from billboard...
Elvis Costello is giving his fans more than a new album this month. The singer-songwriter will perform two free shows at indie retailer Amoeba Music in San Francisco and Hollywood, Cal. on June 22 to celebrate the launch of his new album "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane," released last week on Here Music. The Amoeba gigs - at Noon in San Francisco and at 8:00 p.m. in L.A. - will occur between Costello's tour dates with his current band the Sugarcanes and follow a secret show the artist did in New York on the day of his album’s release.
In addition to his in-store performances, Costello will sign copies of his new album for fans and a commemorative silkscreened poster will be given away with each album purchased.
The L.A. performance will stream live on amoeba.com, and both performances will be archived for later viewing.
"Secret, Profane & Sugarcane" was produced by T-Bone Burnett and features Americana-style folk songs as well as four tracks from "The Secret Songs," a chamber opera commissioned by the Royal Danish Opera.
"I started out with songs I felt we could achieve very easily," Costello told Billboard.com in May. "I started out with songs I felt we could achieve very easily. The vividness of those recordings suprised me, and emboldened by them getting into the can pretty quickly...I was able to try these other songs that were a little more intricate. And the ease with which these musicians expressed them allowed me to really sing them and really tell the stories." The album is expected to debut in the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 chart tomorrow.
Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
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bronxapostle
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Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
thanks FAVE DAVE!!!
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
http://elviscostello.com/
On Monday, June 22, Elvis Costello will celebrate the release of his new album Secret, Profane &Sugarcane (Hear Music) by performing in-store shows at Amoeba's SF and Hollywood locations. Costello will kick off his one day “Amoeba Music Tour” at Noon PT with a performance at Amoeba San Francisco, then flies south for a performance at 8pm PT at Amoeba Hollywood. At each stop Costello will not only perform, but also sign copies of the new CD for fans. Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Jim Lauderdale will accompany Costello for each of these acoustic sets.
Amoeba will stream the Hollywood in-store on amoeba.com live at 8pm PT, and Amoeba Music's A.V. team will be hitting the road with Costello to document his one day performance marathon, with both performances posted on amoeba.com for viewing after the in-stores. A special commemorative silkscreened poster will be made for the event and given away with purchase of the Secret, Profane &Sugarcane CD on the day of the performances (while they last).
On Monday, June 22, Elvis Costello will celebrate the release of his new album Secret, Profane &Sugarcane (Hear Music) by performing in-store shows at Amoeba's SF and Hollywood locations. Costello will kick off his one day “Amoeba Music Tour” at Noon PT with a performance at Amoeba San Francisco, then flies south for a performance at 8pm PT at Amoeba Hollywood. At each stop Costello will not only perform, but also sign copies of the new CD for fans. Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Jim Lauderdale will accompany Costello for each of these acoustic sets.
Amoeba will stream the Hollywood in-store on amoeba.com live at 8pm PT, and Amoeba Music's A.V. team will be hitting the road with Costello to document his one day performance marathon, with both performances posted on amoeba.com for viewing after the in-stores. A special commemorative silkscreened poster will be made for the event and given away with purchase of the Secret, Profane &Sugarcane CD on the day of the performances (while they last).
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/200 ... stello.php
This Afternoon: Elvis Costello at Amoeba
By Jennifer Maerz
Monday, Jun. 22 2009 @ 2:43PM
Elvis Costello and Jim Lauderdale
Monday, June 22, 2009
Amoeba Music
Better than: Concerts you have to pay for.
Sure, it's finally feeling like summer in San Francisco today, but a good couple hundred people skipped work this morning for more reasons than just working on their tan. The line that stretched down to the McDonald's from Amoeba's doorway around 9:30 a.m. told of another rare visitor in the city today besides the sun: Elvis Costello was in town. Not only that, but he was here to play a free noontime show at the Haight St. record store. The concert was part of his one-day California tour (he plays the Hollywood Amoeba this evening), and we got to hear him first--before both Southern California and the hordes of autograph seekers got to him.
Despite the non-rock n roll hour and the bright retail lighting, Costello took the stage in high spirits. He joked to the crowd that his father once told him, "Someday son, your name could be in lights. You may even play the Amoeba store." Even with the quip, though, Costello's performance came off as a show, not shilling--although he was quite obviously there to help sell a new record. He offered a full 40 minutes of acoustic material off his latest, Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. The new release is Costello's current stab at old timey/country music, and to help bring that point home, he had with him on stage a mandolin player (Mike Compton, in denim overalls) and an accordion player, as well as his main cohort, Jim Lauderdale on backing vocals and guitar.
Secret is a storytelling album, and with the instrumentation stripped even further back from the record, you were able to revel in the scoundrels Costello has committed to song. There was "Red Cotton," the tale of P.T. Barnum looking back over his life, "thinking about the things he did to make a buck," as the songwriter explained. And another ditty he performed was about a "reprehensible character who always has his hands where they shouldn't be--in your purse or in your back pocket." He also played "Down Among the Wine and Spirits," a "cautionary tale from the world of show business." As if to prove he was on the righteous road of entertaining, Costello invited the crowd to fill in the caution-tape blocked off rows in front of him. Fans eagerly complied, flowing into the spaces by the stage with their cameras aloft. Standing in the "psych-prog" aisle, you were so close as to almost see Costello's eyes behind his gold-rimmed sunglasses, and you could faintly smell the scent of sweat and aftershave as the singer wiped his face of perspiration between songs.
