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Some things in life never change.
Memorial Hall, for instance, is still a hot, smoky, cavernous facility for any concert, and the sound still rattles around its confines like a chainsaw loose in a giant tin can.
Security still routinely falls apart, allowing overzealous fans to pack in close to the stage. And probably there will always be a kid who yells "boogie" during the hushed ballads.
Nor is it especially surprising that Nick Lowe continues to produce some of the hottest rock 'n' roll on tour now — or that Elvis Costello continues to surprise and mystify his audiences with an almost religious zeal.
Perhaps what is surprising is that Mr. Lowe and his band came very close to upstaging Mr. Costello and the Attractions with a nearly 45-minute set that never for a minute was in anything less than high gear.
A good part of the credit for Mr. Lowe's tour de force must go to former Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont and organist Paul Carrack, who played for Squeeze. Aided by Mr. Lowe's energetic bass, this duo roared through a variety of energetic rockers including "Half a Boy" and a searing rendition of "Burning."
Mr. Costello continues to be among the most amazing guitarists and songwriters to emerge in recent years, equally comfortable and cogent with a variety of styles and musical idioms. Saturday evening's performance before an estimated 2,164 fans was no exception.
True, he has lost a lot of the rough, abrasive edge that characterized his earlier career, but what he may have sacrificed in chutzpah he makes up for in musicianship. Perhaps what was missing in this performance were the consistently high energy levels and personal intensity that Mr. Costello had brought to other shows.
On a variety of occasions Mr. Costello would build his set to a plateau and then suddenly leave it dangling to concentrate on almost self-conscious ballads like "The Only Flame in Town." It wasn't until Mr. Costello's six encores, including "Alison," "Red Shoes" and "Pump It Up," that he truly satisfied his enthusiastic audience.
A bleakly haunting performance of "Inch by Inch" and several other tunes from his new album, Goodbye Cruel World, served to remind the audience that with Mr. Costello only one thing is certain: He remains a man of many musical talents and surprises.
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