Toronto Sun, March 8, 1978: Difference between revisions

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Prince Charmless fashions event
{{Bibliography header}}
{{:Bibliography index}}
{{:Toronto Sun index}}
{{:Canada publications index}}
{{Bibliography article header}}
<center><h3> Prince Charmless fashions event </h3></center>
----
<center> Wilder Penfield III </center>
----
{{Bibliography text}}
<span style="font-size:92%">''"What I choose to do is a matter of life and death to me, but I don't choose to explain it. I'm more interested in undermining whatever impressions people have of me."'' — Elvis Costello. </span>


Wilder Penfield III,
Toronto Sun , March 1978


“What I choose to do is a matter of life and death to
Elvis Is Prince.
me, but I don’t choose to explain it. I’m more
 
interested in undermining whatever impressions people
Only one album to his credit, and a reputation for eccentricity, hostility and rock 'n' roll.
have of me.”
 
— Elvis Costello.
But the word was out: The Canadian debut of this odd little man would be an Event.
 
It has happened in other cities too — he crams a club where he might not exceed half a hall, and the media marvel.
 
Some of the people who saw him at the El Mocambo Monday night had been sluicing their innards with brew for 10 hours by the time he came on. Latecomers had been fighting frostbite outside from 4 p.m. when the downstairs bar reached capacity.
 
With such commitment on the part of the audience, how could an entertainer fail?
 
Sure enough, when he finally took the stage at 11:30, he was greeted by the sort of ovation that most performers have to sweat for.


Elvis Is Prince.
But this time he gave people more than any fan could reasonably have expected.


Only one album to his credit, and a reputation for
"Mystery Dance." "Waiting For The End Of The World." "Welcome To The Working Week." "Less Than Zero." Four favorites in a row from the album, propelled right out of the grooves into fresh immediacy.
eccentricity, hostility and rock’n’roll.


But the word was out: The Canadian debut of this odd
Then new songs. Twisted ditties destined for ''This Year's Model'', scheduled for release in May. He sang them gratingly, grippingly, spitting out surreal images, working himself into a spastic rage. And they were cheered as fervently as the "oldies." (Album Two is going to be a flame-thrower.)
little man would be an Event.


It has happened In other cities too — he crams a club
After 45 breathless minutes, the set was over. But most of those minutes had been much more memorable than at his New York debut not three months ago.
where he might not exceed half a hall, and the media
marvel.


Some of the people who saw him at the El Mocambo
In the interim Elvis seems to have discovered the Sixties. The taut rock 'n' roll basics of his Fifties sound were spiced with distilled psychedelia and flashes of progressive-rock theatre in the best marriage of decades past since Bruce Springsteen.
Monday night had been sluicing their innards with brew
for 10 hours by the time he came on. Latecomers had
been fighting frostbite outside from 4 p.m. when the
downstairs bar reached capacity.


With such commitment on the part of the ~audience, how
As well, the flat eccentricity of his New York performance has been turned into three-dimensional character. He's still Prince Charmless, unsmiling, obsessed, snarling at the audience to respond from a standing position. But he seemed to be sharing real pain instead of grinding out recollections of bitter words. And the discipline of the musicians (Bruce and Pete Thomas on bass and drums, Steve Naive on keyboards) was energized by his effort.
could an entertainer fail?


Sure enough, when he finally took the stage at 11:30,
Eventually the amplifiers were slammed into distort and the dynamics of the performance were crushed back into two dimensions, but the first half hour had been as exciting musically as any half hour in many months.
he was greeted by the sort of ovation that most
performers have to sweat for.


But this time he gave people more than any fan could
Then, after the crowd had raved for awhile, he induced a fellow named Nick Lowe to take over lead vocals and lead guitar for three encores. Most people seemed to find it an anticlimax (partly because of the continued distortion), but most people didn't remember that Nick Lowe is far more than just Elvis Costello's producer.
reasonably have expected.


Mystery Dance. Waiting For The End Of The World.
For years Lowe was a leading light of British cult band and pub-rock forerunner Brinsley Schwarz, and now he has a solo album out on Radar there called ''Jesus Of Cool'', which is receiving second-coming notices in the British popmags. (There will be a new Nick Lowe album called ''Pure Pop For Now People'' released in North America in a couple of months, presumably same rose, other name.)
Welcome To The Working Week. Less Than Zero. Four
favorites in a row from the album, propelled right out
of the grooves Into fresh immediacy.


Then new songs. Twisted ditties destined for This
Plans call for him to return to Toronto on a triple bill with Mink DeVille and Elvis Costello, possibly at Massey Hall, probably in [[Concert 1978-04-29 Toronto (early)|May]]. Stay tuned.
Year’s Model, scheduled for release in May. He sang
them gratingly, grippingly, spitting out surreal
images, working himself into a spastic rage. And they
were cheered as fervently as the ‘oldies’. (Album Two
ss going to be a flame-thrower.)


After 45 breathless minutes, the set was over. But
{{cx}}
moat of those minutes had been much more memorable
than at his New York debut not three months ago.


In the interim Elvis seems to have discovered the
{{Bibliography notes header}}
Sixties. The taut rock’n’roll basics of his Fifties
sound were spiced with distilled psychedelia and
flashes of progressive-rock theatre in the best
marriage of decades past since Bruce Springsteen.