Although this was a freebie instore, Costello played a solid 40-minute set. Most of the material came off Secret, but he threw the crowd a bone with a new song that'll be on the next record he releases. That tune was a catchy little ghost story, with demented imagery of children being warned to say their prayers, firing squads, and a madman's "cold hearted cackle" visiting you through your dreams.
Even for that song, though, there was nothing threatening about Costello's set. The musicians sharing the stage looked just as pleased to be there as the main attraction, and the crowd stood in a hushed, polite awe except for a single shout of "Elvis!" and random, albeit quieter, yelps of loyalty. For all their fervent fandom in clapping and hooting at the beginning and the end of the show, when their idol asked the audience to sing along, the response was barely audible, his fans (who ranged from bleached-haired punks to parents and their grade school kids to balding older men) mostly staring at him with happy grins on their faces. This was the very non-witching lunchtime hour, and they were there for the intimate performance, a chance to focus on Costello--and perhaps get his signature on a CD later--not on their crazed, outspoken reactions to his songs.
http://www.spinner.com/2009/06/22/elvis ... store-gig/
Elvis Costello Performs New Song at Record Store Gig
Posted by Benjy Eisen on Jun 22nd 2009 5:30PM
If the idea of Elvis Costello walking into a record store sounds a little bit like a dodo flying into a dinosaur, well, it's easy to see why. But that clearly was not the case at noon today when Costello performed a 40-minute set San Francisco's Amoeba Records to a packed house of 1,000 potential record buyers.
Costello and several accompanists (including the formidable singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale) ran through a variety of tunes from his cache -- even reaching as far back as 1977's 'Blame it on Cain' -- although, of course, he focused on his new album 'Secret, Profane & Sugarcane,' which he was there to promote.
Midway through the set, Costello announced that he was going to treat the crowd to a brand new song, 'Condemned Man,' which he plans to record for his next album. "You have to come to a record store to hear this one," joked Costello. "That's a good reason to go to Amoeba Records -- you can walk in and hear a song you never heard before."
Costello did a quick autograph signing before catching a flight to LA for his second "in-store" in the same day. He's scheduled to perform at Amoeba Records in Hollywood tonight at 8 PM PST (You can watch the live stream here).
http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/perfor ... rtist.html
Amoeba bills itself as "the world's largest independent record store" and the one in San Francisco, located in the famous Haight-Ashbury district, is housed in an old bowling alley. With 1,000 fans lining the aisles and leaning over bins, we haven't seen this many people in a record store since before Christmas -- the year iPods were first released.
This Afternoon: Elvis Costello at Amoeba
By Jennifer Maerz
Monday, Jun. 22 2009 @ 2:43PM
Elvis Costello and Jim Lauderdale
Monday, June 22, 2009
Amoeba Music
Better than: Concerts you have to pay for.
Sure, it's finally feeling like summer in San Francisco today, but a good couple hundred people skipped work this morning for more reasons than just working on their tan. The line that stretched down to the McDonald's from Amoeba's doorway around 9:30 a.m. told of another rare visitor in the city today besides the sun: Elvis Costello was in town. Not only that, but he was here to play a free noontime show at the Haight St. record store. The concert was part of his one-day California tour (he plays the Hollywood Amoeba this evening), and we got to hear him first--before both Southern California and the hordes of autograph seekers got to him.
Despite the non-rock n roll hour and the bright retail lighting, Costello took the stage in high spirits. He joked to the crowd that his father once told him, "Someday son, your name could be in lights. You may even play the Amoeba store." Even with the quip, though, Costello's performance came off as a show, not shilling--although he was quite obviously there to help sell a new record. He offered a full 40 minutes of acoustic material off his latest, Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. The new release is Costello's current stab at old timey/country music, and to help bring that point home, he had with him on stage a mandolin player (Mike Compton, in denim overalls) and an accordion player, as well as his main cohort, Jim Lauderdale on backing vocals and guitar.
Secret is a storytelling album, and with the instrumentation stripped even further back from the record, you were able to revel in the scoundrels Costello has committed to song. There was "Red Cotton," the tale of P.T. Barnum looking back over his life, "thinking about the things he did to make a buck," as the songwriter explained. And another ditty he performed was about a "reprehensible character who always has his hands where they shouldn't be--in your purse or in your back pocket." He also played "Down Among the Wine and Spirits," a "cautionary tale from the world of show business." As if to prove he was on the righteous road of entertaining, Costello invited the crowd to fill in the caution-tape blocked off rows in front of him. Fans eagerly complied, flowing into the spaces by the stage with their cameras aloft. Standing in the "psych-prog" aisle, you were so close as to almost see Costello's eyes behind his gold-rimmed sunglasses, and you could faintly smell the scent of sweat and aftershave as the singer wiped his face of perspiration between songs.
