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Concert Reviews
 

 
Review of concert from 2002-04-16: with Imposters; London, Virgin Megastore Oxford Street
- Ken Clark

 

Top of His Game

Set list

1. 45
2. Spooky Girlfriend
3. When I Was Cruel No. 2
4. Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution)

Musicians

* Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar
* Steve Nieve - keyboards
* Davey Faragher - bass
* Pete Thomas - drums

At approximately 4:10 p.m. Elvis and the Impostors took the small stage at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street near Tottenham Court Road. My guess is that there were around 200-250 people crowded around the small stage very packed but there were equally good, less cramped views to be had from the racks of CDs near the stage which is from where I enjoyed the concert.

He clowned around a bit with the microphone saying "sound-check" several times to indicate that this was it. The sound was excellent, loud but not deafening and it was great to be so close to such a strong musical team. Davey Faragher fits in musically very well with the group playing many "zooms" on his Fender bass, a good heavy participatory style like Bruce Thomas that Elvis's beat music requires.

The new songs were played with great verve and the crowd and Elvis clearly were enjoying themselves. "Spooky Girlfriend" benefited from a long introduction about how it was about some low life in the music business trying to seduce a would be starlet who takes her revenge on him in the third verse. Before "When I Was Cruel No. 2", he demonstrated his new toy which generated the low rumble throughout the song with much glee. As the song ended you could see Pete Thomas smiling and trying to determine where his fills were going to go.

Elvis changed guitars for each song and by the time he put a trusty vintage Fender Telecaster over his shoulders for "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)", which had great organ fills from Steve Nieve, the crowd was his. Wearing a well worn leather jacket over a red shirt, he belted out the latest classic with all the gusto he demonstrated during his debut 25 years ago. Where better than at the Virgin Oxford Megastore a stone's throw from the Dominion Theatre where he gave some awesome concerts in December 1978 for Elvis to blaze and still show himself to very much top of his game.

After the concert, which ended around 4:30 p.m., Elvis graciously signed autographs. I was about number 30 in the queue and fortunately shook his hand and got him to sign a bit of paper. I wanted to ask him about releasing the Flip City sessions or the Wendy James demos but he looked a little tired after the blistering performance. So I said "Nice set, Elvis". He seemed to like that and gave me an "All the best".

I walked up from the basement into the sunny Oxford Street full of new Elvis tunes with their anger and humour lightening my steps.

 
         
 

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