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Elvis Costello made it official Sunday night. He's the king of new wave. The short, usually snarling Englishman packed two dozen songs into 75 minutes at Public Music Hall and gave his most varied, most engrossing and most mature show so far.
There were a few surprises. Costello started singing a ballad, "Just a Memory," while the stage was dark. When the lights came up, instead of the skinny wimp of last year we saw a portly Costello in a suit, tie and vest. For a second or two he looked like your neighborhood banker. Maybe it was the vest. He may have added 40 pounds or more.
Seconds after the most poignant song of the night, "Clowntime Is Over," he hit the almost sell-out audience with intense rockers including "Girls Talk."
There were oldies, such as "Radio, Radio." There were songs from his newest albums, Get Happy!! and Taking Liberties. And there were punchy new ones from his coming LP called Trust.
One of the best-rounded songs of the night was an unfamiliar one to me with the line, "I've got your picture. He's got you."
Costello, songwriter and lead guitarist, again brought his tight-sounding trio, the Attractions. Pianist Steve Naive, in red tennis shoes and with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, leaned over the keys and beat out a furious rhythm to the finale, "Pump It Up." Pete Thomas kept up a constant pound on the drums, opening some of the tunes. Bruce Thomas's strong bass carried the melody in many songs.
In contrast with last year's mutterings of stool pigeons and murder squads, many of Costello's songs were romantic, with feelings about love and loss. The biggest audience response, though, followed "Secondary Modern," when Costello winked wickedly and danced a few steps.
He was friendlier than in the past, asking the audience "How are you?" Not much, maybe, but remember he starts from below average in rapport. He did make a crack about our weather. But somehow a snarl isn't as effective when you're chubby.
As before, Costello's voice was sometimes murky, fogging the words. And as before, he returned for his second encore after the taped music had begun and the hall lights were on. But he returned to loud applause from an audience that was just as much mainline rock as new wave. Costello has grown into the kind of performer who can reach almost any age fan.
The opening act, the Squeeze, was ordinary, with little energy or audience contact, but it had a few good songs and some bright spots.
The lead singer had a boyishly importunate appeal that is usually magic with young girls. The pianist had an unexpectedly strong voice, but the rhythm guitarist had a boring monotone that grated. By the finale, "Yap, Yap, Yap," the band came alive, and the audience booed when it learned there would be no encore.
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