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SAN FRANCISCO — Elvis Costello may not be angry anymore, but he hasn't lost either his biting edge or his sweeping ambition. Now in his late 40s, the British singer-songwriter, who first came to the United States more than 25 years ago on the crest of the punk/new wave outbreak, has survived both early stardom and mid-career obsolescence. Recently enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, newly married to jazz vocalist Diana Krall and fresh from performing at the Academy Awards, Costello has nothing to prove but apparently wants to show there is little he can't do.
In a dazzling nearly three-hour performance Thursday night at a soldout Warfield theater, Costello confirmed what a powerful singer and masterful interpreter of his own work he has become. But he also demonstrated he's still a first-rate songwriter by showcasing a moving set of his latest recorded songs and a surprising collection of brand-new tunes.
Working with just his longtime collaborator, pianist Steve Nieve, Costello briskly moved through a 75-minute, 16-song, career-spanning first set that included a six-song segment from the album King of America.
Opening with "45" from his 2002 electric rock album When I Was Cruel, Costello, dressed in a black suit and shirt with a bright-blue tie, strummed an acoustic guitar and sang with intense conviction. With Nieve in full mad-professor mode at the keyboard, the pair played together intuitively, subtly modulating the dynamics of familiar songs such as "Green Shirt," "Little Triggers" and "This House Is Empty Now."
Staggering tempos, doting on the melodies, emphasizing the literateness of his lyrics, Costello verified how good the songs are. He also occasionally sang off the microphone, letting his unamplified voice dramatically carry through the house.
After initially saying very little to the audience, he interrupted "God's Comic" for a hilarious monologue that touched on Dick Cheney, gay marriage, country music and the Dixie Chicks. With a rousing "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?" he left the stage for the first time.
The first encore sequence consisted of five songs from his latest album, North, a cycle of spare jazzy songs chronicling the dour dissolution of one relationship and the giddy beginnings of a new love affair.
For the second encore set Costello debuted five songs from an upcoming album he jokingly said will be called South. The catchy new material had an upbeat, funky country-rock flavor, and the songs seemed to have thematic links.
The third encore set began with the distortion frenzy of his early rocker "Watching the Detectives," followed by a tender reading of his jazz ballad for Chet Baker, "Almost Blue." Toward the end of the tune Costello slid onto the piano bench, taking over for Nieve who soloed on the melodica. Costello then played another song from North, the wistful "Let Me Tell You About Her," and appeared ready to close with "Scarlet Tide," the song he performed at the Academy Awards with Alison Krauss.
But with the crowd standing in ovation, Costello called for his electric guitar, brought Nieve back and they cranked out a raving version of "Pump It Up" and finished with the R&B ballad "Dark End of the Street."
Though he plays more stately and quiet music now, Elvis Costello still has a passion and artistry that few musicians can match.
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