Elvis Costello in great shape
Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Cirkus, Stockholm on Sunday
English via Google Translate...
NOTABLY enough, it is not crowded at Cirkus. Big green cloths are tightened up the sides of the stage and in the far rear of the premises is a yawning flock of sad empty chairs. The second thing you notice before Costello still moving in time new " Tear off your own head" is that the audience is largely made up of hand-squeezing pairs in their upper thirties. But you only have time to reflect on the possibility that the audience composition is a reflection of Costello's present self - confident, complacent and, uh, harmless - before " (I do not want to go to ) Chelsea " sets all narrow concerns in the corner.
Elvis Costello is the same. Guitar exchanges are legion and gameplay so there nicely deliberately rough and bushy like the song. Comp band The Imposters are also the same again because it's two-thirds consists of old The Attractions.
The new album " When I was cruel " is really the only self-written sign of life on a six- seven years in addition to the collaboration with Burt Bacharach on the lovely " Painted from Memory " . And obviously plays Costello many songs from his latest album , more than the " Alison " longing of the audience ( not too little) wants to hear.
"Spooky girlfriend" justified most of the fun of the talking, a volubility of a societal parasite crowned with outpourings of toupees with dandruff, transvestite hunters and German porn look. "45" and also "Alibi" and "Tart" , he could more than happy to let be. However working " When I was cruel no 2 " excellent and creates a dense atmosphere in an albeit a bit drawn out version.
Throughout, Costello's voice a great benefit. In several songs he backs step by step from the microphone to that conclusion immediately blurt out the text lines over the dead silence of the audience.
But the great entertainer, probably without knowing it himself, the eccentric Steve Nieve, keyboards. At times he looks like a man possessed out and hardly know what to do with their free position. Like a mad scientist stealing his desk in his synth laboratory and mixes the strangest sound experiments that sometimes unfortunately explodes right in the face at him. But when he calms down and takes out melodikan provokes him nothing but calm spell.
As the first encore choose Costello curiously "15 petals" from the new album. Signed enjoying uncontrollably by the small, almost symphonic related, passages while those who wonder where a particular song went squirms in the chairs. But the wait will not be long, " Alison" takes over and sing simmers in the pews.
A third curtain call following and after appropriately enough the evening's biggest moments. "I want you" is like a meandering landscape where the senseless love open sores thrive, from whispers to despair and reproach, superbly orchestrated by the guitar playing and the incomparable vocals.
But there are certainly things to object to. Said new songs, he can tuck away in some dark corner, and several others were pulled out too stretchy hair bands, leaving the audience impatiently disheveled. But as a whole, it is difficult not to be somewhat impressed.
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