Elvis Costello - 1981-01-10 Los Angeles (JEMS)

<<   1981-01-10 Los Angeles

Elvis Costello And The Attractions
Sports Arena
Los Angeles, CA
10 January 1981


01. Shot With His Own Gun - EC & Steve Nieve
02. Accidents Will Happen
03. Strict Time
04. The Beat
05. Clowntime Is Over
06. Luxembourg
07. Temptation
08. New Lace Sleeves
09. Lovers Walk
10. The Imposter
11. Watch Your Step
12. Big Tears
13. Clubland
14. Radio, Radio
15. He's Got You
16. I've Been Born Again - King Horse
17. Secondary Modern
18. High Fidelity
19. You Belong To Me
20. Big Sister's Clothes
21. From A Whisper To A Scream - with Glenn Tilbrook
22. Alison
23. Watching The Detectives - including Master Blaster (Jammin')
24. I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
25. Pump It Up


Elvis Costello -vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass guitar
Pete Thomas - drums

Glenn Tilbrook


Recorder: Unknown
Lineage: Unknown

Comments by area51GM:

40 years on ......................................

Another great show from the JEMS archive from a first generation recording, though no lineage seems to be available. Many thanks to whoever recorded and first shared this. This JEMS source is much fresher and clearer than the higher generation I received back in the early 80s. Taking place in the Sports Arena in Los Angeles (christened by Bruce Springsteen as "the dump that jumps"!!) it seems to be the only time that Elvis has ever played here though he did move down the road to the Country Club in two days’ time. There is little known about the concert from the 12th so if anyone has any info please pm me.  A recording would be especially welcome!

Again the reaction of the audience here is adulatory and the reaction here to the start of "Accidents Will Happen" and "Strict Time" is exuberant and they give vent to their enthusiasm in the instrumental section of a rare outing of "The Beat".

Elvis' previous comments at San Francisco about the demise of the radio station KSAN going from modern programming to country are re-voiced before "Clubland" though I'm not sure if KSAN would be heard in L.A. as well as San Francisco.

Maybe he got lost in the setlist as "Radio, Radio" immediately followed which would have been more appropriate for his comments. The beauty of this tour and the recordings to make at least is that the contrasts in the setlists of faster and slower songs and the gentler pace introduced with songs such as "Watch Your Step" means that when The Attractions let loose the power is stunning and invigorating and this happens again towards the end of the main set with "High Fidelity" followed by "You Belong To Me" - a brilliant coda to the set before "Big Sister's Clothes".

For the first time, Glenn Tilbrook from Squeeze joins the first encore to add his beautiful vocals to "From A Whisper To A Scream" and his voice is as pure as any studio recording. It's a shame he didn't stay on stage and join in with the melancholic version of "Alison" which follows. The audience gets another chance to go wild when Elvis does the band introductions during "Pump It Up".

There's a bit of a lull in the tour now, with no recordings or even many details about the next two shows, at San Luis Obispo or the Country Club, L.A. so any details that you may have would be appreciated. Thanks.

Lineage: Unknown recording > JEMS 1st generation copy > FLAC files > TLH > Nero 9 for pitch checking > TLH > FLAC > you