Rolling Stone, February 18, 1982: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Costello cheery, generous at three U.S. shows. </h3></center> | <center><h3> Costello cheery, generous at three U.S. shows. </h3></center> | ||
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NEW YORK CITY - with his forty-minute, -pissed-as-hell concerts of yore now only a distant memory, an energetic and downright genial Elvis Costello played three dates on a hit-and-run tour of the U.S. around the turn of the new year. Those who flocked to see Costello's sets in Los Angeles (an 18,000-seat sellout) and Nashville (only 3000 at the 4000-capacity Opryland) saw the bespectacled singer/songwriter/guitarist dish out generous two-and-a-half-hour performances that were his finest to date, with the Attractions — occasionally augmented by Doobie Brother John McFee on guitar — providing their typically ferocious instrumental backing. | NEW YORK CITY - with his forty-minute, -pissed-as-hell concerts of yore now only a distant memory, an energetic and downright genial Elvis Costello played three dates on a hit-and-run tour of the U.S. around the turn of the new year. Those who flocked to see Costello's sets in Los Angeles (an 18,000-seat sellout) and Nashville (only 3000 at the 4000-capacity Opryland) saw the bespectacled singer/songwriter/guitarist dish out generous two-and-a-half-hour performances that were his finest to date, with the Attractions — occasionally augmented by Doobie Brother John McFee on guitar — providing their typically ferocious instrumental backing. | ||
Most outstanding — and expensive — of Costello's three stateside gigs, however, was his New Year's Eve show at the Palladium, a 3000-seat hall in New York City. Patrons who coughed up about thirty dollars a ticket ($19.82 for the cheap seats) saw Elvis and the band hit the stage at 10:30 and rip through spirited, if rushed, renditions of "Accidents Will Happen," "Radio Radio," "Watching the | Most outstanding — and expensive — of Costello's three stateside gigs, however, was his New Year's Eve show at the Palladium, a 3000-seat hall in New York City. Patrons who coughed up about thirty dollars a ticket ($19.82 for the cheap seats) saw Elvis and the band hit the stage at 10:30 and rip through spirited, if rushed, renditions of "Accidents Will Happen," "Radio Radio," "Watching the Detectives" and a few of their other better-known songs. After about thirty minutes, Costello brought on McFee (a former member of Clover, the band that backed Elvis on ''My Aim Is True'') and began the part of the program that seemed closest to his heart: the country standards from his latest LP, ''Almost Blue''. | ||
The sparer arrangements suited the live setting, and Costello's sensitive phrasings compensated almost totally for his lack of a traditionally "beautiful" voice. But songs principally located toward the lower end of his vocal register, such as "A Good Year for the Roses," were swallowed up in the sound system, and his voice emerged only as an indistinct, if pleasant, rumble. Still, "How Much I Lied" and "Sweet Dreams" were indeed gorgeous, and the audience response was enthusiastic. The band left the stage to a standing ovation, and a cheery Costello promised to return. | The sparer arrangements suited the live setting, and Costello's sensitive phrasings compensated almost totally for his lack of a traditionally "beautiful" voice. But songs principally located toward the lower end of his vocal register, such as "A Good Year for the Roses," were swallowed up in the sound system, and his voice emerged only as an indistinct, if pleasant, rumble. Still, "How Much I Lied" and "Sweet Dreams" were indeed gorgeous, and the audience response was enthusiastic. The band left the stage to a standing ovation, and a cheery Costello promised to return. |
Revision as of 06:18, 6 October 2013
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