From: eeihmy@eeiatus01.ericsson.se ( Harry Mooney )

I have transcribed a review of EC in Central Park Summerstage,
NY from the Irish music Magazine "Hot Press". The author is
Melissa Knight. (obviously a fan).


"A cloud mass that hovered over the city all day parted to show
a slice of blue while rays of light streamed majestically downward
hitting the stage portending an appearance by God. "Welcome to
our outdoor nightclub. We've painted the ceiling to look like the 
sky" said Elvis Costello.
   Shrewdly aware that some had come for nostalgic reasons, he
seixed the occasion and heated up the crowd with several older
numbers, then leaped into 'Pony Street' and for the rest of the 
evening glided between old tunes and new.
  Peculiarly appealing was a jazzy 'Clownstrike' where the fortyish		
folks, heads lost in sweet billowy pillows of smoke, boogied
like Tweedledee and Tweddledum alongside twenty-somethings who
have just discovered an alternative to Nirvana. It was to his
contemporaries that Costello dedicated 'Everyday I Write The Book'
in its original version. Yet it was the newer songs where Costello
displayed the most showmanship, using his hands to stir drama in
'Sulky Girl' stretching on his toes in 'You Belong To Me' as if 
the two inch height adjustment would extend his vocal delvery.
  With Springsteen-esque stamina, Costello led the Attractions in
a dynamically charged performance of stylistic range that can eclipse
not only the Boss, but the rest of their peers. With a bust of 
Beethoven atop the piano, Steve Nieve leaned into every turn, backed
by Bruce Thomas on bass.
  The climatic (sic) performance was extended by three encores that
included 'Alison' which became a cover version of Smokey Robinson's
'Tracks Of My Tears', and culminated in an energy vortex with
'Pump It Up'. It may not have quite equalled an appearance by God,
but the twenty-somethings have a new hero and the rest of us went home
believing that Elvis is still King."

Harry



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"Was it a millionaire who said imagine no possessions" EC 
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"Solamente un tonto le dice" WB/DF
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