Elvis & Steve, Madrid (Spain), September 4, 2023

[sweetest punch]

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20230 ... e.amp.html

Elvis Costello will perform at the Palau de la Música on September 5
AGENCIES
02/13/2023 11:40 AM
ACN Barcelona - Elvis Costello will perform at the Palau de la Música on September 5, together with pianist Steve Nieve. It will be one of the two parades that the artist will go to Spain, as he will also perform at the Teatre Lope de Vega in Madrid the day before. The tickets will be on sale this evening at 10:00 am on Tuesday and the day before the tickets will be available for pre-sale.

[sweetest punch]

https://www.google.be/amp/s/www.rockand ... embre/amp/

[Offshoreram]

I just looked on Ticketmaster Spain for this and all that comes up is Elvis and Steve in Grenada on September 2nd as part of something called Festival 1001.

I wouldn’t mind a few days in Spain

Sat9:30 PM
Open additional information for Granada Teatro del Generalife Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve - Festival 1001 Músicas en la Alhambra 9/2/23, 9:30 PM
Granada
Teatro del Generalife
Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve - Festival 1001 Músicas en la Alhambra

[Offshoreram]

I just looked on Ticketmaster Spain for this and all that comes up is Elvis and Steve in Grenada on September 2nd as part of something called Festival 1001.

I wouldn’t mind a few days in Spain

Sat9:30 PM
Open additional information for Granada Teatro del Generalife Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve - Festival 1001 Músicas en la Alhambra 9/2/23, 9:30 PM
Granada
Teatro del Generalife
Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve - Festival 1001 Músicas en la Alhambra

https://1001musicas.es/en/

[Arbogast]

Hi, all...

Does anyone know if these Spain shows are standalone, or if they're just the first shows announced for a wider European tour? I can't imagine EC's schlepping over here just for three shows, but it would be immeasurably helpful to have confirmation one way or another.

I'm living in Europe, but that first weekend in September is kind of a no-go for me, for work reasons....which is very frustrating.

Anyone?

A

[sweetest punch]

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20230 ... algia.html

Elvis Costello reinventará sus canciones en una gira europea que huirá de la nostalgia
Salvador León
24/08/2023 08:10

Salvador León

Madrid, 24 ago (EFE).- "Está perfectamente bien que el público sienta nostalgia por la música, pero, si el artista es nostálgico, obtendrá una respuesta muy negativa", ha explicado a EFE el músico británico Elvis Costello sobre la actitud con que encara la gira europea que, a comienzos de septiembre, le llevará a Granada, Madrid y Barcelona.

El tour europeo, que se iniciará el 28 de agosto en Roma, aterrizará en el Teatro del Generalife de Granada el próximo 2 de septiembre, proseguirá su periplo en el Teatro Lope de Vega de Madrid el día 4 y cerrará el 5 de septiembre la etapa española en el Palau de la Música Catalana de Barcelona.

Costello, dice, mantendrá su máxima de "sentir la canción como algo que está sucediendo en el presente", lo que le llevará a aportar un nuevo estilo a clásicos como "Alison" o "I want you" en un repertorio compuesto por temas de todas sus etapas y en el que contará con el único acompañamiento del pianista Steve Nieve, músico habitual del londinense desde hace más de veinte años.

"Tengo tantas canciones...a veces es difícil elegir lo que hará la mejor combinación. Steve y yo tenemos probablemente más libertad que nunca porque no tenemos que pensar en arreglos con la banda", ha recordado el artista, quien se ha sentido agradecido porque haya canciones que llevan con él "desde el principio, desde hace 45 años, y es un tremendo cumplido para un compositor que el público quiera escucharlas".

El cantante de 68 años, inmerso ahora en una gira por EE.UU. con su grupo The Imposters, con el que a comienzos del pasado año publicó el álbum "The Boy Named If", reconoce que "obviamente, en algunas de las canciones de rock and roll de ese álbum probablemente se echaría en falta la contribución" de la banda en el directo, aunque ha resaltado que "eso no significa que no sea interesante tocarlas de una manera diferente".

Para ello, el artista se valdrá en algunos temas de una mesa de mezclas con la que introducirá elementos rítmicos y efectos de sonido, en ocasiones de manera aleatoria, a la vez que cantará para crear "un poco de tensión en lo inesperado": "Steve es muy bueno pensando, reaccionando y tocando. En respuesta a esto, estamos encontrando diferentes combinaciones de nuestros instrumentos", ha explicado.

