What's your best ever EC gig?

[Alan]

I've seen Elvis live nearly 20 times over the ages, but his show exactly 40 years ago today remains the most memorable performance of his I've ever attended, an absolutely superb gig: https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/ind ... -17_London

Reminiscing about this today made me wonder about others' favourite all-time live EC performances. Would be interested to hear what you think!

[amfrey]

I’ve seen him about 60 times over 40 years and the best show was in Budapest 2023 at Mupa, I was front row centre stage the sound was amazing and the ticket cost £31

[Psc]

Tough question! I've managed to narrow it down to 2 or 3..

Royal Albert Hall April 1999 (Lonely World Tour) - epic 30+ song set and I had a front row seat!
Bristol Academy Sept 2002 - absolutely packed venue, blistering set finishing with the most intense version of I Want You that I've ever heard
Honorable mention - Roundhouse July 2016 - EC proved he could still surprise me with a setlist including Sunday's Best Mood For Moderns

[sulky lad]

For me in the realms of 160+ shows, the surprise ones will always be the one offs, like Paris last month, solo in Cardiff in 1984, RAH July 1994 with reunited Attractions, Harrogate in 2014 (?) but beyond compare, The New Picket, Liverpool July 2007 wins hands down. A blistering soul set with Allen Toussaint on a postage stamp sized stage and every song was perfect. As a huge Bruce fan, I was stunned at how brilliant Paul Bryan was on bass - he had all the licks and still was funky and dynamic. I think there may be another board member who might agree here too !

[sulky lad]

Tough question! I've managed to narrow it down to 2 or 3..

Royal Albert Hall April 1999 (Lonely World Tour) - epic 30+ song set and I had a front row seat!
Bristol Academy Sept 2002 - absolutely packed venue, blistering set finishing with the most intense version of I Want You that I've ever heard
Honorable mention - Roundhouse July 2016 - EC proved he could still surprise me with a setlist including Sunday's Best Mood For Moderns

The tragedy is I was at all of these and didn't meet you - think how perfect your night would have been then !

[Psc]

Tough question! I've managed to narrow it down to 2 or 3..

Royal Albert Hall April 1999 (Lonely World Tour) - epic 30+ song set and I had a front row seat!
Bristol Academy Sept 2002 - absolutely packed venue, blistering set finishing with the most intense version of I Want You that I've ever heard
Honorable mention - Roundhouse July 2016 - EC proved he could still surprise me with a setlist including Sunday's Best Mood For Moderns

The tragedy is I was at all of these and didn't meet you - think how perfect your night would have been then !

ah, hopefully next time! It's my own fault, I should have joined this forum way earlier...

[docinwestchester]

Easy one for me.
https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/ind ... 6_New_York

September 16, 2013, the Wise Up Ghost album premiere concert at the tiny Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY.
It was live broadcast on WFUV-FM. Amazing night!



(that's my right hand holding camera)

[sulky lad]

Easy one for me.
https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/ind ... 6_New_York

September 16, 2013, the Wise Up Ghost album premiere concert at the tiny Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY.
It was live broadcast on WFUV-FM. Amazing night!



(that's my right hand holding camera)

And I think you’ve attended ( and captured) so many classics !As always, thanks a million from the UK to you, BA and all the other generous sharers of live music !

[Top balcony]

but beyond compare, The New Picket, Liverpool July 2007 wins hands down.
I think there may be another board member who might agree here too !

Yes that will be me.
There were enough elements from that evening which would have made it a contender for my best ever : I managed to get in (via the kindness of a friend and strangers) without a ticket, in a tiny club in my hometown, was on the front barrier, inches from the small-postage-stamp-sized stage, EC laughed at one of my shout-outs and repeated it. And that was without the music!

The playing was stellar with fantastic arrangements for the Crescent City Horns. EC was clearly having the time of his life. Another gig his mum attended with Alan Bleasedale on wheelchair pushing duties. My only disappointment was that having talked about singing Nellie the Elephant for his newly arrived twins, he didn't give it an airing that evening.

An audience recording exists which I'll take to my grave, tucked in under the Everton shirt, to quote Anni-Frid and Agnetha " Thank you for the Music"!!

[Arnie]

I've seen him maybe 20 times the last 30 years?

Best show might've been his solo show at the Ryman in 2014. No disrespect to the Attractions or the Impostors, and maybe I'm getting older, but I just don't care for all the banging about and noise. The subtle nuance of just acoustic guitar and voice and lyric, or just Nieve piano accompaniment. That show was great. NYC 2nd night gig at the Gramercy was right up there.

[sulky lad]

I've seen him maybe 20 times the last 30 years?

Best show might've been his solo show at the Ryman in 2014. No disrespect to the Attractions or the Impostors, and maybe I'm getting older, but I just don't care for all the banging about and noise. The subtle nuance of just acoustic guitar and voice and lyric, or just Nieve piano accompaniment. That show was great. NYC 2nd night gig at the Gramercy was right up there.
[/quote
Disappointing that an audience recording never surfaced of the 2nd Gramercy show ( or the 8th) . Anyone ?

[Arnie]

I have a few shitty clips from night 2. Let me see if I can figure out a way to post them.