Although this was a freebie instore, Costello played a solid 40-minute set. Most of the material came off Secret, but he threw the crowd a bone with a new song that'll be on the next record he releases. That tune was a catchy little ghost story, with demented imagery of children being warned to say their prayers, firing squads, and a madman's "cold hearted cackle" visiting you through your dreams.
Even for that song, though, there was nothing threatening about Costello's set. The musicians sharing the stage looked just as pleased to be there as the main attraction, and the crowd stood in a hushed, polite awe except for a single shout of "Elvis!" and random, albeit quieter, yelps of loyalty. For all their fervent fandom in clapping and hooting at the beginning and the end of the show, when their idol asked the audience to sing along, the response was barely audible, his fans (who ranged from bleached-haired punks to parents and their grade school kids to balding older men) mostly staring at him with happy grins on their faces. This was the very non-witching lunchtime hour, and they were there for the intimate performance, a chance to focus on Costello--and perhaps get his signature on a CD later--not on their crazed, outspoken reactions to his songs.
http://www.spinner.com/2009/06/22/elvis ... store-gig/
Elvis Costello Performs New Song at Record Store Gig
Posted by Benjy Eisen on Jun 22nd 2009 5:30PM
If the idea of Elvis Costello walking into a record store sounds a little bit like a dodo flying into a dinosaur, well, it's easy to see why. But that clearly was not the case at noon today when Costello performed a 40-minute set San Francisco's Amoeba Records to a packed house of 1,000 potential record buyers.
Costello and several accompanists (including the formidable singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale) ran through a variety of tunes from his cache -- even reaching as far back as 1977's 'Blame it on Cain' -- although, of course, he focused on his new album 'Secret, Profane & Sugarcane,' which he was there to promote.
Midway through the set, Costello announced that he was going to treat the crowd to a brand new song, 'Condemned Man,' which he plans to record for his next album. "You have to come to a record store to hear this one," joked Costello. "That's a good reason to go to Amoeba Records -- you can walk in and hear a song you never heard before."
Costello did a quick autograph signing before catching a flight to LA for his second "in-store" in the same day. He's scheduled to perform at Amoeba Records in Hollywood tonight at 8 PM PST (You can watch the live stream here).
http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/perfor ... rtist.html
Amoeba bills itself as "the world's largest independent record store" and the one in San Francisco, located in the famous Haight-Ashbury district, is housed in an old bowling alley. With 1,000 fans lining the aisles and leaning over bins, we haven't seen this many people in a record store since before Christmas -- the year iPods were first released.
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
The entire LA webcast is now availalbe on the Amoeba website for viewing at your leisure...
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_b ... ywood.html
Live: Elvis Costello at Amoeba Music in Hollywood
10:45 PM PT, Jun 22 2009
--Ann Powers
"You have to come out to a record shop to hear a brand-new song," said Elvis Costello, raising an eyebrow and offering up an unreleased gem midway through his set at Amoeba Music in Hollywood Monday night. The statement was patently false -- Costello's performance was streamed live on Amoeba's website -- but it suited the evening's mood and the rock raconteur's new persona.
Costello is promoting "Secrets, Profane and Sugarcane," a new album produced by the country-esque auteur T Bone Burnett and flavored with several varieties of Americana seasoning. This show's instrumentation -- he played acoustic guitar, joined by Jim Lauderdale on the same instrument and Mike Compton on mandolin -- spoke of Nashville, but the songs, as well as their singer's purple flim-flam-man costume and pencil-thin mustache, spoke of other locales and eras, from the antebellum Deep South to P.T. Barnum's Eastern Seaboard and beyond.
This stop was part of a classic stunt of which Barnum would have approved. At noon, Costello played at the Amoeba outlet in San Francisco. Then he and his mates hopped a plane for the night's gig in L.A.
The sets were reportedly very similar, with Southland fans getting a little added value: an extra new number at the encore, mixed in with a few verses of the Buddy Holly classic "Not Fade Away."
Of the fresh compositions, the first was a gallows tale that crossed the darkness of Johnny Cash with the narrative flair of Marty Robbins, very much in his current mode, while the second hinted at a future return to the spit-flinging rock he's made with his bands, the Attractions and the Imposters.
There was a Grateful Dead cover too, a raucous bluegrass version of "A Friend of the Devil." And Costello gave one nod to his loyalists with a swinging, bluesy reworking of his 1977 song "Blame It on Cain."
Mostly Costello highlighted the "Sugarcane" material, which reflects his love of the historical from several perspectives. "Red Cotton" was a dramatically rendered parlor tale of slavery and moral decay. "My All Time Doll" slinked along like a tune at last call in a smoky nightclub. The heartfelt (if slightly off-key) "Crooked Line," which he co-wrote with Burnett, is "the only true love song I've ever written where I didn't leave myself an escape hatch in the third verse."
Compton provided instrumental sparkle with his quick picking and bouncy runs, while Lauderdale stayed in a supporting role, giving fans of his own distinguished country career only one brief vocal, on "A Friend of the Devil."
