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Sunday night at the Palladium saw Elvis Costello transform from the bloke in specs to the fully-rounded entertainer, Mr Variety himself. It was the bloke in specs who hung-high the hordings of stark invective, but Mr Variety was always on hand to provide the Tarby links between "God's Comic" or Thatcher's heckler, "Alison"'s still-spurned lover or the pianoman, idly tickling "Almost Blue."
Spike, Costello's latest, came at a time when it was most required, and was liberally featured throughout this performance. "Tramp The Dirt Down," his sharpest-yet condemnation of Thatcher's creed, was bleak in its solo acoustic setting and stood as the finest moment of the two-hour-plus set. Other highlights included the inevitable moulding of songs into medley form. "New Amsterdam" book-ended various quotes and references, Beatles songs snuck in and out, Costello was enjoying himself.
His rambling was at times criminal, brickbats here for Mr Variety, stroking an audience ever ready to bellow "Oliver's Army" in various regional accents, always capable of over-keen laughter at their master's continuing tumble of asides and in-jokes. But given the premis of two hours solo, the show required this knockabout, almost demonically showbiz approach.
Good old boy Nick Lowe joined the proceedings for a spot of Everlys-like fun with "Indoor Fireworks" and "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love And Understanding," ABBA's "Knowing Me, Knowing You" stood as the finest cover and "Pump It Up" returned as a metallic overture suggesting its inception as the UK's first genuine rap song.
Costello close to his best, moving ever on. One simply can't ask that much more.
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