town Hall concerts Monday. The works, all love songs, contain the most inward-looking lyrics Costello has written in his 26-year recording career. Taking them as a whole, he has captured romance at its initial bloom, when love’s flames singe the soul and thoughts of love are coalescing.
Rather than expand on any theme or speculate on a relationship’s destiny, Costello isolates each formed sentiment, eventually creating a song cycle that owes more to the art-song tradition than any other format he has worked in. While there are similarities in meter to his collaboration with Burt Bacharach and to “The Juliet Letters” with the Brodsky Quartet, the tunes of “North” are free of bitterness or fear. In the title track, he even lends a bit of whimsy singing about, of all things, Canada.
This is a composer with a new-found muse — it’s safe to suggest it’s singer Diana Krall, seated this night in 12th-row center — and his desire to express love and appreciation is buoyed by the vast musical language he uses to convey the message. The extravagant flourishes of Rachmaninoff show up here and there, as does the dryness of Randy Newman. For the most part, though, he has turned to Broadway for inspiration, spinning dramatic songs in the manner of Stephen Sondheim and comic tunes with a splash of Noel Coward.
Toward the end of the two-hour concert, Costello ventured into Krall territory, playing numbers such as his “Couldn’t Call It Unexpected No. 4″ re-conceived as a dark and bluesy standard. “I’m in the Mood Again,” from “North,” fit the mold, too, to the point where it could have been a track on one of Frank Sinatra’s late-’50s Capitol recordings
Costello, who played acoustic guitar, sang alone and ended the night at the piano, surrounded the new material with a random collection of older works. Night started with “Accidents Will Happen” and included stellar versions of “Indoor Fireworks,” “God’s Comic” and, most appropriately, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.” Set also featured his wondrous ballad from 1982, “Shipbuilding,” which could be the one piece from his repertoire that works as a foundation for the new works, and a tender “I Still Miss Someone,” a tribute to the late Johnny Cash.
After his New York shows, Costello begins a European tour.
Elvis Costello
Town Hall; 1,500 seats; $75 top
Production
Presented by Clear Channel Entertainment.
Cast
Band: Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve. Opened, reviewed Sept. 22, 2003; runs through Sept. 24.
MOOT (quietly adding to the bibliography on the wiki)