"Alison" was given an emotional and fresh reading, and Elvis displayed heretofore undeveloped stage moves that filled the big hall with a positive charge. "Party Girl" was the third ballad in the set, and it sounded like the kind of song you'd hear at a neighbourhood dance — the last song, when they turned the lights low and let you grind it out (if you were lucky) for a good ten minutes — only Elvis' vend-xxx- inspired lyrics created a friction all their own.
As a parting shot (before the encores), he slashed through "Radio, Radio," a song which is gaining popularity (and -xxx-cally, losing its relevancy) because of Elvis' radio ai-xxx- ratings.
Nick Lowe was well-received in his New York debut, -xxx- probably could nave returned for an encore, such was -xxx- "heavy mitting" (Variety's term for good applause) for -xxx- set.
Lowe is an expert joiner of derivative licks and lyrical qu-xxx- and the result is a wholly new-fashioned sound. Mink DeVille on the other hand, struck me as being in the same business, but they are derivating with a difference — rock and rhythm and blues with more nostalgic overtones and stage quirks, but the result is somehow less satisfying.
Maybe it was their eclecticism that reduced their pu-xxx- or perhaps it was the constant focus on Willy DeVille, who is quite a good singer, but not great; still their set can hardly be described as a low point. The crowd called them back for an encore.
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