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Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint rocked the winery last night in Woodinville, Wash. You can read the story elsewhere--like http://elviscostello.com/ --but the collaboration was brought about by Hurricane Katrina.
Allen Toussaint, the New Orleans legend, has written tunes like "Working in the Coalmine", "Brickyard Blues", "Get Out My Life Woman" and "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky". He's been covered and recorded by hundreds of people, including Devo, Jerry Garcia, Otis Redding, The Meters, and others, including dozens of samples snagged in various hip-hop songs.
The show included members of Toussaint's horn and rhythm section, along with Elvis's Impostors. The band opened with a thundering version of Nick Lowe's What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding? It included Toussaint tunes (my favorites Workin' In The Coal Mine, and his tune for the Pointer Sisters, Yes, We Can Can), collaborations from the just released Toussaint-Costello album, The River in Reverse, and lots of Costello chestnuts. Toussaint arranged nine songs from the Costello catalog, and they played many of them as well. The new arrangements of Clown Strike, Pump It Up, Clubland, Watching The Detectives, High Fidelity, and I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down were thoughtful, new, and they were sparkling and wonderful.
There were some crooners, but this was mainly a rock fest. Right before the show, I was trying to explain to my cousin Sean (whom I bumped into, along with his wife, Lori Mason Curran, a clerk I know at Tower Records, a sister- and brother-in- law, co-workers, Keelin's yoga instructor, and a Posies show buddy I've met at various venues) the difference between an Elvis crooning show and an Elvis electric show, and how I tended to avoid the croonfests. I knew this show would kick out the jams.
See them when they come to your town:
6/28/2006
O'Shaughnessy Theater
SAINT PAUL, Minnesota
6/29/2006 - 8:30 PM
Summerfest
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin
6/30/2006
Promowest Pavilion
COLUMBUS, Ohio
7/5/2006
Cape Cod Melody
HYANNIS, Massachusetts
7/10/2006 - 7/11/2006
Beacon Theater
NEW YORK, New York
(212) 496-7070
7/12/2006
Fleet Center
BOSTON, Massachusetts
(617) 624-1050
7/14/2006
Blossom Music Center
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio
7/17/2006
Chastain Park
ATLANTA, Georgia
7/18/2006
House of Blues
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana
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