Asimismo, el cantante ha recordado que su penúltimo álbum de estudio, "Hey Clockface", tiene "mucho material bueno" del que pueden "sacar provecho": fue este disco, publicado en 2020, el primero de los dos álbumes reversionados en otro idioma: de él nació, en 2021, "La Face de Pendule à Coucou", un EP en el que artistas como Isabelle Adjani o Iggy Pop versionan en francés algunos de los temas originales.

Tras él, llegaría, también en 2021, el turno de "Spanish Model", versión en castellano del álbum "This Year's Model", una de sus más exitosos trabajos junto con The Attractions publicado en 1978, en el que participan, entre otros, Juanes, Luis Fonsi, Raquel Sofía, Fito Páez o Jorge Drexler.

"El gran placer de escuchar esas nuevas versiones fue escuchar la forma en que sonaban las palabras con la música en otro idioma, los sonidos del español", ha recordado, a la vez que ha señalado que esta experiencia le brindó nuevas amistades como la entablada con Drexler, con quien actuó en los Grammy Latinos de 2022, o la ya consolidada con Páez, con quien ha colaborado en la reedición de "El amor después del amor".

"Si tenemos la suerte de que tengan un día libre y quieran venir y cantar o simplemente venir al espectáculo, sería delicioso", ha asegurado aunque se ha mostrado consciente de la difícil tarea de cuadrar agendas.

No obstante, esta dificultad no ha evitado que, en sus paradas italianas, se acompañe de la cantante Carmen Consoli: "Estoy aprendiendo la letra de una o dos de sus canciones en italiano. Ella va a cantar en inglés y vamos a intentar cantar canciones del otro", ha revelado.

La gira como dúo de Costello y Nieve llega veinticuatro años después de que ambos emprendiesen, en 1999, su última gira en solitario hasta la fecha, "Lonely World Tour": esta sucedió al lanzamiento el año anterior del álbum "Painted From Memory", cuyas canciones coescritas por Costello y Burt Bacharach fueron recuperadas el pasado marzo en el recopilatorio "The songs of Bacharach & Costello". EFE

——————————-
Google translation:

Elvis Costello will reinvent his songs on a European tour that will flee from nostalgia
Salvador Leon
08/24/2023 08:10

Salvador Leon

Madrid, Aug 24 (EFE).- "It is perfectly fine for the public to feel nostalgic for music, but if the artist is nostalgic, they will get a very negative response," British musician Elvis Costello explained to EFE about the attitude towards who faces the European tour that, at the beginning of September, will take him to Granada, Madrid and Barcelona.

The European tour, which will begin on August 28 in Rome, will land at the Generalife Theater in Granada on September 2, will continue its journey at the Lope de Vega Theater in Madrid on the 4th and will close the stage on September 5 Spanish at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona.

Costello, he says, will maintain his maxim of "feeling the song as something that is happening in the present", which will lead him to bring a new style to classics like "Alison" or "I want you" in a repertoire made up of songs from all its stages and in which he will have the only accompaniment of the pianist Steve Nieve, a regular musician of the Londoner for more than twenty years.

"I have so many songs...sometimes it's hard to choose what will make the best combination. Steve and I probably have more freedom than ever because we don't have to think about arrangements with the band," recalled the artist, who was grateful. because there are songs that have been with him "from the beginning, for 45 years, and it is a tremendous compliment for a composer that the public wants to hear them."

The 68-year-old singer, now immersed in a US tour with his group The Imposters, with whom he released the album "The Boy Named If" at the beginning of last year, acknowledges that "obviously, in some of the songs of that album would probably miss the contribution" of the band live, although he has stressed that "that does not mean that it is not interesting to play them in a different way".

To do this, the artist will use a mixing desk for some songs with which he will introduce rhythmic elements and sound effects, sometimes randomly, while he will sing to create "a bit of tension in the unexpected": " Steve is very good at thinking, reacting and playing. In response to this, we are finding different combinations of our instruments."

Likewise, the singer has recalled that his penultimate studio album, "Hey Clockface", has "a lot of good material" that they can "take advantage of": this album, published in 2020, was the first of the two albums reversioned in another language : from him was born, in 2021, "La Face de Pendule à Coucou", an EP in which artists such as Isabelle Adjani or Iggy Pop cover some of the original songs in French.

After him, the turn of "Spanish Model" would come, also in 2021, the Spanish version of the album "This Year's Model", one of his most successful works together with The Attractions published in 1978, in which, among others, they participate. Juanes, Luis Fonsi, Raquel Sofía, Fito Páez or Jorge Drexler.

