|
Seven years ago Elvis Costello swept to instant pop fame at the forefront of the musical new wave.
Simple, snappy melodies and cutting, often political lyrics helped the bespectacled wonder notch up a string of hits.
The last two years have been less fruitful for Costello, but he proved last night that with his current blend of soul, pop and protest he's back to his brilliant best.
A storming two-hour set high on energy and emotion was more than enough to keep the fans happy, from the first bars of the opener, "Pills and Soap," through to the final encore, a supercharged version of "Pump It Up."
Numbers like "High Fidelity," "Clubland" and "Possession" were given a hot soul feel with the help of TKO, a new brass section.
But the show's peak was a trio of political songs — "Shipbuilding," about the Falklands War; "Big Sister's Clothes," on the theme of power lust; and "Stand Down Margaret."
| 
