New Orleans Times-Picayune, October 8, 1999: Difference between revisions

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Elvis Costello built his reputation as a song-writer, one of the most vital to emerge from late-70’s New Wave and punk. His compelling performance at the House of Blues Monday underscored that he’s as much a showman as he is a songwriter.
Elvis Costello built his reputation as a songwriter, one of the most vital to emerge from late-70's New Wave and punk. His compelling performance at the House of Blues Monday underscored that he's as much a showman as he is a songwriter.


Dressed in a black suit and leather shoes and accompanied only by Steve Nieve, the keyboardist from his backing band, the Attractions, Costello offered up a generous career overview, from his earliest albums to his recent collaboration with veteran popmeister Burt Bacharach. The show ran to nearly 2½ hours; given his rapturous reception in the sold-out room, he could have played all night.
Dressed in a black suit and leather shoes and accompanied only by Steve Nieve, the keyboardist from his backing band, the Attractions, Costello offered up a generous career overview, from his earliest albums to his recent collaboration with veteran popmeister Burt Bacharach. The show ran to nearly 2½ hours; given his rapturous reception in the sold-out room, he could have played all night.


His voice never faltered as he rasped as the anguished romantic or crooned like a Tony Bennett styled balladeer. He wielded acoustic and electric guitars with the style and grace of a matador with a cape. Such was his intensity that he seemed to have difficulty occupying his hands when they weren’t strumming a guitar; he generally kept his left hand thrust in his pocket, and clasped his right to the microphone stand.
His voice never faltered as he rasped as the anguished romantic or crooned like a Tony Bennett styled balladeer. He wielded acoustic and electric guitars with the style and grace of a matador with a cape. Such was his intensity that he seemed to have difficulty occupying his hands when they weren't strumming a guitar; he generally kept his left hand thrust in his pocket, and clasped his right to the microphone stand.


Costello’s writing can sometimes be a bit cluttered, and his show bogged down briefly during a long stretch of such material. But soon enough he was back on track. The spartan retooling of "Watching the Detectives" was a revelation. Costello sliced off concise, dirty chords on an electric as Nieve karate-chopped the upper register piano keys, before finally slamming the piano shut. The longing of "Alison" and "Veronica" burned through. The audience matched his intensity by shouting back the chorus of the rousing "Pump It Up."
Costello's writing can sometimes be a bit cluttered, and his show bogged down briefly during a long stretch of such material. But soon enough he was back on track. The spartan retooling of "Watching the Detectives" was a revelation. Costello sliced off concise, dirty chords on an electric as Nieve karate-chopped the upper register piano keys, before finally slamming the piano shut. The longing of "Alison" and "Veronica" burned through. The audience matched his intensity by shouting back the chorus of the rousing "Pump It Up."


That Costello is still passionate about material written 20 years ago made his set especially immediate. After four encores, he finally asked for and received quiet so that he could sing directly to the audience, without the microphone. He briefly pantomimed trombone and sax parts for levity, but mostly laid himself bare in a direct, naked communication with his listeners. It was an intimate finale to a very special performance.
That Costello is still passionate about material written 20 years ago made his set especially immediate. After four encores, he finally asked for and received quiet so that he could sing directly to the audience, without the microphone. He briefly pantomimed trombone and sax parts for levity, but mostly laid himself bare in a direct, naked communication with his listeners. It was an intimate finale to a very special performance.


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{{tags}}[[Concert 1999-10-04 New Orleans|House of Blues]] {{-}} [[New Orleans]] {{-}} [[LA|Louisiana]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve]] {{-}} [[Painted From Memory]] {{-}} [[Burt Bacharach]] {{-}} [[Watching The Detectives]] {{-}} [[Alison]] {{-}} [[Veronica]] {{-}} [[Pump It Up]] {{-}} [[Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Tony Bennett]]
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[[Keith Spera]] reviews Elvis Costello with [[Steve Nieve]], Monday, [[Concert 1999-10-04 New Orleans|October 4, 1999]], House of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana.
[[Keith Spera]] reviews Elvis Costello with [[Steve Nieve]], Monday, [[Concert 1999-10-04 New Orleans|October 4, 1999]], House of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana.


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Costello the main attraction


Keith Spera

Elvis Costello built his reputation as a songwriter, one of the most vital to emerge from late-70's New Wave and punk. His compelling performance at the House of Blues Monday underscored that he's as much a showman as he is a songwriter.

Dressed in a black suit and leather shoes and accompanied only by Steve Nieve, the keyboardist from his backing band, the Attractions, Costello offered up a generous career overview, from his earliest albums to his recent collaboration with veteran popmeister Burt Bacharach. The show ran to nearly 2½ hours; given his rapturous reception in the sold-out room, he could have played all night.

His voice never faltered as he rasped as the anguished romantic or crooned like a Tony Bennett styled balladeer. He wielded acoustic and electric guitars with the style and grace of a matador with a cape. Such was his intensity that he seemed to have difficulty occupying his hands when they weren't strumming a guitar; he generally kept his left hand thrust in his pocket, and clasped his right to the microphone stand.

Costello's writing can sometimes be a bit cluttered, and his show bogged down briefly during a long stretch of such material. But soon enough he was back on track. The spartan retooling of "Watching the Detectives" was a revelation. Costello sliced off concise, dirty chords on an electric as Nieve karate-chopped the upper register piano keys, before finally slamming the piano shut. The longing of "Alison" and "Veronica" burned through. The audience matched his intensity by shouting back the chorus of the rousing "Pump It Up."

That Costello is still passionate about material written 20 years ago made his set especially immediate. After four encores, he finally asked for and received quiet so that he could sing directly to the audience, without the microphone. He briefly pantomimed trombone and sax parts for levity, but mostly laid himself bare in a direct, naked communication with his listeners. It was an intimate finale to a very special performance.


Tags: House of BluesNew OrleansLouisianaSteve NievePainted From MemoryBurt BacharachWatching The DetectivesAlisonVeronicaPump It UpCouldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4The AttractionsTony Bennett

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The Times-Picayune, October 8, 1999


Keith Spera reviews Elvis Costello with Steve Nieve, Monday, October 4, 1999, House of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Images

1999-10-08 New Orleans Times-Picayune, Lagniappe page 11 clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

Page scan.
1999-10-08 New Orleans Times-Picayune, Lagniappe page 11.jpg

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