Duke University Chronicle, January 29, 1981: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> Elvis Costello explodes in Chapel Hill <br> for an hour and a half of skill and power | <center><h3> Elvis Costello explodes in Chapel Hill <br> for an hour and a half of skill and power </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Elaine Howard </center> | <center> Elaine Howard </center> | ||
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Elvis Costello socked the viewers in Chapel Hill's Carmichael Gym last Sunday with his highly vital and energizing style of rock 'n' roll. His performance was slick, slam-bang, to-the-point and utterly unique. | Elvis Costello socked the viewers in Chapel Hill's Carmichael Gym last Sunday with his highly vital and energizing style of rock 'n' roll. His performance was slick, slam-bang, to-the-point and utterly unique. | ||
Stone-faced and center stage, Costello looked like a cross between Buddy Holly and Henry Kissinger as he sported the infamous business suit, slim-Jim tie and horn-rimmed glasses. This audience got an unusual treat: Costello replaced his typical 45 minute set with 90 minutes of non-stop, breathless continuum. 22 songs were performed as well as two encores with three songs each. | Stone-faced and center stage, Costello looked like a cross between Buddy Holly and Henry Kissinger as he sported the infamous business suit, slim-Jim tie and horn-rimmed glasses. This audience got an unusual treat: Costello replaced his typical 45-minute set with 90 minutes of non-stop, breathless continuum. 22 songs were performed as well as two encores with three songs each. | ||
Elvis and his band the Attractions did not shirk: there were no gimmicks, no fancy stage tricks and no breaking of amps. They gave a serious show producing solid, confident and complex music with unbreaking concentration. The music contained a disciplined energy and controlled power; precision never gave way to the fast pace. | Elvis and his band the Attractions did not shirk: there were no gimmicks, no fancy stage tricks and no breaking of amps. They gave a serious show producing solid, confident and complex music with unbreaking concentration. The music contained a disciplined energy and controlled power; precision never gave way to the fast pace. | ||
Shaking his guitar with a psychic energy, Costello pounded the chords of his opening song "Beaten to the Punch." The crowd went crazy with "Accidents Will Happen," a tune in which keyboardist Steve Naive demonstrated the thundering power of the synthesizers. The first part of the concert seemed slower and sweeter than one would expect of Elvis. He sang " | Shaking his guitar with a psychic energy, Costello pounded the chords of his opening song "Beaten to the Punch." The crowd went crazy with "Accidents Will Happen," a tune in which keyboardist Steve Naive demonstrated the thundering power of the synthesizers. The first part of the concert seemed slower and sweeter than one would expect of Elvis. He sang "Alison," with a warmth and soulful sincerity professing the closeness he feels towards his words. One could see why he has called Linda Ronstadt's version of the song, "a pitiful misinterpretation." Subtley placed sexual innuendos amidst all of these opening songs, however, betrayed a classic Costello trick which is described by ''Village Voice'' as "...a sort of pretending-to-hold-back-till-I-really-let-you-have-it-baby control. | ||
Costello reaches out and snatches one's concentration; he won't let go until he puts his guitar down and walks offstage, as unruffled as he was at the start. He performed classic songs such as "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea," "Secondary Modern" and "Big Tears," all of which are jam-packed with highly complex lyrics. Even if one knows all the lyrics (they have never been published), they are impossible to follow in concert; this is of no consequence, because the lyrics become part of the power and complexity of the music itself. | Costello reaches out and snatches one's concentration; he won't let go until he puts his guitar down and walks offstage, as unruffled as he was at the start. He performed classic songs such as "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea," "Secondary Modern" and "Big Tears," all of which are jam-packed with highly complex lyrics. Even if one knows all the lyrics (they have never been published), they are impossible to follow in concert; this is of no consequence, because the lyrics become part of the power and complexity of the music itself. | ||
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Costello has the voice of the modern psyche. His front for disillusion is sarcasm. The steel-like polish of his music creates perfect accompaniment to his stories of empty lives, blank emotions and futile relationships. But Elvis still laughs at it all. He wants you to stand up and move; it is impossible not to. | Costello has the voice of the modern psyche. His front for disillusion is sarcasm. The steel-like polish of his music creates perfect accompaniment to his stories of empty lives, blank emotions and futile relationships. But Elvis still laughs at it all. He wants you to stand up and move; it is impossible not to. | ||
Costello exploded into the music world with the same sudden power as contained in his music. He sprung from anonymity to the top of the British album charts in a period of only six months. Elvis Costello (real name: Deklan McManus) was born in London and raised in working-class Liverpool. He played | Costello exploded into the music world with the same sudden power as contained in his music. He sprung from anonymity to the top of the British album charts in a period of only six months. Elvis Costello (real name: <!-- Deklan McManus --> Declan MacManus) was born in London and raised in working-class Liverpool. He played part-time in a London bluegrass band while working as a computer programmer in an Elizabeth Arden factory. | ||
After hawking a demo tape to every major British recording company without success, Costello formed his own small independent label called | After hawking a demo tape to every major British recording company without success, Costello formed his own small independent label called Stiff in March of 1977. His first single, "Less Than Zero," received critical applause but few sales. Stiff increased promotional backing for Costello's debut album, ''My Aim is True'', designed by producer/mentor Nick Lowe. Costello celebrated its release by getting arrested after playing an impromptu set outside the London Hilton Hotel for CBS record executives who were gathered there for the label's annual convention. Two weeks later at a London club appearance, more than one thousand Costello fans were turned away. | ||
Prince Charmless, a Costello nick name, is recognized as the first artist to bring large scale public attention to new wave and the first new waver to sell in the U.S. Elvis' music, however, is a force that defies category. His music is beyond all forms: it is a fusion of the past as well as a step ahead and to the side of the present mainstream. | Prince Charmless, a Costello nick name, is recognized as the first artist to bring large scale public attention to new wave and the first new waver to sell in the U.S. Elvis' music, however, is a force that defies category. His music is beyond all forms: it is a fusion of the past as well as a step ahead and to the side of the present mainstream. | ||
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Costello's talent is unrestrainable, and it spills out over everything with each confidant chord he plays and with each unique word combination he sings. He is an image seller, placing viewers in a daze with the dangerously honest complexity of his work. The 90 minutes on Sunday was a time warp of concentrated skill and power. Elvis Costello's depth of perception is untouchable. There are few steadfast conclusions that can be made about this man, because he would shoot them down immediately: | Costello's talent is unrestrainable, and it spills out over everything with each confidant chord he plays and with each unique word combination he sings. He is an image seller, placing viewers in a daze with the dangerously honest complexity of his work. The 90 minutes on Sunday was a time warp of concentrated skill and power. Elvis Costello's depth of perception is untouchable. There are few steadfast conclusions that can be made about this man, because he would shoot them down immediately: | ||
"What I choose to do is a matter | "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." | ||
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*[http://www.dukechronicle.com/ DukeChronicle.com] | *[http://www.dukechronicle.com/ DukeChronicle.com] | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicle_(Duke_University) Wikipedia: The Chronicle (Duke University)] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicle_(Duke_University) Wikipedia: The Chronicle (Duke University)] | ||
*[http://contentdm.lib.duke.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15957coll13/id/18493 | *[https://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/dukechronicle_dchnp22086/ library.duke.edu] | ||
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Revision as of 03:38, 26 January 2021
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