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Stepping onto the Universal Amphitheatre stage Tuesday night for the opening of a two-night engagement, Elvis Costello cut a somber figure. Clad in a thigh-length black jacket, the bespectacled singer looked like a funeral-parlor director.
"Hello, how are you?" Costello asked in a cordial tone. "The weekend starts here."
Fans howled their response to the singer's rabble-rousing greeting, no doubt expecting a string of danceable hits. But Costello had other plans. Turning his back to the throng, the singer led his band in a tragic version of "Brilliant Mistake," a weepy ballad from his King of America album.
Barely skipping a beat, Costello followed with a salsa rendition of "Clubland." Unfortunately, the tune was hindered by a rigid rhythm arrangement, and a meandering guitar solo courtesy of the singer himself.
These performances were serviceable at best, which seemed odd since "Brilliant Mistake" and "Clubland" are highlights of Costello's recording career.
The singer's band, a six-piece aggregate misnamed the Rude 5, figured largely into the set's initial failure. Drummer Pete Thomas, the only holdover
from Costello's former band the Attractions, pounded out leaden rhythms. With no real rhythmic direction, the band seemed lost.
Perhaps contributing to his band's lack of spirit was Costello's own schizophrenic performance. The singer juxtaposed the angry young mannerisms of yore against an amiable new image.
For awhile, it seemed the former persona would win out. The rockabilly-flavored "Lovable" was dedicated to "all the movie stars in the audience, which is all of you, I guess."
Performing the gorgeous "God's Comic," Costello went into a tirade about God's wrath against MTV executives — ironic, since Costello's "Veronica" took best-male-video honors at last week's MTV Video Music Awards.
Costello concluded the tune by taking a swipe at recent human-rights benefit concerts. He said rock fans were probably grateful for the existence of political prisoners, because it gives them an opportunity to "go to stadiums, and wave (their) arms in the air."
The show picked up much-needed momentum once the singer stopped heaping bile on fans. A solo acoustic set featured winning renditions of favorites like "Girls Talk" and "American Without Tears."
A refreshed Rude 5 rejoined Costello, concluding the main portion of the set with a delightfully primitive interpretation of "Chewing Gum."
The show improved even more during the singer's four encores. Costello's lilting vocals on "Alison" were exquisite. "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" featured Dixieland jazz flourishes.
Concluding with a triumphant version of "Pump It Up," one was reminded of the Dodgers' ninth-inning victory last year over the Oakland A's. In concerts as in baseball, it ain't over till it's over.
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