Costello clearly relished his ringleader position. He told some jokes, held up a pair of pink "Ypsilanti Panties" he'd acquired at the noon show (a reference to a line in "Sugarcane's" title track), and tipped his fedora with a smile that suited the shady character he's now playing.
He also paid tribute to the beauty of the record store that hosted him -- one of the few major shrines to "physical product" left in the U.S.
"I like the way you're arranged in straight lines, you're all in alphabetical order," he said to the fans cramming the store's aisles. "I see a few new releases over there -- and over there, a few outtakes."
It was a knee-slapper, but clever -- vintage Costello, classic Americana with a dry British twist. It set just the right tone for the latest stop on Costello's lifelong tour of pop's many expressions, one that rocks in a very classic way.
Live: Elvis Costello at Amoeba Music in Hollywood
10:45 PM PT, Jun 22 2009
--Ann Powers
"You have to come out to a record shop to hear a brand-new song," said Elvis Costello, raising an eyebrow and offering up an unreleased gem midway through his set at Amoeba Music in Hollywood Monday night. The statement was patently false -- Costello's performance was streamed live on Amoeba's website -- but it suited the evening's mood and the rock raconteur's new persona.
Costello is promoting "Secrets, Profane and Sugarcane," a new album produced by the country-esque auteur T Bone Burnett and flavored with several varieties of Americana seasoning. This show's instrumentation -- he played acoustic guitar, joined by Jim Lauderdale on the same instrument and Mike Compton on mandolin -- spoke of Nashville, but the songs, as well as their singer's purple flim-flam-man costume and pencil-thin mustache, spoke of other locales and eras, from the antebellum Deep South to P.T. Barnum's Eastern Seaboard and beyond.
This stop was part of a classic stunt of which Barnum would have approved. At noon, Costello played at the Amoeba outlet in San Francisco. Then he and his mates hopped a plane for the night's gig in L.A.
The sets were reportedly very similar, with Southland fans getting a little added value: an extra new number at the encore, mixed in with a few verses of the Buddy Holly classic "Not Fade Away."
Of the fresh compositions, the first was a gallows tale that crossed the darkness of Johnny Cash with the narrative flair of Marty Robbins, very much in his current mode, while the second hinted at a future return to the spit-flinging rock he's made with his bands, the Attractions and the Imposters.
There was a Grateful Dead cover too, a raucous bluegrass version of "A Friend of the Devil." And Costello gave one nod to his loyalists with a swinging, bluesy reworking of his 1977 song "Blame It on Cain."
Mostly Costello highlighted the "Sugarcane" material, which reflects his love of the historical from several perspectives. "Red Cotton" was a dramatically rendered parlor tale of slavery and moral decay. "My All Time Doll" slinked along like a tune at last call in a smoky nightclub. The heartfelt (if slightly off-key) "Crooked Line," which he co-wrote with Burnett, is "the only true love song I've ever written where I didn't leave myself an escape hatch in the third verse."
Compton provided instrumental sparkle with his quick picking and bouncy runs, while Lauderdale stayed in a supporting role, giving fans of his own distinguished country career only one brief vocal, on "A Friend of the Devil."
Costello clearly relished his ringleader position. He told some jokes, held up a pair of pink "Ypsilanti Panties" he'd acquired at the noon show (a reference to a line in "Sugarcane's" title track), and tipped his fedora with a smile that suited the shady character he's now playing.
He also paid tribute to the beauty of the record store that hosted him -- one of the few major shrines to "physical product" left in the U.S.
"I like the way you're arranged in straight lines, you're all in alphabetical order," he said to the fans cramming the store's aisles. "I see a few new releases over there -- and over there, a few outtakes."
It was a knee-slapper, but clever -- vintage Costello, classic Americana with a dry British twist. It set just the right tone for the latest stop on Costello's lifelong tour of pop's many expressions, one that rocks in a very classic way.
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And No Coffee Table
- Posts: 3529
- Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:57 pm
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
I was at the L.A. show. I was especially pleased to hear "Five Small Words." I got a kick out of Elvis singing the verses of "Blame It On Cain" out of order. I didn't stay for the signing.
The wiki site has the setlist:
01. Complicated Shadows
02. My All Time Doll
03. Down Among The Wines And Spirits
04. Blame It On Cain
05. Condemned Man
06. Friend Of The Devil
07. Red Cotton
08. The Crooked Line
09. Sulphur To Sugarcane
10. Five Small Words / Not Fade Away
The wiki site has the setlist:
01. Complicated Shadows
02. My All Time Doll
03. Down Among The Wines And Spirits
04. Blame It On Cain
05. Condemned Man
06. Friend Of The Devil
07. Red Cotton
08. The Crooked Line
09. Sulphur To Sugarcane
10. Five Small Words / Not Fade Away
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
I too was there and this was a great set. I think everyone there had a great time.
Elvis and the guys sounded great and really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Elvis was very cordial signing memorabilia although there wasn't time to really chat as the line for autographs was lengthy to say the least.
This was a great sneak peak of what the Rancho Mirage and Greek Theater shows should be.