"The great pleasure of listening to these new versions was hearing the way the words sounded with the music in another language, the sounds of Spanish," he recalled, while pointing out that this experience gave him new friendships like the one he made with Drexler, with whom he performed at the 2022 Latin Grammys, or the already consolidated one with Páez, with whom he has collaborated on the reissue of "El amor después del amor".

"If we are lucky enough that they have a day off and want to come and sing or just come to the show, it would be delicious," he assured, although he has shown himself to be aware of the difficult task of balancing schedules.

However, this difficulty has not prevented her from being accompanied by the singer Carmen Consoli on her Italian stops: "I am learning the lyrics of one or two of her songs in Italian. She is going to sing in English and we are going to try to sing songs of the other", has revealed.

The tour as a duo of Costello and Nieve comes twenty-four years after they both undertook, in 1999, their last solo tour to date, "Lonely World Tour": this followed the release the previous year of the album "Painted From Memory", whose songs co-written by Costello and Burt Bacharach were recovered last March in the compilation "The songs of Bacharach & Costello". EFE

[Man out of Time]

A similar article by Salvador León published today in La Tribuna de Albacete.


MOOT

[Man out of Time]

Thanks to John Foyle for this setlist:

01. When I Was Cruel No. 2
02. Talking In The Dark
03. Shot With His Own Gun
04. Accidents Will Happen
05. Waiting For The End Of The World
06. Mistook Me For A Friend
07. Like Licorice On Your Tongue
08. Alison
09. Tart
10. Toledo
11. Dio Come Ti Amo
12. Almost Blue
13. Watching The Detectives
14. A Face In The Crowd- EC on piano
15. Blood & Hot Sauce
16. I Still Have That Other Girl
17. She
18. Shipbuilding
19. Cinco Minutos Con Vos
20. We Are All Cowards Now
21. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?


MOOT

[Offshoreram]

A marvellous night and great to properly meet everyone.

Onto Barcelona…

[sweetest punch]

https://epaimages.com/search.pp?picture ... -in-Madrid

[sweetest punch]

https://amp.elmundo.es/cultura/musica/2 ... b4595.html

Elvis Costello se confiesa con un público madrileño cómplice
El músico británico se resarce del concierto cancelado en Granada por la lluvia: "Habíamos oído que nunca llovía en Madrid, así que tendremos que celebrarlo con una fiesta"

Elvis Costello ha convertido en confidente al público madrileño en su concierto este lunes en el teatro Lope de Vega, donde ha exhibido un amplio repertorio que ha abarcado desde la electrónica hasta el jazz adornado con extensas anécdotas de su vida íntima y su carrera musical.

Tras una malograda parada en Granada el pasado sábado, donde la lluvia lo obligó a interrumpir el concierto, cantautor y pianista se han resarcido de su mal inicio en suelo español en un recital en el que el público le ha mostrado su admiración y complicidad, celebrando los clásicos y apoyándolo en sus creaciones más experimentales, algunas de ellas improvisadas en el momento.
"Habíamos oído que nunca llovía en Madrid, así que tendremos que celebrarlo con una fiesta" ha bromeado el músico nada más pisar las tablas en referencia al temporal que en estos días sacude el país: pasaban dos minutos de las ocho y media y un aforo completo, entre el que se encontraba su amigo Jorge Drexler, vitoreaba a los cuatro vientos a Costello mientras se despedía de su icónico sombrero entre compases de swing.

La llegada del londinense a la capital se encuadra dentro de su gira europea, iniciada a finales de agosto en Italia, donde compartió escenario con la cantante Carmen Consoli, y en la que se acompaña exclusivamente del pianista Steve Nieve, componente de la banda The Attractions con la que alcanzó fama mundial.

La primera embestida ha sido una de las más experimentales: When I was cruel No. 2 ha hecho desembalar a Costello todo el arsenal electrónico cuando ha comenzado a controlar una mesa de ritmos a la vez que tocaba su guitarra distorsionada, dejando claro que el espectáculo que acababa de comenzar era como aquellos conciertos que en los ochenta lo proclamaron como el rey del pub rock británico.

Tras ella, la melancólica Without you ha hecho cambiar rápidamente de registro al camaleónico músico, que posaba con las piernas en uve frente al micrófono, al más puro estilo "crooner" para seguir con Shot With His Own Gun.

En ella, la sinergia entre cantante y pianista, presente en las miradas cómplices y en los leves gestos con los que el británico dirigía, hacían perdonar los desgastes vocales del británico, que luchaba no siempre exitosamente por llegar a los tonos más altos. No obstante, la energía de Costello se crecía cuanto más íntima se hacía la atmósfera, llegando a animar al público cuando, lejos de experimentos eléctricos, ha empuñado su guitarra acústica.
Bromista y cercano, Costello ha roto las formalidades entre artista y público al desgranar en detalladas historias su vida, comenzando por contar los orígenes del tema Accidents Will Happen", primer éxito reconvertido al formato acústico, en una noche de amor fugaz y continuando por su irónica disculpa por no saber español, un idioma que su padre manejaba a la perfección porque lo había aprendido "en la cama".

