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MANSFIELD — Elvis Costello has always been a favorite with rock 'n' roll critics, but a bust with the record-buying public. Since he exploded on the scene in 1977 — few can forget his angry, heated introduction on TV's Saturday Night Live — critics and a chosen few have been suckers for this prolific, literate wordsmith.
Now, thanks to a collaboration with Paul McCartney, a hit album, Spike, and two popular singles, "Veronica" and "This Town," Costello is king of America. Even though he's entered the pop music mainstream, there's still plenty of venom and fire left in the old boy yet.
Friday night, before a capacity crowd at the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts, Costello delivered the goods during a obscenely generous 2½ hour, 32-song set. Backed by the Rude 5 — which was actually made up of six musicians (Marc Ribot, guitar and trumpet; Jerry Scheff, bass and tuba; Michael Blair, percussion; Larry Knechtel, keyboards; Steven Soles, guitar and trombone; and main Attraction Pete Thomas on drums) — Costello performed tinkered-with versions of old favorites, a few obscure numbers and a large chunk of the finest from Spike.
He earned three encores for his efforts.
Dressed all in black, save for his pale face and a splash of red on his guitar strap, Costello's wonderfully expressive, nasal vocals were in top form throughout. He opened with "Accidents Will Happen" at 8 p.m. and closed with the folk classic "That Day Is Done" at 10:35 and there were few dead spots in between.
This concert was fairly straightforward for the unpredictable Costello. No "Wheel of Fortune" — during one trip to Boston, audience members spun a giant wheel to determine the set's song selection — this go round, just good, solid music.
High points were many:
"Brilliant Mistake" and "American Without Tears," from the neglected King of America LP featured some ferocious music and nasty vocals.
A five-song solo break — just Elvis and his acoustic guitar — included an oldie ("Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes"), a newie (the unrecorded Costello-McCartney song, "So Like Candy"), an oddity (Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said") and an obscurity ("Radio Sweetheart").
"Watching the Detectives," one of Costello's best-known songs, was jazzed up, with extended, free-form improvisation.
The newer songs fared well. "God's Comic," with its stinging lyrics and absurd bleating horns playing Dixieland, was nothing short of brilliant. "Let Him Dangle" packed much more punch than the recorded version.
The scheduled set concluded with a frantic "I Hope You're Happy Now," in which Costello's screaming vocals were so loud and distorted, ears ached.
Nothing compared with the encores: "This Town" and "Alison"; "Veronica," a rollicking "Mystery Dance," and a loud and fast "Pump It Up"; and, finally, "I Want You," a frightening tale of obsessive love that may be the finest song Costello's written.
The rockabillyish "Lovable" was a treat, as was "Leave My Kitten Alone," which sounded like early '60s John Lennon.
Happy to report that this year's model of Elvis Costello is just as fine as past models.
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