Cheers.
Elvis and the guys sounded great and really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Elvis was very cordial signing memorabilia although there wasn't time to really chat as the line for autographs was lengthy to say the least.
This was a great sneak peak of what the Rancho Mirage and Greek Theater shows should be.
Cheers.
-
sweetest punch
- Posts: 5992
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
- Location: Belgium
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
Down Among The Wines And Spirits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhTMtTS_ETE
Sulphur To Sugarcane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cjKiL6BpnE
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-_MlAHx43c
Blame It On Caine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRqR-yESADk
The Crooked Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FInGblSRb74
Sulphur To Sugarcane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwPc3-IAmnE
A Condemned Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9IYuyJEfXg
Blame It On Caine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3472_FCvBo
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXfOtPgdfSE
Complicated Shadows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOMgdiTfHWU
Sulphur To Sugarcane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cjKiL6BpnE
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-_MlAHx43c
Blame It On Caine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRqR-yESADk
The Crooked Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FInGblSRb74
Sulphur To Sugarcane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwPc3-IAmnE
A Condemned Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9IYuyJEfXg
Blame It On Caine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3472_FCvBo
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXfOtPgdfSE
Complicated Shadows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOMgdiTfHWU
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-t ... os-angeles
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009
Review: Elvis Costello, Amoeba Record Store in Los Angeles
Posted by Melinda Newman
Elvis Costello's new album, "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane," which came out two weeks ago, was his highest debuting album in 30 years. The set, somewhat oddly, combines bluegrass tunes with a number of songs commissioned by the Royal Danish Opera about Hans Christian Anderson, and isn't likely to make it onto any Costello fan's list of the singer/songwriter's best efforts. However, it still proved to be wonderful fodder for his free concert Monday night at the Amoeba record store in Los Angeles.
Appearing in his second concert of the day--he started Monday with a similar show at Amoeba's San Francisco store--Costello delighted several hundred fans snaked inbetween the CD racks with a 10-song set, the vast majority of which was composed of the bluegrass portion of "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane."
By sporting a purple fedora, pink tie and sunglasses, Costello resembled Huggy Bear from "Starsky and Hutch" more than a bluegrass musician, but from the first note, there was no mistaking his love and understanding of the genre.
Costello opened with "Complicated Shadows," an often menacing sounding slab about misplaced justice. Accompanied by Jim Lauderdale on acoustic guitar and Mike Compton on mandolin, both of whom appear on the CD, Costello and co. created an unbelievably full, robust sound between the three musicians.
Costello was an amiable host, often telling short stories between songs. He introduced the jaunty "Crooked Line," co-written with the album's producer, T Bone Burnett, as "the only love song where I didn't leave myself and escape hatch in the third verse."
A highlight was the rollicking "Sulphur to Sugarcane," about "a reprehensible character, who goes around the country who has his hand where it shouldn't be," whether that be reaching for your wallet or on your "backside." The amusing song, which name checks cities and states across the U.S., sounded straight out of Randy Newman's canon, complete with a ragtime feel. Costello may be British, but with his encyclopedic musical knowledge and immense talent, he does true Americana better than almost anyone born on these shores.
Not every song worked well. While it's obviously impossible to disagree with the anti-slavery message of "Red Cotton," the tune ultimately sinks under its own heavy-handedness.
As if the songs from "Secret" weren't new enough to the audience (they aren't necessarily new to Costello, having been written over a period of the years), two of the performed tunes were brand new, according to Costello and yet to be recorded. The first, "Condemned Man," was a sinister, compelling tale about a convict's final days that had the high drama of a spaghetti western. The second, set closer "Five Small Words" was a clever, up-tempo number about deception that had the audience clapping along, especially as Costello seamlessly segued into Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away." Then, with a tip of his purple hat, he was gone.
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009
Review: Elvis Costello, Amoeba Record Store in Los Angeles
Posted by Melinda Newman
Elvis Costello's new album, "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane," which came out two weeks ago, was his highest debuting album in 30 years. The set, somewhat oddly, combines bluegrass tunes with a number of songs commissioned by the Royal Danish Opera about Hans Christian Anderson, and isn't likely to make it onto any Costello fan's list of the singer/songwriter's best efforts. However, it still proved to be wonderful fodder for his free concert Monday night at the Amoeba record store in Los Angeles.
Appearing in his second concert of the day--he started Monday with a similar show at Amoeba's San Francisco store--Costello delighted several hundred fans snaked inbetween the CD racks with a 10-song set, the vast majority of which was composed of the bluegrass portion of "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane."
By sporting a purple fedora, pink tie and sunglasses, Costello resembled Huggy Bear from "Starsky and Hutch" more than a bluegrass musician, but from the first note, there was no mistaking his love and understanding of the genre.
Costello opened with "Complicated Shadows," an often menacing sounding slab about misplaced justice. Accompanied by Jim Lauderdale on acoustic guitar and Mike Compton on mandolin, both of whom appear on the CD, Costello and co. created an unbelievably full, robust sound between the three musicians.
