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A lot of performers pay lip service to the concept of making their concerts different every night. With his "Costello Sings Again" tour, Elvis Costello is really putting himself and his music on the line.
Costello returns to Chicago for shows Oct. 12 to 14 at the Riviera Night Club, Broadway near Lawrence, and he promises that each show will feature a different musical program. On Oct. 12, he will play a set dominated by material from his King of America album. Backing him will be the Confederacy — including musicians featured on that album plus "special guests."
On Oct. 13, Costello and the Attractions, his longtime band, will present "The Spectacular Spinning Songbook" — containing rarely-performed Costello material, Top 40 hits, country tunes and rhythm and blues favorites. Members of the audience will be invited to give the songbook a spin, and whatever comes up is what Costello and band will play.
On Oct. 14, Costello will play material from the new Blood & Chocolate album, which reunites him with both the Attractions and producer Nick Lowe. The album is scheduled for release on Sept. 22.
A 10 percent series discount is being offered for those who want to attend all three shows. Tickets are $20 per show in advance, $22.50 at the door and $54 for the series. There will be no refunds because of changes in programming. For tickets, call 559-1212.
The Costello shows represent a major booking coup for the Riviera. Celebrating its first anniversary as a nightclub in September, the venue is now making a concerted effort to establish itself as a mid-sized concert hall as well as a dance room. The millions that the new ownership have reportedly poured into remodeling have made the room look expensively glitzy, but the Riv was a far more comfortable venue for live music when it was still a movie theater.
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