Taken from New Musical Express 9-Dec-78:

COSTELLO RIOT IN OZ

 "Angry Punk Rock Fans On The Rampage". A sample of the front page head-
lines by all the  Australian  tabloids  following  incidents  during the
first five concerts given by  Elvis Costello  at Sidney's Regent Theatre
on Sunday.
  The trouble  started when the  bespectacled one left the stage after a
crisp 50-minute set. Having forked-out 9.50 Australian dollars (5.50) a
ticket,  the audience  -  who had been on their feet for the last  three
numbers in Costello's set  -  naturally demanded an encore.  They didn't
get one.  The Beatles began blasting over the house PA  -  and then came
the inflammatory announcement from the promoters that tickets were still
on sale for Costello's fourth Sidney show.  This resulted in much booing
and renewed chants of  "We Want More!"  Costello still didn't return, so
people began hurling missiles at the empty stage  -  first rolled papers
and beer cans,  then chair covers, and finally rows of seats came crash-
ing down from the balcony onto the stage.
  A further  announcement was made,  insisting that unless everyone left
the theatre quietly,  there would be no more Costello concerts at all at
the Regent.  This did absolutely  nothing to placate the angry audience.
The house  lights were  turned on in an effort to empty the  auditorium,
but this resulted in even more rows of seats being destroyed. Finally on
their way out, the jeering audience trashed more seats and glass display
cabinets in the foyer,  and tore down a banner advertising the concerts.
As they spilled into the street  which they blocked for almost  half-an-
hour, the disappointed audience chanted, "What A Rip-Off", "Elvis Sucks"
and "Elvis Is A Capitalist".
  The police were called,  and though no arrests were made,  the manage-
ment of the Regent Theatre are having second  thoughts about staging the
remainder of Costello's concerts  -  in particular,  a midnight  matinee
scheduled for Friday.
  Many observers have  suggested that the whole incident was a ruse,  an
attempt on the part of  Costello's  manager  Jake Riviera to generate as
much publicity as possible from this antipodean tour.  Such rumours pre-
vailed  when no comment  was  forthcoming  from  Costello.  Indeed,  his
contract  stipulated  that he was not required to talk to the Australian
press.  However,  the local promoters claim that the reason why Costello
didn't return for an encore was that he found the audience reaction "too
mechanical",  although as far as Ausie rock audiences go,  Costello act-
ually played to a most receptive crowd.