Costello was an amiable host, often telling short stories between songs. He introduced the jaunty "Crooked Line," co-written with the album's producer, T Bone Burnett, as "the only love song where I didn't leave myself and escape hatch in the third verse."
A highlight was the rollicking "Sulphur to Sugarcane," about "a reprehensible character, who goes around the country who has his hand where it shouldn't be," whether that be reaching for your wallet or on your "backside." The amusing song, which name checks cities and states across the U.S., sounded straight out of Randy Newman's canon, complete with a ragtime feel. Costello may be British, but with his encyclopedic musical knowledge and immense talent, he does true Americana better than almost anyone born on these shores.
Not every song worked well. While it's obviously impossible to disagree with the anti-slavery message of "Red Cotton," the tune ultimately sinks under its own heavy-handedness.
As if the songs from "Secret" weren't new enough to the audience (they aren't necessarily new to Costello, having been written over a period of the years), two of the performed tunes were brand new, according to Costello and yet to be recorded. The first, "Condemned Man," was a sinister, compelling tale about a convict's final days that had the high drama of a spaghetti western. The second, set closer "Five Small Words" was a clever, up-tempo number about deception that had the audience clapping along, especially as Costello seamlessly segued into Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away." Then, with a tip of his purple hat, he was gone.
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
We all, of course, noticed these!
http://www.latimes.com/news/printeditio ... 7545.story
Los Angeles Times
For the Record
June 24, 2009
Elvis Costello: A review in Tuesday's Calendar section of Elvis Costello's performance at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Monday night identified his new album as "Secrets, Profane and Sugarcane." The title is "Secret, Profane and Sugarcane." The review also said that he sang his song "Crooked Line" and the Grateful Dead's "A Friend of the Devil." The titles are "The Crooked Line" and "Friend of the Devil."
http://www.latimes.com/news/printeditio ... 7545.story
Los Angeles Times
For the Record
June 24, 2009
Elvis Costello: A review in Tuesday's Calendar section of Elvis Costello's performance at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Monday night identified his new album as "Secrets, Profane and Sugarcane." The title is "Secret, Profane and Sugarcane." The review also said that he sang his song "Crooked Line" and the Grateful Dead's "A Friend of the Devil." The titles are "The Crooked Line" and "Friend of the Devil."
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sweetest punch
- Posts: 5992
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
- Location: Belgium
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDZQmVst7Mk
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke-tj2-UMHU
A Condemned Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr9QSzWWnYU
Five Small Words/Not Fade Away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krxjDv5iWU4
All Time Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke-tj2-UMHU
A Condemned Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr9QSzWWnYU
Five Small Words/Not Fade Away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krxjDv5iWU4
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
[The entire LA webcast is now availalbe on the Amoeba website for viewing at your leisure...]
I only see pictures from the webcast. Is the video link somewhere hidden?
I only see pictures from the webcast. Is the video link somewhere hidden?
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
Looks like they took it down after 24 hours. Hopefully they will follow through on posting both shows as was originally announced.blureu wrote:[The entire LA webcast is now availalbe on the Amoeba website for viewing at your leisure...]
I only see pictures from the webcast. Is the video link somewhere hidden?
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Ypsilanti
- Posts: 542
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:02 am
- Location: down in a location that we cannot disclose
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOpful5yboE
Some nice comments by Jim Lauderdale at the very end of this, starting around 5:45.
Some nice comments by Jim Lauderdale at the very end of this, starting around 5:45.
So I keep this fancy to myself
I keep my lipstick twisted tight
I keep my lipstick twisted tight
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
Amoeba has now posted the film of the two shows on their website, as well as a separate interview segment which also includes live clips and crowd footage and interviews. They used 4 songs from SF and 6 from LA, and the LA footage is different edits from what they showed live. Check it out!
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
Oh shoot, my ugly mug is in one of the shots from SF. I look half asleep. nice.
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
Anybody from the forum get interviewed at the start of the interview segment???
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The imposter
- Posts: 600
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 4:37 am
- Location: Permanent Vacation
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
Enjoyed the mini film. Too bad it didn't come in time to include with the album release. It would accompany the CD well like the Memphis road trip does for The Club date video. Oh well, it could be re-issued within a year, it's happened before. Still another live DVD release would be welcome.FAVEHOUR wrote:Amoeba has now posted the film of the two shows on their website, as well as a separate interview segment which also includes live clips and crowd footage and interviews. They used 4 songs from SF and 6 from LA, and the LA footage is different edits from what they showed live. Check it out!
A bit weird to see loads of people stood watching Elvis with racks of cds in front of them. I hope someone checked their pockets when leaving, especially the guy with the poodle.
Re: Elvis to play free shows at Amoeba LA, SF 6/22
From the Los Angeles Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_b ... ncess.html
Amoeba co-founder uses teen literature to wax on the past, look to the digital future
January 28, 2010 | 6:10 pm
A few days before Christmas, Harper Teen released the young-adult novel "The Vinyl Princess." While Pop & Hiss doesn't cover the intersection of literature and music nearly as much as we should, "The Vinyl Princess" instantly caught our attention -- and not just because of the striking cover. Yvonne Prinz, the book's author, was one of the founders of Amoeba Music, and her retail experience is reflected heavily in the book. Issues facing indie retailers even crop up in the novel, although they're filtered through a teenage lens. Here is an extended version of a story that will run in Friday's Calendar section. Prinz discussed the book, and shared some of Amoeba's plans for 2010.
