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In this age of sterile arena tours prepackaged for mass consumption, it's rare to see a performer conscientiously forego maximum profits in favor of creativity in his live show. Elvis Costello is such a performer.
Take his current engagement at the Beverly Theatre, which was kicked off with a sold-out show Wednesday night. Each of his five shows has a different program and a different theme. Wednesday was request night. He has the wit to pull it off, and the audience responded playfully.
Someone requested R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe." "You must be at last night's show," Costello laughed, referring to that band's concert Tuesday night. The unpredictability charged the interaction between audience and performer. And it didn't hurt that Costello, playing this night with the Attractions, sounded better than ever.
Attractions keyboardist Steve Nieve rivaled Costello for attention, exuding attitude to spare in his hat and shades, a cigarette always dangling
from his mouth. He pounded his cheap organ with such abandon that for songs like "Radio, Radio" and the final encore's "Pump It Up," a roadie had to leap up to save it from falling off its perch.
Costello's soulful voice was in top form all through the 80-minute set, wisely abbreviated to spare his pipes for the next four nights. Thursday was to feature Costello with his King of America backing group the Confederates. Tonight he is to play with the Confederates and special guests. Saturday will be his solo appearance, and Sunday concludes with the Attractions again.
"Elvis sings again," proclaimed the marquee at the Beverly. This might have raised doubts for those who knew that last year he reverted to his given name, Declan MacManus and announced in interviews that "Elvis was dead." Either as MacManus or Costello, when he took the mic Wednesday night, his aim was true.
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