Review of concert at 1999-10-12: Louisville, KY, Louisville Palace
Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve
- Mike Bodayle [mbodayle@usautotn.com]

 

Well - it's strange how things happen to me. I drive 3 hours to the show from Nashville, park my car in the parking garage across from the theater, walk out of the garage, open the door to the street and who's staring me right in the face - ELVIS COSTELLO. Was my timing great or what? Gave a quick hello ("Hey Elvis - are you playing here tonight?) and hand shake to the Man as he and the wife headed up the street somewhere. ("How ya doing man - good to see you" was all he said and Cait of course could care less about seeing one of her husband's fans.)

The show was great - IMHO much better than leg one of the tour. More musicianship, less crooning, better song selection, etc. and NEW SONGS.

Loved "Alibi Factory" - watch this to be EC's experimentation song - electronics and rhythm stuff he has talked about. Heard the line "Jesus probably wants you for a sunbeam" which fellow fan Mark Smith pointed is also used in "Earthbound" which EC wrote for Wendy James.

"45" is the best recent "classic-Costello" song we've had in years. Perhaps though it is a bit of a novelty and you wonder - maybe he won't even release it.

And, are you sitting down - the world premiere of "Burnt Sugar is So Bitter"! The new song by the "song writing partnership of King & Costello - Carole King that is". Great powerful song about a husband leaving his wife and family. Recall a line about how the kids took all the pictures of Dad off the refrigerator. Hearing EC play this on the acoustic reminded me of the first time I heard "God Give Me Strength" (London 1995) - a great song still struggling to find its arrangement.

Great crowd - back half of balcony was empty though - many first time Costelloites! "Beyond Belief" (the song that is - really blew me away).