Young-adult novel “The Vinyl Princess” doesn’t sugarcoat its description of the independent record store. Many of the regulars? “A ragtag group of desperadoes.” The staff? “Underpaid, overworked” and a “lion’s share of the craziest people in the universe.”
And when the book’s main character, the 16-year-old, vinyl-obsessed Allie, notes that she sometimes comes home from her gig at the fictional Bob and Bob Records smelling “like an octogenarian’s closet,” the appeal of buying music online seems apparent.
Yet Harper Teen’s “The Vinyl Princess” was written by one of the most ardent supporters of indie retail, who also happens to be one of the industry’s biggest success stories. Twenty years ago, Yvonne Prinz and her husband, Dave, helped found Amoeba Music in Berkeley, the real-life store that still stands on the same real-life street, Telegraph Avenue, and that inspired the fictional Bob and Bob Records.
Prinz, who also has penned three books in the Raincoast Books’ Clare tween novel series — “Still There, Clare,” “Not Fair, Clare” and “Double Dare Clare” — drew on her first-hand experiences for the novel, a teen take on “High Fidelity” that offers a loving portrait of the indie outlet, described early in the book as a “house of worship.” The remaining customers are split between the weirdos and the diehards, but all are looking for a place to “find community.”
“It’s a church,” said Prinz, speaking by phone from her home outside Berkeley. “You meet people who never have been in a record store, and you meet people who have never left a record store.”
Sales at Bob and Bob Records aren’t on the level of those at Amoeba, one of the country’s most successful independent outlets, and Allie lives in constant fear that the store’s curmudgeon of an owner will call it quits. It’s a storyline that will sound hauntingly familiar to music fans.
Over the last several years, the physical retail market for music has been vastly diminished, as evidenced by the closing of Tower Records, the Virgin Megastore and key local shops such as Rhino Westwood and Aron’s Records.
In Allie, Prinz has a character facing many of the same issues as the retail store owner. A vinyl-obsessed junkie with a love with music history, she views Wal-Mart with skepticism, and iPods are tools for “tinny-sounding crap.” Yet it’s not spoiling the book to reveal that Allie must learn that she “can’t hide from the world in a record store,” and starts a blog with the hopes of seeking out other vinyl geeks.
Likewise, Amoeba Music will this year take its boldest stride yet into the online world, launching a digital download store this spring or summer. Amoeba will join the likes of Other Music in New York and ThinkIndie.com, a digital outlet that represents a consortium of the nation’s top indie stores, including Fingerprints in Long Beach, as one of the few independent retail outlets trying to claim a slice of the digital marketplace.
“I think the indie music scene missed the boat on the whole MP3 scene, and for an obvious reason — no one wanted to embrace it,” Prinz said. “We were purists. We thought the brick-and-mortar record store would last forever. We were almost arrogant about it. Now, after spending years ignoring the whole thing, we thought we could approach it like we approach our stores. We can be purists, and collect everything an artist has done.”
Prinz said Amoeba’s digital outlet will focus on rare, out-of-print and deep catalog material. The company is in the midst of readying hard-to-find works from Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Billie Holiday, among others, for its digital counterpart.
“It’s a music-obsessive music collector’s foray into that world,” said Amoeba’s general manager Karen Pearson.
Not that the online marketplace has been completely welcoming, notes Other Music owner Josh Madell. His famed indie store launched a download branch in 2007.
“In New York, so many stores have closed in the past few years,” Madell said. “I am not confident that there is an infinite future for stores doing what we do. It’s a lot harder for a small store to challenge Amazon and iTunes than I imagined. In the real world there a lot of people who listen to underground music who want to go to an independent store to buy it — a place that they can talk to people about it and focuses on the kind of music they like. I haven’t seen that on the Web.”
“That’s reflected in the book — the loss of the indie store,” Prinz said. “The sense of, ‘I just cannot do this anymore. I cannot fight what is happening in the music industry.’ I do think now things are going to turn around and come back, but we’re one of the last stores standing."
With “The Vinyl Princess,” the retail-maven-turned-author has glimpsed first-hand the marketing prowess of Amazon. Those who order the book via Amazon’s e-reader, the Kindle, can access a play list of music that includes selections from Elvis Costello, Joe Strummer and Tom Waits.
“They’re the online monsters, and they do a beautiful job,” Prinz said of Amazon. “So for the indie record store to try and catch up? That’s a really difficult project. But we’re going to tackle it, and we’re making headway.”
“We have no intention of going anywhere,” Prinz continued. “We love what we do, and we’re planning to do it forever.”
