Conrad DoucetteSaw the mildly odd bill of Daryl Hall and also Elvis Costello and the Imposters last night at Radio City. A co-headline show, but Daryl Hall was/is playing second, which is prob the way to go for the more casual fans Hall will draw. (1/x)
Elvis Costello has been a musical hero of mine since childhood; I've seen him for decades (first time was Mighty Like a Rose tour summer ’91, Kingswood Music Theatre at Canada's Wonderland - the Replacements opened!). He and the Imposters/Attractions are continually fascinating and entertaining, and as a bonus, the band has included special guest Charlie Sexton for the past couple of years. (2/x)
Last night’s set opened with two major hits (Pump It Up, Watching the Detectives), and closed with three more (Alison, Chelsea, Peace Love and Understanding). In the middle were longtime favorites like Green Shirt and Indoor Fireworks, a reworked shuffle version of Mystery Dance, and a superb version of Clubland, as well minor gems from the EC ‘solo’ canon and longtime preferred covers, like Mose Allison’s Everybody’s Crying Mercy. (3/x)
As usual, Elvis’s banter was engaging, and he remarked on having first played Radio City in 1984, and also how he sat in with Furthur at Radio City (that would be 3/27/11) and how his partner Diana Krall did too, with Elvis specifically mentioning her singing Fever and Ripple.
A note on Elvis’s voice, which seems to be evolving into an even more unique and eccentric instrument. It’s aging well, like Dylan’s. (4/x)
As for voices (Voices), sadly Daryl Hall struggled all evening, as he seems to have for some of this tour. His type of gorgeous and smooth voice won’t age as well as EC’s. Also he endured sound issues throughout the evening, including monitors (apparent from hand signals to side stage over multiple numbers) and a persistent feedback issue that kept me on edge. But the setlist was packed with hits, and I loved hearing Everytime You Go Away, which really is one of my all time faves. (5/x)
Anyway nothing like picking up cheap last minute tickets to see one of your favorites, as well as another music giant, in a gorgeous room. Recommended! (6/6).
Check out the reference page for my first Elvis show, 6/13/91 at the Kingswood Music Theatre at Canada's Wonderland just off the 400 north of Toronto, from the great fansite elviscostello.info. Band included Marc Ribot (!), Jerry Scheff (!), and Larry Knechtel (!).
Replacements setlist contained therein, too!
https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=Concert_1991-06-13_Toronto