I think I enjoyed tonight's show more than any Costello concert since the
Singing Songbook tour of--when? 1986? '87?  I've only seen Elvis in sheds
since then, not a very satisfactory type of venue for a performer whose
strongest attributes live are intensity and intimacy (especially when I
think back on seeing him in a small club in Cincinnati, Bogart's, in '78),
He was in a shed tonight as well, but the difference was that for the first
time I had a good seat (7th row).

But the biggest differences (which would've been apparent even to those sitting
back on the lawn) were that the new material debuting on this tour is his
strongest in nearly a decade (IMHO), and, of course, that he was backed once
again by the Attractions (and I don't think I have to defend that viewpoint to
anyone reading this).

It was a remarkably satisfying show: The song selection pretty much skipped the
albums I consider to be his weakest (with the exception of the "original"
version of "Everyday I Write the Book"), and he hit virtually all the numbers
I consider to be mandatory (the obvious ones as well as personal favorites).
And it seemed to be the longest set I've ever seen him do, although I didn't
have the presence of mind to note the start and end times; I thought I was
doing pretty well to manage to jot down the set list, which follows:

No Action
High Fidelity
The Beat
Pony Street (which sounded surprisingly "of a piece" with the early songs that
   preceded it)
Beyond Belief
Sulky Girl (first appearance of EC's trademark "gestures")
London's Brilliant Parade
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
You Tripped at Every Step
(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
New Lace Sleeves (incredibly tender vocals)
Clown Strike (Steve interjects "My Favorite Things" in his solo)
Kinder Murder
Shabby Doll
Rocking Horse Road
Too Soon to Know
Everyday i Write the Book ("original" version)
Man Out of Time
Watching the Detectives
You Belong to Me
13 Steps Lead Down/Radio Radio

FIRST ENCORE:
Lipstick Vogue
Party Girl

SECOND ENCORE:
Just About Glad
Alison (with "The Tracks of My Tears" & "Tears of a Clown" interpolated)
Accidents Will Happen

THIRD ENCORE
All the Rage (much more passion in the vocal than the studio rendition)
Peace, Love, and Understanding
Pump It Up
That final song made the goon behind me happy--He'd been screaming out for it
for the entire second half of the show.  I'm tempted to flame here about the
audiences at this kind of concert, as opposed to the clubs where I see most of
my music these days.  It amazes me that people can pay $40 for a ticket and
then spend most of the show blabbing or out getting beer.  But I guess the
crowd wasn't *that* bad, as these things go.

BTW, the Crash Test Dummies were just about the most forgetable of all the
acts I've seen open for Elvis over the years.  If there *was* a more
forgetable one, I've literally forgotten them.

I envy those of you who have yet to catch Elvis on this tour (who have
opted to spoil the suspense and surprise by reading these previews).  i wish
I could join you for another look....

Gordon