Review of concert from 2002-04-18: with Imposters, Bowery Ballroom; private function by Rolling Stone
- John C Ottaviano

 

A Great One

Just got back from the show. It was indeed a great one with a similar set list to the Amsterdam and London shows. The new band really rocks, it's wonderful to have Pete back and Davey does a nice job. I'm really exhausted, but I will probably not be near a computer all weekend, so here goes.

The Bowery is a small standing affair, only a few hundred can fit. John Meyer(?) opened which was disappointing because someone mentioned Peter Yorn who is much better, although I am comfortable enough with my masculinity to know that the guy is a hunk! Unfortuanely, he sounds like 20 other AAA guys around and he said perhaps the stupidest thing I have ever heard at a show when he said "when I heard this song I realized how the Blues and songwriting could come together", like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters never wrote a song. What a jerK!

Anyway, EC and the Imps came out to a taped version of Dust 2.. and ran out onto the small stage, jumping into a rocking version of 45. They were all nattily attired in black (Steve in a very sharp Dashiki style number) which is why this tour should be the Men in Black tour. I mentioned this to Davey after the show and he remarked that black helps hide things in older men. I noticed that I, too, was wearing all black.

They really rocked it all night. It was great to hear Elvis with a band again and it is awesome to have Pete back. Steve was in prime mad sceintist form as usual, and Elvis was strangely enamored with his own guitar playing (an unrequited love, I assure you). Most of his guitars were new as he mentioned many were lost in a flood in Dublin. Personally, I think God was trying to tell him something, but he wasn't listening. I am not feeling the new album as much as some of you, and I believe that the new arrangements are quite limited by his guitar playing. It is obvious his songwritng and singing far outpace his picking. He also got quite annoyed at his guitar tech for being late with his axe, most notably during Allison, when he didn't get it till the first chorus. What a gaffe!!

Much of the new material came off much better live and he doubled the tempo on Doll Revolution! Highlights were: 15 Petals, Man Out of Time, Beyond Belief (as a dance number), and Lipstick Vogue. He only played two songs from the middle period and seemed to be placating the industry types with new tunes and greatest hits. He also seemed to be having a hell of a time.

Here is the set list transposed directly from my Palm. It's not pretty, but it should give you an idea. He played for about 1:50, and came downstairs at the club for a brief INDOOR meet and greet.

Dust..-tape
45-live rocker -better live
Waiting For The End Of The World - steve wails
Watching The Detectives - traditional (boring) arrangement
spooky girlfriend -svengali like-rockeri
chelsea-heavy guitar - playing a new magnatone with what looked like a price tag still on
15 petals - rocked much harder than record-highlight
When I Was Cruel - w/digital vocal sample-powerful vocal
Man Out of Time - Elvis on acoustic guitar-Great vocals - Highlight
Tart - ripping vocal - sounded like he flubbed the lyrics
Allison - one unhappy guitar guy - He did dedicate this to someone named Jean
Beyond Belief - great dance arrangement -highlight of the show
...Dust - hipshaker - tempo change from Dust 2... Dust. Elvis Solo

I hope you're happy now - great dance tune
doll-severly uptempo-much better than record - Steve wailing on Theramin!!

encore 1
alibi
you belong to me - dance rocker
pump it up -better organ riffs than ususal

2nd encore
Episode of Blonde - spoken lyric (btw, this does not sould like Dylan, you fools, it sounds like Tom Waits)
lipstick vogue -super-rocker. So glad PETE's back.
I Want U-scary guitar-super slow - pulled awäy from mike and sang super slow and quiet until he got the attention of a bunch of yappers in back of the room - Steve blowing on some kind of keyboard instument

All in all a great one. Thanks for listening.