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About six months ago a computer operator form Liverpool released a series of singles in Great Britain, followed by an album release in both Great Britain and the United States. The album and singles soared to number one in England, but for the first couple of months after their release in the United States, Elvis Costello was nothing more than a curiosity.
Then Columbia Records started the big push. Actually, it was unneeded for Costello’s music stood up on its own. It was radical rock and roll, the lyrics intriguing, the music extremely listenable. In any case, the album started selling well enough to warrant a tour of the U.S. Throughout the tour Costello has shunned interviews, etc. except for a long-to-be remembered appearance on Saturday Night Live where he stopped in the middle of one song and decided he wanted to do a different one.
Which brings us to last Saturday night at Page Hall. Costello sold fast; University Concert Board had a hit on its hands. The concert had sold-out almost two weeks in advance. Tickets were being easily scalped at $5 a head.
The audience was psyched. Elvis doing his sound check (which contained new material!) made it a certainty that an intriguing show was imminent. Intriguing turned out to be a weak word for what the audience heard and saw.
UCB was forced to confiscate all cameras and tape machines at the door due to Costello’s action in Brockport where he ended his performance early after being upset by someone’s camera flash.
From the beginning Costello’s road crew seemed snotty. They seemed to be content at the fact that the sound would be as deafening as the massive speakers could crank out. UCB handed a few lucky by-standers cotton.
Will Alexander and the Boom Boom band opened the show. Their debut album is basic rock; not bad, but certainly nothing special. And so went their performance.
They opened the show with “Home Is.” Willie’s on-stage movements were animated and they were further enhanced by his unique way of showing the audience he could sing with gum in his mouth.
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