Cardiff

[johnfoyle]

Chris on listerv spotted this -

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0900ente ... _page.html

Review: Elvis Costello & the Impostors May 23 2005


Tony Woolway, South Wales Echo


St David's Hall, Cardiff

PLAYING the first night of their UK tour, Elvis Costello and the Impostors hit the stage running with a scintillating set lasting an incredible two hours and 20 minutes played at an amazing pace.

With his band the Impostors (the Attractions minus one) Costello's been touring since September, and the tightness showed with him at his brilliant best.

A much underrated guitarist, Costello mixed up the evening, moving effortlessly from country-tinged ballads to blistering pop with imaginative use of guitar whilst Steve Nieve's keyboard work was a joy, providing a perfect foil for Costello's handiwork.

Highlights of the evening included a bluesy Needle Time and Monkey to Man of the newer material while finding time to include such Costello gems as Radio Radio, King of America plus an epic version of Watching the Detectives.

During Alison, Costello managed to squeeze a little Tom Jones into the proceedings with his own take on the Green, Green, Grass of Home sung much to the crowd's delight while reclining in the stalls, just one of the many memorable moments until Elvis, eventually, left the building.

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proceedings with his own take on the Green, Green, Grass of Home sung much to the crowd's delight while reclining in the stalls

Doubtlessly Elvis would feel the need to say that he , of course , much prefers Porter Waggoner's 1965 take on Cutley Putnam's song.

[johnfoyle]

'Aol Member' writes to listserv -


EC was in my hometown last night, the first time for here for 6 years
to
kick off the latest stint of his tour back in the UK.

It was approaching the 30th time I've seen him in various guises
starting
with a Stiffs tours, to various dates with the Attractions in various
venues
from dingey nightclub to the Royal Albert Hall, solo and with other
musicians.
Yet again, he never failed to entertain and amaze, he has turned into
a
stage performer of the highest order, his work a joy to see.

Just under two and a half, no breaks and an audience gasping at his
playing
as well as Steve, Pete and Davey on top form - they're a tight
sounding group
at the best of times but after 9 months of touring, it's simply a joy
to
watch.

I watched him in Bristol last February and whilst the same core of The
Delivery Man material was still there (except for There's A Story in
your Voice)
and so were the EC classic singles, he changed the back-catalogue so
missing
were tune like When I Was Cruel, I Want You but in came a very upbeat
King of
America, an equally fantastic sounding Suit of Lights and the perfect
pop
rock of Nick Lowe's Heart of the City.

The adoring audience were with him from start to finish but, best of
all,
was when he decided that with strong lighting, he couldn't see us in
the crowd
so he came and joined us instead. Firstly sitting on the edge of the
stage
for a ballad, then he decided he wanted to watch the group perform
himself
and, much to their bemusement and amusement, he plonked himself in the
third row
- and 4 seats away from me - with microphone to sing Alison and even
throw
in a few bars on local Boy Tom Jones' Green Green Grass of Home before
rocking
up the aisles to Monkey To The Mind. By the time, he got back to the
stage,
his roadies were in chaos trying to tape down his guitar leads and mic
so he
turned away his guitar techie and sang Shipbuilding unaccompanied -
spellbinding stuff.

What a night, what a man. The words legend, genius and brilliant are
vastly
over-used but as far as EC is concerned, they can't be used enough.

[Otis Westinghouse]

Curious, because Verbal's mate and prodigious EC specialist was there too and reckoned it wasn't that good a gig, relatively speaking, and that Leicester tonight was a lot better.

Why do they both insist on misnaming Brilliant Mistake?

[martinfoyle]

Curious, because Verbal's mate and prodigious EC specialist was there too and reckoned it wasn't that good a gig, relatively speaking, and that Leicester tonight was a lot better.

Dont tease us, Otis, what else did Verbal say about tonights show?

[Otis Westinghouse]

We were all impressed. See the new thread!

[paulc]

Hi just joined the forum today !

Just wanted to say the Cardiff gig was absolutely superb, I couldn't have chosen a better setlist myself, apart from maybe something from Imperial Bedroom (Man Out Of Time ?). One slight complaint though, maybe it was the very formal venue, but the crowd was so lifeless ! Elvis & the boys are giving it their all, and people just sit there, can't understand it...

You can't say that Elvis didn't do his best to get a reaction, sitting on the edge of the stage, then in a spare seat, before ending up playing Monkey To Man on the floor in front of everyone ! Why did no-one stand up apart from us lot in the front row ? I can't physically stay seated when EC is blasting out Peace Love & Understanding or Pump It Up ! Luckily Elvis's manager was standing in front of us during Monkey To Man and said "you may as well get up and have a dance" - what a relief !

It obviously takes us English to show the Welsh how to have a good time....at the Colston Hall in February we danced our way through most of the show !

[Otis Westinghouse]

Hi Paul, glad you had fun. Is Colston Hall standing? It does make a lot of difference. Verbal G's mate said the audience were very quiet, which didn't help the atmosphere.

[paulc]

Hi Otis

The Colston Hall had (temporary) seats in the stalls for the Elvis gig, but we all stood up from about halfway through the show. They seem to take the seats in or out of the hall depending on the type of show. I saw the Manics there a few weeks back and there were no chairs in sight.

If he wants a livelier crowd, perhaps Elvis will play different types of venue Next Time Round. He played Bristol Academy on the When I Was Cruel tour a couple of years ago, and that was a really great atmosphere -hot, sweaty and packed in like sardines !

[verbal gymnastics]

Why did no-one stand up apart from us lot in the front row ?

Hi paulc

I guess the answer to that is that if you try to get up to the front of the stage and dance before Elvis invites you to then you get escorted back to your seat by a security guard.

Isn't that right Muggy

[selfmademug]

It's all a bit of a lovely blur... so that's who my other date was!

[Otis Westinghouse]

He played Bristol Academy on the When I Was Cruel tour a couple of years ago, and that was a really great atmosphere -hot, sweaty and packed in like sardines !

I remember well reading the description filled with envy. I was wondering if Colston was the same venue. Sadly not. It's about time Elvis played a standing show at my local, the Cambridge Corn Exchange. To my knowledge (and from what I can find on the EC Home Page), he hasn't played there since March 1978. It's about time!

[johnfoyle]

http://www.elviscostello.info/setlists/050522.php

2005-05-22: Cardiff, St Davids Hall
Elvis Costello with the Imposters
- Keith Naylor

Next Time 'Round - not correct order
Uncomplicated
Brilliant Mistake
Our Little Angel
Watching The Detectives
Bedlam
(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
Country Darkness
Radio Radio
Clown Strike
Clubland
Good Year For The Roses
I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
Either Side Of The Same Town
Oliver's Army
Suit Of Lights
The Delivery Man
Kinder Murder
Needle Time
Poisoned Rose
Hurry Down Doomsday
Don't Lose Your Grip On Love
Alison/Green Green Grass Of Home/Suspicious Minds
Monkey To Man
Shipbuilding
High Fidelity
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
Heart Of The City
Pump It Up
The Scarlet Tide