{{Bibliography notes}}
'''Toronto Sun, March 8, 1978
----
[[Wilder Penfield III]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]] with [[Nick Lowe]], Monday, [[Concert 1978-03-06 Toronto|March 6, 1978]], El Mocambo, Toronto, Canada.


As well, the flat eccentricity of his New York
{{Bibliography no images}}
performance has been turned into three-dimensional
character. He’s still Prince Charmless, unsmiling,
obsessed, snarling at the audience to respond from a
standing position. But he seemed to be sharing real
pain instead of grinding out recollections of bitter
words. And the discipline of the musicians (Bruce and
Pete Thomas on bass and drums, Steve Naive on
keyboards) was energized by his effort.


Eventually the amplifiers were slammed into distort
{{Bibliography notes footer}}
and the dynamics of the performance were crushed back
into two dimensions, but the first half hour had been
as exciting musically as any half hour in many months.


Then, after the crowd had raved for awhile, he induced
{{Bibliography footer}}
a fellow named Nick Lowe to take over lead vocals and
lead guitar for three encores. Most people seemed to
find It an anticlimax (partly because of the continued
distortion), but most people didn’t remember that Nick
Lowe ss far more than just Elvis Costello’s producer.


For years Lowe was a leading light of British cult
==External links==
band and pub-rock forerunner [[Brinsley Schwarz]], and now
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Sun Wikipedia: Toronto Sun]
he has a solo album out on Radar there called Jesus Of
*[https://twitter.com/SlappyShalom/status/1175442293681262593 Twitter: Steve Cole]
Cool, which is receiving second-coming notices In the
British popmags. (There will be a new Nick Lowe album
called Pure Pop For Now People released in North
America In a couple of months, presumably same rose,
other name.)


Plans call for him to return to Toronto on a triple
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto Sun 1978-03-08}}
bill with Mink DeVille and Elvis Costello, possibly at
[[Category:Bibliography]]
Massey Hall, probably in May. Stay tuned.
[[Category:Bibliography 1978]]
[[Category:Toronto Sun| Toronto Sun 1978-03-08]]
[[Category:Newspaper articles]]
[[Category:1978 concert reviews]]
[[Category:2nd US Tour|~Toronto Sun 1978-03-08]]

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—
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Prince Charmless fashions event

Wilder Penfield III

"What I choose to do is a matter of life and death to me, but I don't choose to explain it. I'm more interested in undermining whatever impressions people have of me." — Elvis Costello.


Elvis Is Prince.

Only one album to his credit, and a reputation for eccentricity, hostility and rock 'n' roll.

But the word was out: The Canadian debut of this odd little man would be an Event.

It has happened in other cities too — he crams a club where he might not exceed half a hall, and the media marvel.

Some of the people who saw him at the El Mocambo Monday night had been sluicing their innards with brew for 10 hours by the time he came on. Latecomers had been fighting frostbite outside from 4 p.m. when the downstairs bar reached capacity.

With such commitment on the part of the audience, how could an entertainer fail?

Sure enough, when he finally took the stage at 11:30, he was greeted by the sort of ovation that most performers have to sweat for.

But this time he gave people more than any fan could reasonably have expected.

"Mystery Dance." "Waiting For The End Of The World." "Welcome To The Working Week." "Less Than Zero." Four favorites in a row from the album, propelled right out of the grooves into fresh immediacy.

Then new songs. Twisted ditties destined for This Year's Model, scheduled for release in May. He sang them gratingly, grippingly, spitting out surreal images, working himself into a spastic rage. And they were cheered as fervently as the "oldies." (Album Two is going to be a flame-thrower.)

After 45 breathless minutes, the set was over. But most of those minutes had been much more memorable than at his New York debut not three months ago.

In the interim Elvis seems to have discovered the Sixties. The taut rock 'n' roll basics of his Fifties sound were spiced with distilled psychedelia and flashes of progressive-rock theatre in the best marriage of decades past since Bruce Springsteen.

As well, the flat eccentricity of his New York performance has been turned into three-dimensional character. He's still Prince Charmless, unsmiling, obsessed, snarling at the audience to respond from a standing position. But he seemed to be sharing real pain instead of grinding out recollections of bitter words. And the discipline of the musicians (Bruce and Pete Thomas on bass and drums, Steve Naive on keyboards) was energized by his effort.

Eventually the amplifiers were slammed into distort and the dynamics of the performance were crushed back into two dimensions, but the first half hour had been as exciting musically as any half hour in many months.

Then, after the crowd had raved for awhile, he induced a fellow named Nick Lowe to take over lead vocals and lead guitar for three encores. Most people seemed to find it an anticlimax (partly because of the continued distortion), but most people didn't remember that Nick Lowe is far more than just Elvis Costello's producer.

For years Lowe was a leading light of British cult band and pub-rock forerunner Brinsley Schwarz, and now he has a solo album out on Radar there called Jesus Of Cool, which is receiving second-coming notices in the British popmags. (There will be a new Nick Lowe album called Pure Pop For Now People released in North America in a couple of months, presumably same rose, other name.)

Plans call for him to return to Toronto on a triple bill with Mink DeVille and Elvis Costello, possibly at Massey Hall, probably in May. Stay tuned.

-

Toronto Sun, March 8, 1978

Wilder Penfield III reviews Elvis Costello & The Attractions with Nick Lowe, Monday, March 6, 1978, El Mocambo, Toronto, Canada.

-


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