Police fan 'plutonic'

From ElvisCostello

plutonic posts

(extract)

Eyohhh, I was PUMMPPPPED to hear my two very favorite musical acts together.

You can argue the respective artistic merit of the two acts six ways to Sunday. No two people will have the same opinion. But any serious music buff will tell you, both the Police and Elvis are genius musically. But there's no mistaking which act has had greater success commercially.

Commercial success in music does not necessarily correlate with artistic success. Marketing geniuses aside, no one can tell you why. It's still a mystery. Is it because Sting is SO MUCH better looking than Elvis? Or is it because his best work is more accessible? Perhaps it is because the Police had a signature sonic identity: immediately identifiable. Nobody knows.

But the fact remains that these are two of the most talented musical acts of the end of the 20th century. One achieved mega-status with the masses, and the other only with the music critics he resembles.

All of the above had been bubbling in my brain, but smacked me in the face when I got into the arena just as the house lights went down for Elvis.

I thought wow! I've never seen Elvis anywhere this big! The place was not yet full at all, which made me kind of sad for him. I think for him this tour has to be a bit bittersweet. A modern genius humbled to be "warming up the room" for one of his contemporaries.

Here's the Elvis Setlist:

Stella hurt Clubland Everyday I write book. silly wah wah go away Alison Flutter and wow (to the bridge!)

Unknown Title ? from new album - not enough listens Watching the detectives. No hiding Place Radio radio Pump it up What's so funny bout peace love

I loved his set, and I wanted more. And luckily, there will be variety this summer. His set was different tonight than on Thursday. And it will be continue to be so. Because unlike The Police, Costello is no Nostalgia act. This is no reading of a litany. No ceremony, no liturgy. Elvis Costello is a living, breathing, developing artist. He isn't just walking through the hits, he's playing new stuff, too.

EC's set was half classics, half brand new material, not much in between. His new material, as with all of his stuff, can take a little time to appreciate. The beauty of "Flutter and Wow" escaped me for the first few listens. But upon hearing it in context on his excellent, if tasty fast-food recording "Momofuku" LP (Yes, it's on vinyl!) a few times, I grew to love it. It's a little corny, not something I associate with the normally acerbic Costello. He must really be in love, as he tells his paramour:

You make the motor in me flutter and wow.

A double entendre to his age (and possibly obsolescence? Flutter and wow is cassette talk, yo!) and to the amazing wonder of new love, this song is a throwback to 50's balladry. But when he sings it live, you really feel his passion. This song should warm up nicely by the end of the summer. You can tell the band is still feeling its way through it when Costello instructs them on the mic: "TO the Bridge!" The band is gigging the song, and they don't even really know it yet. (Ohhhhhh... what I wouldn't give to hear a Police gig with that kind of spontaneity! With any sense of urgency at all coming from behind the mic. Sighhhh.....) His new album, Momofuku, was recorded quickly. It's named after the inventor of cup'o'noodles. It's not intended to be savored, or even to be nourishing. It's just intended to be gulped down on the way to the next gig.

As to be expected, the sparse but growing crowd was a little mystified by the momofuku material, but they got into his set as it went along, and of course responded to the tunes that they knew: Alison, Veronica, Pump It Up, Watching The Detectives. I couldn't help but think that it must be very strange for Elvis to be up there on this nostalgia tour when he is in no way a nostalgia act. Closing with "What's So Funny" Elvis definitely had the house in his hand. But he left the stage strangely, leaving drummer Pete Thomas waiting for a cue for the final "thwack" that never came. The Impostors, Elvis' re-constituted attractions with Davey Farragher taking the bass seat from estranged bass player Bruce Thomas, sounded joyful and alternately harmonious and cacophonous all night. Pete Thomas' precision behind the kit is fantastic, and Faragher supplies a solid bottom as well as great harmony vocals. Keyboardist Steve Nieve is, as always, a sort of tazmanian devil on the keyboards. Always up to something. In fact, often up to several things at once. But I sometimes wish there was more method to his madness. More melody to his mirth.

Elvis was in good voice. He needs to learn to appreciate the power in power chords though. Some of his chord voicings sound dreadful through all that distortion. I'll be interested to see how he takes to playing rooms this large. If he learns half as fast as Fiction Plane, he'll be slaying them soon. But the fact that Elvis gets 50 minutes compared to FP's 30 tells you something. The man is a Rock and Roll hall of famer, after all. I suspect he'll take to arena rocking very quickly. Should be a very fun summer.