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British singer-songwriter Elvis Costello was all gutsy enthusiasm at his latest solo concert in Singapore.
The 56-year-old last played here at a sold-out concert in 2009, and he seemed eager to reprise that success. Sometimes, he came across as a little too eager.
Kicking off at 8.40pm, just 10 minutes after the scheduled show time, he hollered out songs like "Green Shirt" and "Veronica," while furiously strumming a guitar he had picked from a selection of six onstage.
To enhance the live experience, he lavished most of his songs with new arrangements, often topping them off with a guitar flourish and, at times, a little jig for added cheer.
The rendition of "New Amsterdam," from his 1980 album Get Happy, was wrapped inventively around a cover of The Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away," while classics like "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" and "Watching The Detectives" retained their spunk and spirit.
But it was a pity that re-arrangements and layers of guitar piled upon beloved tracks like "Everyday I Write The Book" and "Alison" obscured their familiar melodies. During the show, which unveiled Marina Bay Sands' 2,155-seat Grand Theatre, the predominantly foreign crowd was advised jovially by Costello not to do anything "unspeakable" to the brand-new seats.
Unfortunately, the sound at the venue came across as muffled and a tad too loud, so it was sometimes difficult to clearly make out the lyrics sung or understand what the singer was saying between songs.
There were also annoying instances where audience members left midway during the concert, never to return.
But hardcore fans who stayed through the two-hour gig warmed up enough to rise from their seats and sing during the two extended encores, which included the rousing "Oliver's Army," "Pump It Up" and a medley of "Radio Sweetheart" and Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said," as well as his romantic hit, "She," and a subdued cover of his wife Diana Krall's "All Or Nothing At All."
With over 30 studio albums in Costello's catalogue, it was likely that fans would engage in post-show debates over what other songs he should have played ("Shipbuilding" being a notable omission).
But he should be commended for showcasing some evocative tracks from his genre-hopping latest album, National Ransom — like "A Slow Drag With Josephine" and "Jimmie Standing In The Rain" — which he described as throwbacks to the 1920s and 1930s.
Praise for dazzling musicianship aside, this gig served as a reminder that Costello is, foremost, a songwriter whose inkwell of inspiration for penning timeless classics hasn't dried up.
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