Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, November 2, 2019

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Elvis Costello's 'Just Trust' tour delivers on its
word, treating fans to favs and a few surprises


Amy Poulter

Elvis Costello is a force to be reckoned with. The 65-year-old proved that when he and his band, the Imposters, stopped in for a show on Friday night at The NorVa.

The pop-rock powerhouse has been writing music and performing for more than 40 years. He's on his second tour of 2019, impressive for any musician but slightly more so for Costello, who beat a cancer scare last year.

Named "Just Trust," the tour made a simple promise: Come out to the show and be treated with a collection of fan favorites.

Flanked by his bandmates and two backup singers, Costello was primed and personable. Part musician, part storyteller, Costello took the audience behind-the-lyrics before ripping into "Accidents Will Happen" from his 1979 album, Armed Forces.

He'd just begun touring in the United States in 1978 when his band stopped in Tucson, Arizona. They were pampered on the road, Costello joked, staying in classy establishments like Howard Johnson, a run-of-the-mill hotel chain.

"The luxury had gone straight to our heads," Costello quipped.

Costello had to take taxis around Tuscon, where he briefly fell for one of his cab drivers. Much like "Accident" lyrics relay, Costello said the attraction was "hit and run," fizzling out when he and the driver couldn't agree on a radio station for the ride.

He treated the sold-out venue to deep cuts and rarities, covering Nick Lowe's "Baby It's You" and throwing in "A Face in the Crowd," which is slated for use in an upcoming stage musical of the same name based on Budd Schulberg's story, Your Arkansas Traveler. That story was the basis for the 1957 film A Face in the Crowd, the political drama starring Andy Griffith.

"The musical is coming out next year," Costello told the crowd from behind a piano. "It's a lot like Mary Poppins, but with less killing."

He played another number from the musical's song list, the unreleased "Blood & Hot Sauce," asking the crowd if it was too late to announce his bid for candidacy before ripping into the politically-charged anthem.

Costello played for just a few minutes shy of two hours. The first half of the night was packed with down-tempo tracks that gave the crowd ample time to settle in and groove along.

The band, and the crowd, hit their stride about halfway through. The turning point came when the stage darkened and Costello was enshrined in hot-pink beams of light for "Watching the Detectives."

Some 42 years after the song was written, Costello still plays it with energy often reserved for newer material.

But he didn't soak up the spotlight alone. Costello frequently threw the attention to his bandmates, giving each their moment at center stage.

Overall, Costello's vocals are nearly identical to that of his earliest recordings. Even in the few moments his voice missed the mark, Costello didn't seem to care at all. He was there to have a good time and it showed.

The ever-popular ballad "Alison" was given a dramatic treatment. Costello had already pulled his back-up singers, Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee, up beside him, their voices mingling to near perfection and delighting fans, who were now singing along.

Costello agreed to play one more song after that, quickly launching into "Everyday I Write the Book."

But that wasn't enough for him or the crowd. He added "Pump It Up" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" before tipping his ever-present brimmed hat and walking off stage.

By night's end, Costello's "Just Trust" made good on its word.

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The Virginian-Pilot, November 2, 2019


Amy Poulter reviews Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee, Friday, November 1, 2019, The NorVa, Norfolk, Virginia.

Images

2019-11-02 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot photo 01 kz.jpg
Photos by Kristen Zeis.

2019-11-02 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot photo 02 kz.jpg


2019-11-02 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot photo 03 kz.jpg


2019-11-02 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot photo 04 kz.jpg


2019-11-02 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot photo 05 kz.jpg
Photos by Kristen Zeis.


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