UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus, June 5, 1978: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> UCSB finds out who and how good Elvis is </h3></center> | <center><h3> UCSB finds out who and how good Elvis is </h3></center> | ||
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If you had asked anyone in Santa Barbara eight months ago who Elvis Costello was, you would have received a blank stare for your effort. It's not that we're all that behind the times here. Last September Elvis Costello's record company didn't know who Elvis Costello was. The events that have followed 23-year-old Declan Patrick | If you had asked anyone in Santa Barbara eight months ago who Elvis Costello was, you would have received a blank stare for your effort. It's not that we're all that behind the times here. Last September Elvis Costello's record company didn't know who Elvis Costello was. The events that have followed 23-year-old Declan Patrick MacManus since recording his first album last year for $3,500 are truly the stuff rock legends are made of. His powerful, and puzzling, performance at Rob Gym Friday was no exception. | ||
No one at Rob Gym really knew what to expect from their $6.50 admission fee. Not only has the New Wave — that back-to-roots rock movement most critics connect Costello with — usually skipped Santa Barbara in its West Coast visits | No one at Rob Gym really knew what to expect from their $6.50 admission fee. Not only has the New Wave — that back-to-roots rock movement most critics connect Costello with — usually skipped Santa Barbara in its West Coast visits; there were sketchy news accounts coming from Costello's L.A. concerts describing some rather erratic onstage behavior. The group had been miffed by a bad sound mix and there had been some instrument smashing and an abbreviated forty minute set. | ||
Although Costello's record and media promotion have sought to portray an artist rather than a punk, the reports, coupled with Friday's two hour late start, had some wondering if they might have paid to see a spoiled prima donna. They didn't. Instead, Costello and his group, the Attractions, ended up treating the two-thirds capacity gym to an hour and ten minutes of some of the most gutsy and progressive rock it will ever likely hear. | Although Costello's record and media promotion have sought to portray an artist rather than a punk, the reports, coupled with Friday's two hour late start, had some wondering if they might have paid to see a spoiled prima donna. They didn't. Instead, Costello and his group, the Attractions, ended up treating the two-thirds capacity gym to an hour and ten minutes of some of the most gutsy and progressive rock it will ever likely hear. | ||
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The music Friday was similarly undressed. The whole line-up consisted of bass, drums, a barely audible organ and Elvis' rhythm guitar. Despite a rather muddy mix, the sound suggested a savvy for the intricacies of rock not usually associated with New Wave "minimalists" (make that two old cliches). | The music Friday was similarly undressed. The whole line-up consisted of bass, drums, a barely audible organ and Elvis' rhythm guitar. Despite a rather muddy mix, the sound suggested a savvy for the intricacies of rock not usually associated with New Wave "minimalists" (make that two old cliches). | ||
For one thing, the music never stopped. Instead of finishing songs Elvis would walk back towards drummer Pete Thomas and work out a segue into the next number. By sacrificing the | For one thing, the music never stopped. Instead of finishing songs Elvis would walk back towards drummer Pete Thomas and work out a segue into the next number. By sacrificing the between-song applause, Elvis kept the pace set at a fever pitch. Though Thomas gave the songs their kick and movement, he has to share credit for the smooth transitions. Elvis wrote all the songs played and the fact that some of them ("Lipstick Vogue" into “Watching the Detectives") fit like a puzzle is a tribute to his craftsmanship. | ||
between-song applause, Elvis kept the pace set at a fever pitch. Though Thomas gave the songs their kick and movement, he has to share credit for the smooth transitions. Elvis wrote all the songs played and the fact that some of them ("Lipstick Vogue" into “Watching the Detectives") fit like a puzzle is a tribute to his craftsmanship. | |||
As said before, Elvis was surprisingly progressive. Most New Wave bands dispense with musicianship as just so much excess “polish." Elvis, however, is an experimental type. There were a few short moments Friday where, if I’d closed my eyes, I could have been at a Pink Floyd concert. Though his guitar playing is crude even by rock standards, Elvis made up in imagination what he lacked in technique. “Detectives,” a haunting tale of a love homicide, had an intro that could have come from a sixties' spy movie. | As said before, Elvis was surprisingly progressive. Most New Wave bands dispense with musicianship as just so much excess “polish." Elvis, however, is an experimental type. There were a few short moments Friday where, if I’d closed my eyes, I could have been at a Pink Floyd concert. Though his guitar playing is crude even by rock standards, Elvis made up in imagination what he lacked in technique. “Detectives,” a haunting tale of a love homicide, had an intro that could have come from a sixties' spy movie. | ||
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'''Daily Nexus, June 5, 1978 | '''Daily Nexus, June 5, 1978 | ||
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[[Mike Pullen]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]] with opening act [[Mink DeVille]], Friday, [[Concert 1978-06-02 Santa Barbara|June 2, 1978]], Robertson Gym, University Of California, Santa Barbara | [[Mike Pullen]] reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]] with opening act [[Mink DeVille]], Friday, [[Concert 1978-06-02 Santa Barbara|June 2, 1978]], Robertson Gym, University Of California, Santa Barbara. | ||
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[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 08 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 08 clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | ||
<br><small>Clippings.</small> | <br><small>Clippings.</small> | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 10 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 10 clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | ||
<small>Photos by [[Karl Mondon]].</small><br> | <small>Photos by [[Karl Mondon]].</small><br> | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 01 km.jpg| | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 01 km.jpg|380px]] | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 02 km.jpg| | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 02 km.jpg|380px]] | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 03 km.jpg| | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 03 km.jpg|380px]] | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 04 km.jpg| | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus photo 04 km.jpg|380px]] | ||
<br><small>Photos by [[Karl Mondon]].</small> | <br><small>Photos by [[Karl Mondon]].</small> | ||
<small>Page scans and clipping.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 08.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 08.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 10.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 10.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 11.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 11.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
[[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 11 clipping 01.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1978-06-05 UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus page 11 clipping 01.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Latest revision as of 14:57, 18 December 2020
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