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Firstly Dan Greenwood provided a solid, engaging set, by no means overawed by the situation. Her minimalist approach behind the piano, backed only by bass and drums/ percussion, seemed to compliment her strong songwriting, for the songs never seemed vacuous, and at times evoked the tortured charm of Aimee Mann, whilst the closer had Tori Amos' spit-shined stilettos stamped all over it.
To the odd yet oddly exciting strains of the "William Tell Overture" yodelled, Elvis and the Imposters ran onto stage and belted out some lively numbers, including a more rock than rock steady "Watching the Detectives" early on, yet it was met with contained applause at best. Whether it was the refined surrounds that restrained the mass of concert goers, or the fact that it was second night and thus beset by the curious instead of the furiously eager, it was quite bizarre to watch a great artist in full flight met with moderate appreciation. Yet on he persisted, determined to break the crowd out of their comfort zone. What was interesting was the manner in which he set about his task. Testament to the strength of his recent songs, and indeed the faith he bestows upon them, recent numbers "Alibi" and "Tart" were standouts, given the prolonged, broken down treatment, where Elvis removed himself from the mic and waltzed about the stage still singing, his incredible voice clearly resonating about the plush seats and carpet. It was a privilege to have heard these tracks solidify themselves as classics before our very ears, sounding stronger and more salient than staples such as "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea."
Yet still the crowd was reluctant to let themselves go. Elvis reminded them that it was O.K. to dance, and during the next track one overtly confident and overtly beautiful punter adorned the stage and proceeded to shimmy and go-go herself alongside Elvis, gesticulating to the crowd in a manner that left one assuming she wasn't the shyest of all God's fragile creatures. In fact, I'm sure she was grateful that she made those solarium and $340 hairdressing appointments earlier that day (saucer of milk...blah blah blah). Yet to her credit, something she no doubt affords herself more than a platinum AMEX; (hiss, scratch ... ), she got the crowd going. People started leaving their seats and amassed at the side of the stage.
And when Elvis broke into "Oliver's Army" at the start of the encore, nearly every person in the stalls was standing and dancing. This first of four (?!) encores was the late 70s new wave rock component of the show, where we didn't have time to adjust our newly tinted quiffs before renditions of "Accidents Will Happen," "Miracle Man," "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" and "Pump It Up" amongst others were belted out in breathless succession. Two hours and 30 minutes after the start of the show, Elvis concluded this memorable night with a fanatical, bordering on maniacal version of "I Want You," the eerie torch below chin lighting enhancing his unblinking passion, and I left the Concert Hall with slightly shaking legs, a silly grin and a fan's gratification.
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