-- Todd Martens
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_b ... ncess.html
Amoeba co-founder uses teen literature to wax on the past, look to the digital future
January 28, 2010 | 6:10 pm
A few days before Christmas, Harper Teen released the young-adult novel "The Vinyl Princess." While Pop & Hiss doesn't cover the intersection of literature and music nearly as much as we should, "The Vinyl Princess" instantly caught our attention -- and not just because of the striking cover. Yvonne Prinz, the book's author, was one of the founders of Amoeba Music, and her retail experience is reflected heavily in the book. Issues facing indie retailers even crop up in the novel, although they're filtered through a teenage lens. Here is an extended version of a story that will run in Friday's Calendar section. Prinz discussed the book, and shared some of Amoeba's plans for 2010.
Young-adult novel “The Vinyl Princess” doesn’t sugarcoat its description of the independent record store. Many of the regulars? “A ragtag group of desperadoes.” The staff? “Underpaid, overworked” and a “lion’s share of the craziest people in the universe.”
And when the book’s main character, the 16-year-old, vinyl-obsessed Allie, notes that she sometimes comes home from her gig at the fictional Bob and Bob Records smelling “like an octogenarian’s closet,” the appeal of buying music online seems apparent.
Yet Harper Teen’s “The Vinyl Princess” was written by one of the most ardent supporters of indie retail, who also happens to be one of the industry’s biggest success stories. Twenty years ago, Yvonne Prinz and her husband, Dave, helped found Amoeba Music in Berkeley, the real-life store that still stands on the same real-life street, Telegraph Avenue, and that inspired the fictional Bob and Bob Records.
Prinz, who also has penned three books in the Raincoast Books’ Clare tween novel series — “Still There, Clare,” “Not Fair, Clare” and “Double Dare Clare” — drew on her first-hand experiences for the novel, a teen take on “High Fidelity” that offers a loving portrait of the indie outlet, described early in the book as a “house of worship.” The remaining customers are split between the weirdos and the diehards, but all are looking for a place to “find community.”
“It’s a church,” said Prinz, speaking by phone from her home outside Berkeley. “You meet people who never have been in a record store, and you meet people who have never left a record store.”
Sales at Bob and Bob Records aren’t on the level of those at Amoeba, one of the country’s most successful independent outlets, and Allie lives in constant fear that the store’s curmudgeon of an owner will call it quits. It’s a storyline that will sound hauntingly familiar to music fans.
Over the last several years, the physical retail market for music has been vastly diminished, as evidenced by the closing of Tower Records, the Virgin Megastore and key local shops such as Rhino Westwood and Aron’s Records.
In Allie, Prinz has a character facing many of the same issues as the retail store owner. A vinyl-obsessed junkie with a love with music history, she views Wal-Mart with skepticism, and iPods are tools for “tinny-sounding crap.” Yet it’s not spoiling the book to reveal that Allie must learn that she “can’t hide from the world in a record store,” and starts a blog with the hopes of seeking out other vinyl geeks.
Likewise, Amoeba Music will this year take its boldest stride yet into the online world, launching a digital download store this spring or summer. Amoeba will join the likes of Other Music in New York and ThinkIndie.com, a digital outlet that represents a consortium of the nation’s top indie stores, including Fingerprints in Long Beach, as one of the few independent retail outlets trying to claim a slice of the digital marketplace.
“I think the indie music scene missed the boat on the whole MP3 scene, and for an obvious reason — no one wanted to embrace it,” Prinz said. “We were purists. We thought the brick-and-mortar record store would last forever. We were almost arrogant about it. Now, after spending years ignoring the whole thing, we thought we could approach it like we approach our stores. We can be purists, and collect everything an artist has done.”
Prinz said Amoeba’s digital outlet will focus on rare, out-of-print and deep catalog material. The company is in the midst of readying hard-to-find works from Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Billie Holiday, among others, for its digital counterpart.
“It’s a music-obsessive music collector’s foray into that world,” said Amoeba’s general manager Karen Pearson.
Not that the online marketplace has been completely welcoming, notes Other Music owner Josh Madell. His famed indie store launched a download branch in 2007.
“In New York, so many stores have closed in the past few years,” Madell said. “I am not confident that there is an infinite future for stores doing what we do. It’s a lot harder for a small store to challenge Amazon and iTunes than I imagined. In the real world there a lot of people who listen to underground music who want to go to an independent store to buy it — a place that they can talk to people about it and focuses on the kind of music they like. I haven’t seen that on the Web.”
“That’s reflected in the book — the loss of the indie store,” Prinz said. “The sense of, ‘I just cannot do this anymore. I cannot fight what is happening in the music industry.’ I do think now things are going to turn around and come back, but we’re one of the last stores standing."
With “The Vinyl Princess,” the retail-maven-turned-author has glimpsed first-hand the marketing prowess of Amazon. Those who order the book via Amazon’s e-reader, the Kindle, can access a play list of music that includes selections from Elvis Costello, Joe Strummer and Tom Waits.
“They’re the online monsters, and they do a beautiful job,” Prinz said of Amazon. “So for the indie record store to try and catch up? That’s a really difficult project. But we’re going to tackle it, and we’re making headway.”
“We have no intention of going anywhere,” Prinz continued. “We love what we do, and we’re planning to do it forever.”
-- Todd Martens