Burlington Times-News, May 2, 2012

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Elvis Costello gives Durham crowd a psychedelic performance


Keren Rivas

DURHAM — The stage at the Durham Performing Arts Center transformed into a circus of sorts Sunday night as Elvis Costello and The Imposters delivered the last performance of its North American tour.

"The Revolver Tour" followed a format the British singer first employed in the late 1980s that proved to be as entertaining now as it was then.

Setting the mood and to make it clear this was a blast from the past, a large image of an old television set served as backdrop for the stage, which was dominated by a brightly colorful roulette wheel. Costello's alter ego, a carnival barker named Napoleon Dynamite that wore a tall black hat and carried a cane that made an appearance from time to time, introduced the contraption as "the Spectacular Spinning Songbook."

The wheel featured dozens of the singer's hits and added a unique element to the show as fans had the chance to come on stage and spin it, dictating the songs Costello and the band performed throughout the night.

There also was a "Hammer of Song" device that tested the participants' strength by letting them swing a mallet with the purpose of moving a ball up and down a tower. If they were able to hit the bell at the top of the tower, they were allowed to select any song they wanted from the wheel.

As if this wasn't enough, on the other side of the stage there was a dancing cage complete with a dancer's pole, in which a go-go dancer — and sometimes fans — danced the night away. When wheel-spinning fans were not dancing in the cage, they were invited to sit down at a nearby "society lounge" bar that featured a TV broadcasting static.

While these gimmicks seemed to be distracting at times, Costello managed to remain in control of the show, commanding attention by delivering a stellar performance and keeping fans on their feet. In between songs, he told entertaining stories of encounters he has had with performers such as Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash.

Concertgoers certainly got their money's worth as the unscripted show lasted roughly 2½ hours (without intermission) and included mostly fan favorites such as "Watching the Detectives," "Alison" and "Bedlam," which he sometimes picked by nudging the wheel to land on a desired spot.

Before ending the show with an up-beat finale, Costello delighted the audience with an acoustic rendition of three ballads from his 2010 album National Ransom, proving he can still entertain an audience without all the bells and whistles.


Tags: Performing Arts CenterDurhamThe ImpostersRevolver TourNapoleon DynamiteSpectacular Spinning SongbookHammer of SongsKeith RichardsChuck BerryLeonard CohenJohnny CashWatching The DetectivesAlisonBedlamNational RansomA Slow Drag With JosephineJimmie Standing In The RainWho's The Meanest Gal In Town Josephine

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Burlington Times-News, May 2, 2012


Keren Rivas reviews Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Sunday, April 29, 2012, Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Images

2012-05-02 Burlington Times-News page C6 clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

Page scan.
2012-05-02 Burlington Times-News page C6.jpg


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