{"id":23103,"date":"2016-10-24T20:18:24","date_gmt":"2016-10-25T00:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=23103"},"modified":"2016-10-24T20:26:43","modified_gmt":"2016-10-25T00:26:43","slug":"httpwww-thevalleyledger-comp1904-444","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=23103","title":{"rendered":"COSTELLO PUMPS IT UP – By Diane Fleischman"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Story & Photographs by Diane Fleischman<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Elvis Costello <\/a>didn\u2019t wear red shoes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Costello greeted the nearly sold out crowd Sunday night at The Sands Event Center <\/a>in a red fedora hat.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>For this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, an artist who\u2019s beginnings started in the original punk movement and transposed into New Wave, Costello, was prepared to take his fans on a journey of his iconic career.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Notably, from the twenty-three-song set (plus two songs in the encore), the majority of songs performed originated from his 1982 release, \u201cImperial Bedroom\u201d. Hence, the tour name, \u201cImperial Bedrooms and Other Chambers\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>While the show kicked off with \u201cThe Town Where Time Stood Still\u201d (\u201cPunch the Clock\u201d), the second song, \u201cThe Loved Ones\u201d set the tone as the \u201cImperial Bedroom\u201d soundtrack was sprinkled in throughout the set.<\/span><\/p>\n

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But it\u2019s not to say that Costello hit songs were omitted.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>From the third song, we\u2019re wisked back to almost the beginning of his career with \u201cAccidents Will Happen\u201d (\u201cArmed Forces\u201d) and later \u201cMoods for Moderns\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"dsc_1781s\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Set behind the band was a large screen which from the beginning of the concert flashed a brilliant abstract art show, almost Picasso-esque in depiction of Costello. During \u201cWatching the Detectives\u201d (\u201cMy Aim is True\u201d), the stage was dark, the large screen was the only visual, as it displayed old detective movie billboards.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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As he stood centered between his two back up singers, Costello slowed down \u201cAllison\u201d (\u201cMy Aim is True\u201d), and added more soul and harmonies.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The crowd rose to their feet, and gave Costello his first standing ovation.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spinning the shuffle wheel, other favorites included, \u201cYou Tripped at Every Step\u201d (\u201cBrutal Youth\u201d), \u201cYou\u2019ll Never Be a Man\u201d (\u201cTrust\u201d), \u201cShabby Doll\u201d (\u201cImperial Bedroom\u201d), \u201cKid About It\u201d (Imperial Bedroom\u201d), and \u201cShot With His Own Gun\u201d (\u201cTrust\u201d).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Costello was joined on stage with The Imposters, his band that has been with him since 2002, which also includes three members of The Attractions, bassist Davey Faragher, drummer Pete Thomas, and keyboardist Steve Nieves.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Nieves smoothly moved between keyboards and a baby grand piano throughout the night, and performed masterfully on the baby grand in \u201cThis House is Empty Now\u201d (\u201cPainted From Memory\u201d), Costello\u2019s collaboration with Burt Bacharach in the late nineties. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The set closed with \u201cEvery Day I Write the Book\u201d (\u201cPunch the Clock\u201d) in which Costello roused the audience to sing and clap along.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The crowd finally got to hear the song they chanted for the majority of the show, \u201cPump it Up\u201d (\u201cThis Year\u2019s Model\u201d), as the first song in the encore, the keyboards swirled, while Costello punctuated the tight lyrics.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The evening closed with \u201c(What\u2019s So Funny \u2018Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding\u201d (\u201cArmed Forces\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

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This world tour is limited to twelve U.S. dates, and while the concert ran a little over two hours, it couldn\u2019t possibly come close to representing over twenty-five years of Costello\u2019s recording career, as it spans over several genres of music.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cramming in well over twenty songs, some shows closer to thirty, it doesn\u2019t leave much room for cheeky banter.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Most songs flowed from one to the other without Costello\u2019s commentary.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>While the set list slightly varies from town to town, hit songs like \u201cVeronica\u201d. \u201cRadio, Radio\u201d, \u201cOliver\u2019s Army\u201d, \u201cRed Shoes\u201d and \u201cThe Other Side of Summer\u201d were absent in Sunday\u2019s performance. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Understandably, there are only so many songs that can be squeezed into a show.<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.elviscostello.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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