El artista tampoco ha escatimado en halagos para Nieve, a quien ha definido no solo como "el mejor candidato para ser teclista de The Attractions" sino como un artista en el que confía para "que capte sus ideas y las haga fluir" supliendo la limitada habilidad de Costello para el piano.

La amplitud del repertorio se ha evidenciado en la presencia de temas de su primer álbum, My aim is true (1977), como la celebradísima Alison, y de su última publicación The boy named if (2022), del que ha escogido el tema Like Licorice on your tongue para animar a tararear "como un coro de ángeles" al público del patio de butacas.

Unos de los momentos más íntimos de la velada ha sido el recuerdo del fallecido compositor Burt Bacharach, junto con el que Costello grabó el álbum Painted From Memory en una época en la que "solo le salían canciones tristes". Reprimiendo la emoción y, tras interpretar el tema Toledo, coescrito por ambos, Costello se ha reconocido afortunado de "formar una mínima parte de la vida" de un hombre con una existencia maravillosa.

Como ya hiciera en sus anteriores recitales, el inglés ha recuperado su desgastado italiano en el tema "Dio como ti amo", el cual ha combinado con el conocido Almost blue de Chet Baker para dar paso a una versión siniestra y minimalista, tan solo con ritmos y voz, del éxito Watching the detectives, tras la que ha anunciado la recta final señalando que, si no terminaban a tiempo, "soltaban a los leones".

Solo con el piano que por un momento le ha cedido Nieve, Costello ha vaciado todo su torrente vocal en un carrusel de temas de acústicos que han puesto al auditorio en pie y entre los que ha destacado A face inthe crowd.

Tras ella, la ovacionada balada She ha dado lugar a un final en el que Elvis Costello ha querido recordar el desastre de las islas Malvinas en la demoledora "Shipbuilding".

El clásico, acústico para la ocasión, (Wat' so fun about) peace, love and understanding ha cerrado el repertorio como único bis, tras el que ambos artistas ha saludado entre gestos de agradecimiento y vítores para poner rumbo a Barcelona, donde, el próximo martes, ofrecerán un recital en el Palau de la Música.


——————————
Google translation:

Elvis Costello confesses to a complicit Madrid audience
The British musician makes up for the canceled concert in Granada due to the rain: "We had heard that it never rained in Madrid, so we will have to celebrate with a party"

Elvis Costello has turned the Madrid public into a confidant in his concert this Monday at the Lope de Vega theater, where he has exhibited a wide repertoire that has ranged from electronic music to jazz adorned with extensive anecdotes of his intimate life and his musical career.

After an unsuccessful stop in Granada last Saturday, where the rain forced him to interrupt the concert, singer-songwriter and pianist have made up for their bad start on Spanish soil in a recital in which the public has shown their admiration and complicity, celebrating the classics and supporting him in his most experimental creations, some of them improvised at the time.

"We had heard that it never rained in Madrid, so we will have to celebrate it with a party," the musician joked as soon as he stepped on the stage, referring to the storm that is shaking the country these days: two minutes past eight thirty and a capacity complete, among which was his friend Jorge Drexler, cheered Costello to the four winds as he said goodbye to his iconic hat between bars of swing.

The arrival of the Londoner in the capital is part of his European tour, which began at the end of August in Italy, where he shared the stage with the singer Carmen Consoli, and in which he is exclusively accompanied by the pianist Steve Nieve, a member of the band The Attractions with which he achieved worldwide fame.

The first attack has been one of the most experimental: When I was cruel No. 2 has made Costello unpack his entire electronic arsenal when he has begun to control a rhythm table while playing his distorted guitar, making it clear that the show that had just begun was like those concerts that in the eighties proclaimed him as the king of British pub rock.

After her, the melancholic Without You quickly made the chameleonic musician change registers, who posed with his legs in a V in front of the microphone, in true "crooner" style to continue with Shot With His Own Gun.

