Melody Maker, December 6, 1986: Difference between revisions
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Certainly, we were seeing sides of Costello's complex personality that had never before been so publicly exposed. Simply, Costello seemed like a man who's finally come to terms with the perverse impulses that in the past threatened to engulf him. Demons appear to have been exorcised. Even on the opening night, when Elvis and The Attractions blazed through a Greatest Hits spectacular, the splenetic fury of his performance was unaffected by the sheer malignancy that used to so dramatically disfigure these songs. Costello can still sound uncommonly angry, but he has outgrown the spitefullness of yore. | Certainly, we were seeing sides of Costello's complex personality that had never before been so publicly exposed. Simply, Costello seemed like a man who's finally come to terms with the perverse impulses that in the past threatened to engulf him. Demons appear to have been exorcised. Even on the opening night, when Elvis and The Attractions blazed through a Greatest Hits spectacular, the splenetic fury of his performance was unaffected by the sheer malignancy that used to so dramatically disfigure these songs. Costello can still sound uncommonly angry, but he has outgrown the spitefullness of yore. | ||
From such an overwhelming catalogue of incident, everyone will claim their own favourite memories. Mine are varied and extensive: a devastatingly poignant "Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head" on the opening night; the acoustic version of "Tokyo Storm Warning" — "a thug's eye view of the world" punctuated by droll, acidic commentaries; Cait and Elvis duetting briefly on "Wild Mountain Thyme"; the extensively re-written versions of "American Without Tears" and "The Deportees Club," the latter now a heartstopping ballad; the gut wrenching solo and group versions of "I Want You"; Costello's customised reading of the Psychedelic Furs' "Pretty In Pink" and The Attractions brutal overhaul of Prince's"Pop Life"; Elvis bursting into a snatch of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" during an unexpected revival of the venerable "Radio Sweetheart"; a harrowing "Riot Act" and a mind-bendingly epic "Clowntime Is Over"; the great Nick Lowe himself duetting with EC on "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" and then frugging wildly in the go-go cage as The Attractions brought the house down with a raucous "Twist And Shout" at the end of the Spinning Songbook night; the apocalyptic aural carnage of "Poor Napoleon" / "Instant Karma"; and, perhaps most touchingly of all, the heartfelt version of John Lennon's "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" that was fitted into "New Amsterdam" and which had my wife in tears. | From such an overwhelming catalogue of incident, everyone will claim their own favourite memories. Mine are varied and extensive: a devastatingly poignant "Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head" on the opening night; the acoustic version of "Tokyo Storm Warning" — "a thug's eye view of the world" punctuated by droll, acidic commentaries; Cait and Elvis duetting briefly on "Wild Mountain Thyme"; the extensively re-written versions of "American Without Tears" and "The Deportees Club," the latter now a heartstopping ballad; the gut wrenching solo and group versions of "I Want You"; Costello's customised reading of the Psychedelic Furs' "Pretty In Pink" and The Attractions brutal overhaul of Prince's "Pop Life"; Elvis bursting into a snatch of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" during an unexpected revival of the venerable "Radio Sweetheart"; a harrowing "Riot Act" and a mind-bendingly epic "Clowntime Is Over"; the great Nick Lowe himself duetting with EC on "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" and then frugging wildly in the go-go cage as The Attractions brought the house down with a raucous "Twist And Shout" at the end of the Spinning Songbook night; the apocalyptic aural carnage of "Poor Napoleon" / "Instant Karma"; and, perhaps most touchingly of all, the heartfelt version of John Lennon's "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" that was fitted into "New Amsterdam" and which had my wife in tears. | ||
For sure, these shows will be a hard act to follow. But come January, I'll be at the Albert Hall, watching these people proving again that they are simply beyond compare. | For sure, these shows will be a hard act to follow. But come January, I'll be at the Albert Hall, watching these people proving again that they are simply beyond compare. |
Revision as of 03:11, 10 May 2017
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