Click here to see Elvis Costello: the one that I remember; the one who I watched play in small clubs all around New England and NYC during the 70’s. Elvis was angry. He was smart. He was a fantastic song writer and lyricist.
In the 80’s and 90’s, he morphed into a showman, a crooner, a Tony Bennett of our generation. But he still rocked. He was relevant.
Now he is a TV talk show host, a husband and a commentator on world events. He isn’t angry anymore.
A bunch of friends and I went to see Elvis Costello at Wolf Trap last night. I was disappointed sad to say. Every song he played sounded the same because his new band - which included an accordion, a mandolin, a fiddle - basically played the same melodies and beats for every song. I thought I was at a bluegrass show in Tennessee. There was neither electric guitar nor drums. His classic songs were unrecognizable to me. His voice was a bit hoarse. He barely gyrated when he sang. I didn’t get it. “Throw us a bone, Elvis” I shouted.
We got nothing.
I will remember the old Elvis, ”Watching the Detectives”; “Alison”; “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes”; “Pump It Up”. I was let down. I didn’t enjoy the new Elvis compared to David Byrne last weekend who embraced his past and extended it. Elvis took us in a new direction, one that I don’t understand. Elvis has left the building.
Tags: Elvis Costello, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take
wow…that is such a bummer, cause he was always the definition of cool
Totally agree. btw - if your are going to sneak into the show after it starts, you might want to loose the green sweater :>)
Bummer - same as the time I went to see Buddy Guy at 930 and all he did was play snippets of many, many songs. Totally unfullfilling.
I was at the NY Beacon show on Wednesday and thought it was an outstanding evening of music. The Wolf Trap setting may not have been quite as conducive to these songs as the Beacon or it may have been an off night (not to mention the fact that it was his third show in three days). FWIW “Alison” and “Red Shoes” were both on the NY setlist and were both outstanding.
Having said all that, people should really bother to listen to the new material and know in advance what to expect before they decide to spend their time and money on any concert. To me, there is nothing more depressing than watching an artist chug through a bunch of old hits to satisfy fans’ expectations. I saw EC do that a year and a half ago in Atlantic City and would not wish to experience it again.
With all respect, sir, this is a little unfair. The show you went to see was in support of his current record, a bluegrass-style concept album, so obviously he’s going to play with his band of very talented bluegrass musicians.
If you wanted a greatest-hits type gig, he still does those too– with his band The Imposters (basically the Attractions from the 70s but with a new bassist). He plays plenty of his old hits on those types of shows, and they’re just as fun and energetic as he was back in the day.
One of the great things about Elvis has always been his ability to embrace many different types of music and play them with the same zest and hunger with which he played “his own” brand of late-seventies new-wave power-pop.
[...] Ted Leonsis and Steve Case, among other folks, weren’t big fans of his new sound, but I enjoyed the show. [...]