[Top balcony]

NYC 2nd night gig at the Gramercy was right up there.

Think this is the gig I am most jealous of not attending.....

[Arnie]

I have video clips. They're just too large to upload. And I don't have a youtube account. I can email them to someone to post, just PM me your e-mail.

I have snippets of:
Scarlet Tide
A new song I didn't recognize
American without Tears
Last Boat Leaving
Home is Anywhere
Jack of All Parades

[Arnie]

This was night 2 at Gramercy. The guest musicians were great and suited the songs well. About a year ago, when tickets went on sale, I had 2 or 3 nights in mind, but night 2's song selection stood out to me the most of as songs I wanted to hear. I wasn't disappointed.

[Newspaper Pane]

Easy one for me.
https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/ind ... 6_New_York

September 16, 2013, the Wise Up Ghost album premiere concert at the tiny Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY.
It was live broadcast on WFUV-FM. Amazing night!



(that's my right hand holding camera)

That's my hair lol

[Newspaper Pane]

NYC 2nd night gig at the Gramercy was right up there.

Think this is the gig I am most jealous of not attending.....

One of the two Gramercy shows that there is no complete recording of

[Newspaper Pane]

These are three standouts for me:

Morristown 11/27/13
Carnegie Hall 6/25/14
Gramercy Night 6

[sheeptotheslaughter]

Royal Albert Hall with the LPO
Dingwall's with The Attractions and the TKO horns (capital radio 10th birthday party)
RAH lonely world 1999 but only because it was the only time I have managed to blag a pass to the backstage party.

we were only just talking about this at Saturdays meet up its so hard to pick a favourite. It was mentioned above about EC being better with just Steve. Not saying I don't want to see him with a full band again but the recent Madrid show was to me perfect for where Elvis is now. He was a proper 'beloved entertainer' singing songs and telling stories in between. Just brilliant.


Not just saying this as an Elvis fan but he is one of the best live artists I have seen and I have seen most of the greats

[Fishfinger king]

I couldn’t pick just one either.
The top few would be:
Nashville Rooms West Kensington with Attractions Sept 77
Festival Hall with Burt Oct 98
Southend with Imposters June 13
Gramercy NY Night 8 with Steve and Michael Leonhart and the horns Feb 23
All for different reasons. Nashville Rooms as the first time and realizing how phenomenal they were as a live act - memorably played Price of Love. FH as Burt there and full orchestra - played Sweetest Punch. Southend just a great Imposters gig and met lots of board members - played Sleep of the Just. Gramercy just an amazing experience- seeing him outside UK, very intimate setting, great performances - especially Pills & Soap with horns.

[Fishfinger king]

Oh and not forgetting the NME competition gig at Clarendon Ballroom Hammersmith with Attractions Jan 80 - played 5ive Gears in Reverse. Elvis came out afterwards and chatted with the audience.
I could go on….

[Arbogast]

Oof...so many shows to choose from, but some that come to mind:

--8/23/80: Heatwave Festival, Ontario, Canada
--2/1/81: English Mugs tour, Palladium, NYC
--12/24/82: Royal Albert Hall
--8/10/83: Pier 84, NYC
--10/21-23, 25: Costello Sings Again, Broadway Theatre, NYC
--10/18/98: Sessions at West 54th taping, Sony Studios, NYC
--7/19/2005: Central Park Summerstage (w/Emmylou Harris)
--6/25/14: Night 2 @ Carnegie Hall, solo, NYC

[Miclewis]

I’ve been lucky to attend some wonderful Elvis concerts. I think the best was probably Elvis & The Imposters with Emmylou Harris and Larry Campbell in Connecticut in 2005. But Elvis & Steve with the Brooklyn Philharmonic (Premiere of Il Sogno) in 2004 was pretty amazing.

Or Elvis & The Imposters with the great Hubert Sumlin, doing Howlin’ Wolf classics, in New Jersey in 2011. Or The Imposters’ Spinning Wheel concert in NYC (in 2011) with Mike Myers spinning the wheel (Pump it Up in 6/8 time with Busted was a real highlight).
Or maybe just this year in Bridgeport with Michael Leonhart‘s brass trio doing Shut Him Down, right after a great performance of Poisoned Rose with Elvis at the piano.

All great!!

[Charles]

I’ll have to ponder a favorite show, or two, or three, but tonight I am celebrating my first Elvis show ever. October 23rd, 2002 at the Beacon! It truly started an obsession and 21 years later, I’m lucky enough to be up to 63 shows now. I can’t wait for Texas and Nashville in January. They should be spectacular…

[sulky lad]

Oof...so many shows to choose from, but some that come to mind:

--8/23/80: Heatwave Festival, Ontario, Canada
--2/1/81: English Mugs tour, Palladium, NYC
--12/24/82: Royal Albert Hall
--8/10/83: Pier 84, NYC
--10/21-23, 25: Costello Sings Again, Broadway Theatre, NYC
--10/18/98: Sessions at West 54th taping, Sony Studios, NYC
--7/19/2005: Central Park Summerstage (w/Emmylou Harris)
--6/25/14: Night 2 @ Carnegie Hall, solo, NYC

Great list - pretty envious of all those !