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"This is a concept show tonight," announced Elvis Costello early in his two-hour long set. "It's a concept in search of an idea," he added wryly.
The "idea" is that Elvis is out to show his fans that not only can he craft melodic, intelligent pop songs, he can also deliver those songs. convincingly with just his powerful voice and an acoustic guitar.
After 12 years and a few slightly disappointing Ohio appearances, Costello finally seems able to work a crowd. He was amiable, chatty and wholly comfortable performing without the support of a band.
Fans definitely have to acquire a taste for Costello's voice, but many in attendance had their fill and still left the hall wanting more. Costello's emotional readings and clever use of dynamics breathed life into new and old songs alike.
Although in interviews he is often critical of his guitar-playing, Elvis did a fine job of accompanying himself on acoustic guitar for most of the numbers. He used a variety of picking styles and even paused a few times to pluck out melody lines. This was evident on his fiery rendition of "Watching The Detectives." It is hard to imagine hearing that song without the backing of the Attractions, but Elvis pulled it off marvelously.
The only times his set dragged was when Costello pulled out his Fender Jazzmaster. The electric guitar sounded tinny and abrasive through the PA (which was already pretty loud for a mostly acoustic set). His electric guitar/beat box finale of "Pump It Up" could have been subtitled "Try The Audience's Patience." The song was only recognizable from the manic lyrics Elvis shouted into the microphone in between squalls of reverb and feedback from his guitar.
But these were only minor flaws in an otherwise enjoyable performance. Elvis drew heavily from My Aim Is True, King Of America and his latest release, Spike. His onstage patter became a stand-up comedy routine at times, particularly during "God's Comic," a humorous tune about a man meeting his maker. Costello paused between verses to relate his witty perceptions of God and Heaven.
The most amusing part of the show was when Elvis brought out his giant, red satin broken heart, which was pierced with the "13 deadly sins." Calling himself Monsignor Napoleon Dynamite, Costello pulled "sinners" from the audience through the use of a roadie in a wolfman suit. Costello instructed fans to draw a sin from the heart. After explaining the sins, which included "Awesomeness," "Touching Base," "Easy Targets" and, of course, "Lust," Elvis asked the sinner to request a song.
Costello finished his lengthy set with a final request for "Oliver's Army." He also tossed in "Red Shoes" and "Pump It Up."
Elvis' entire show was a carefully paced balance of new and old material, peppered with witty stories and quips. Let's hope we don't have to wait another four-and-a-half years to have him in Ohio again, and next time perhaps he will venture a little farther north.
Elvis' longtime friend and early mentor, Nick Lowe, opened the show with a 30-minute sampling of his more popular tunes. Also performing a mostly acoustic set, Lowe offered "Cruel To Be Kind," "When I Write The Book," "Heart" and "I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock 'n' Roll" among others. Lowe's posturing indicated that he is used to having a band behind him. But he was good-natured, and his music was well-received.
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