Review of concert from 2001-05-04: London, Royal Festival Hall; Total Meltdown
- Will Munro

 

A Dollar A Minute

Total Meltdown – Director’s Cut – May 4th 2001

No "Alison", No "Oliver", No Steve and No suit.

Tonight a cheerful, relaxed and mischievous (perverse!) Elvis performed all unrecorded songs knowing that the concert was being recorded for BBC 2 television.

As part of the Royal Festival Hall’s 50th birthday celebration a series of special concerts were arranged including Total Meltdown – Directors’ Cut. This concert featured performances from previous artistic directors of Meltdown: David Thomas, Nick Cave and Elvis Costello. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds were the only other artists I sat through, but found their repetitive dirge-like ballads rather uninspiring.

After John Peel’s introduction, Elvis loped on stage dressed in a leather jacket over floral pattern shirt and green combat trousers and trainers, topped with a trilby. After the customary "Hi ya" it was straight into the current version of "Daddy Can I Do", followed by "45", "No Wonder", "Alibi Factory" and a Harry Smith (inspired) song "Corporal Lewis".

Elvis was also very chatty between songs; passing comment on "Popstars" (does it need more publicity?), the age difference between himself and the Prime Minister, and folk song researchers, to name but a few.

During the set, Elvis moved stage right on a couple of occasions to sit behind a selection of drum machines and loops and other electronic gadgets. Elvis claimed that the reason he hasn’t recorded an album for a number of years is because he’s been too busy getting the hang of all this equipment. With this accompaniment Elvis performed "When I Was Cruel" and another new song "Spooky Girlfriend". Unfortunately this electronic accompaniment didn’t really work, because it was too distorted.

Elvis left the stage to the repetitive sound of the loop, which he turned off on his return to perform the encore – "I Want You". Then it was all over and the house lights came on.

Although only a short set, it was good to see Elvis perform live again after a gap of almost 18 months, especially demonstrating that he‘s still actively writing and performing new songs. I just wish he would get into the studio and complete some of these songs and issue them on a CD titled "21st Century Renaissance Man – The Sampler".

Will Munro
7 May 2001