Sometimes people are afraid of concerts. Even spectators. In the current Elvis Costello appearance for example. Finally, the Briton has presented with "Wise Up Ghost" Last year an album - recorded with the hip-hop group "The Roots" - shall we say was used to.
Fortunately, Costello has allowed the ghost stories back home. Instead, a tour de force across the career of the 60-year-old Declan Patrick MacManus. He was alone on the stage. The tea on the box evaporated, the five Gibson Collectibles shine in the spotlight.
To warm in the rather drafty Mainz Phoenix Halle Costello's song "45". Since half of the audience is still out there with beer and pretzels. But at least shortly thereafter engages Costello as the blond jazz guitar, is clear: It will be a special evening.
The Unforeseen governed. Costello joined the loop device. He can hold his guitar, play the melody, drauf packen New, Show, Hide - and play fresh on the resulting sound collage at the end and sing. It created a very unique snapshots - and Costello is obviously pleased, because he captures some of them really well during the evening.
Sometimes he sounds like he wants to provide the soundtrack to the dark crime series "True Detective". Earthy, deep in the Mississippi Delta. How necromancer in Louisiana.
He explores the extremes. MacManus is one of the great singer-songwriters of our time. End of the 70s he was the intellectual Angry Young punk with his band The Attractions. But Costello does: rock and roll, funk, blues. It can jazz, string quartet and piano ballad. Despite the versatility of his musical handwriting is distinctive.
But Costello is also a right geezer. You're used to the Panama hat and suit. Although that is quite impractical, because it threatens to sail from the head whenever Costello guitar changes and the shoulder strap over the head pulls - basically after each song. For this purpose, he chews gum incessantly and told bizarre stories from his family life. Of his wife, for example, the jazz musician Diana Krall that, while he is here on the stage, probably sitting at home in New York and cant brandy with her seven year old son.
That is nonsense, but fun. At the six saitern he takes his job seriously, however. Each evening concert should have been different, until shortly before the show decides Costello what he plays today. So the concept. And so it can react spontaneously. As the crowd tipped over a bottle of beer and clinking rolls across the floor, he philosophizes about this wonderful sound - and then plays "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down", a Country Classic by Merle Haggard.
His 1980 song "New Amsterdam" He mixes the Beatles - under classic "Norwegian Wood" and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" - a short bow. Three songs previously he had already played "Veronica" which was written in collaboration with the rather difficult Paul McCartney in the program, the end of the 80s.
There are some such magical moments. "Almost Blue" is dramatic, with "King Of America" Do's sometimes rattle correctly. During one of his experimental song collages handled Costello with a bullhorn and "Alison" again he sings without electronic amplification in the hall.
The biggest surprise, however, is Costello's opening act "Larkin Poe". Rebecca and Megan Lovell from Atlanta playing American roots rock. The one mainly on the mandolin, the other on the Lapsteel guitar. Even the 45 minutes to heat up were awesome. In the second half of his "solo show" Costello brings the young musicians - 25 and 23 years old - on stage.
And in the three great chemistry. Not only do they harmonize musically great - the clear voices of the girls put an exciting counterpoint to Costello's broken Genuschel. Also, the Elder between the duo seems pretty clear to feel comfortable. One has the impression that the three will not want to get off the stage. Together, they play the best songs of the evening, "Blame It On Cain", " Six Months in Kansas City" and "Brilliant Mistake" .
34 songs in one evening. Inspired, cleaned we stumble out of the hall. It's half past 12, just before the witching hour. But the fear of the "Wise Up Ghost" - long since sold.
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