In it, the synergy between singer and pianist, present in the complicit glances and in the slight gestures with which the Briton conducted, made the Briton's vocal wear and tear forgiven, who struggled not always successfully to reach the highest tones. However, Costello's energy grew the more intimate the atmosphere became, coming to animate the public when, far from electrical experiments, he has wielded his acoustic guitar.
Joking and close, Costello has broken the formalities between artist and public by recounting his life in detailed stories, beginning by telling the origins of the song Accidents Will Happen", the first hit converted to acoustic format, in a night of fleeting love and continuing for his ironic excuse for not knowing Spanish, a language that his father handled perfectly because he had learned it "in bed".

The artist has not skimped on compliments for Nieve, whom he has defined not only as "the best candidate to be keyboardist for The Attractions" but also as an artist he trusts "to capture his ideas and make them flow" supplying the limited Costello's skill at the piano.

The breadth of the repertoire has been evidenced in the presence of songs from his first album, My aim is true (1977), such as the highly celebrated Alison, and from his latest publication The boy named if (2022), from which he has chosen the song Like Licorice on your tongue to encourage the audience in the stalls to hum "like a choir of angels".

One of the most intimate moments of the evening was the memory of the late composer Burt Bacharach, with whom Costello recorded the Painted From Memory album at a time when "he only came out with sad songs." Suppressing his emotion and, after interpreting the song Toledo, co-written by both, Costello has recognized himself lucky to "form a small part of the life" of a man with a wonderful existence.

As he did in his previous recitals, the Englishman has recovered his worn-out Italian on the song "Dio como ti amo", which he has combined with the well-known Almost blue by Chet Baker to give way to a sinister and minimalist version, with only rhythms and voice, from the hit Watching the detectives, after which he announced the final stretch, noting that if they did not finish on time, "they would release the lions".

Alone with the piano that Nieve has given him for a moment, Costello has emptied all his vocal torrent in a carousel of acoustic songs that have made the audience stand up and among which A face in the crowd has stood out.

After it, the acclaimed ballad She has led to an ending in which Elvis Costello wanted to remember the disaster in the Malvinas Islands in the devastating "Shipbuilding".

The classic, acoustic for the occasion, (Wat' so fun about) peace, love and understanding has closed the repertoire as the only encore, after which both artists have greeted between gestures of thanks and cheers to head to Barcelona, where the Next Tuesday, they will offer a recital at the Palau de la Música.

[Man out of Time]

A shorter version of this agency review was published today at KissFM.es:

Elvis Costello resarce en Madrid su mal inicio en España

Elvis Costello ha exhibido un amplio repertorio este lunes en el madrileño teatro Lope de Vega, donde ha abarcado desde la electrónica hasta el jazz adornado con extensas anécdotas de su vida íntima y su carrera musical.

Tras una malograda parada en Granada el pasado sábado, donde la lluvia lo obligó a interrumpir el concierto, cantautor y pianista se han resarcido de su mal inicio en suelo español en un recital en el que el público le ha mostrado su admiración y complicidad, celebrando los clásicos y apoyándolo en sus creaciones más experimentales, algunas de ellas improvisadas en el momento.

Entre el público se encontraba su amigo Jorge Drexler, que vitoreaba a los cuatro vientos a Costello mientras se despedía de su icónico sombrero entre compases de swing.

La llegada del londinense a la capital se encuadra dentro de su gira europea, iniciada a finales de agosto en Italia, donde se acompaña exclusivamente del pianista Steve Nieve, componente de la banda The Attractions con la que alcanzó fama mundial.

La sinergia entre cantante y pianista hacían perdonar los desgastes vocales del británico, que luchaba no siempre exitosamente por llegar a los tonos más altos. No obstante, la energía de Costello se crecía cuanto más íntima se hacía la atmósfera, llegando a animar al público cuando, lejos de experimentos eléctricos, ha empuñado su guitarra acústica.

El artista tampoco ha escatimado en halagos para Nieve, a quien ha definido no solo como «el mejor candidato para ser teclista de The Attractions» sino como un artista en el que confía para «que capte sus ideas y las haga fluir» supliendo la limitada habilidad de Costello para el piano.

Unos de los momentos más íntimos de la velada ha sido el recuerdo del fallecido compositor Burt Bacharach, junto con el que Costello grabó el álbum «Painted From Memory» en una época en la que «solo le salían canciones tristes». Reprimiendo la emoción y, tras interpretar el tema «Toledo», coescrito por ambos, Costello se ha reconocido afortunado de «formar una mínima parte de la vida» de un hombre con una existencia maravillosa.

El clásico, acústico ara la ocasión, «(Wat’ so fun about) peace, love and understanding» ha cerrado el repertorio como único bis, tras el que ambos artistas han saludado entre gestos de agradecimiento y vítores para poner rumbo a Barcelona, donde, el próximo martes, ofrecerán un recital en el Palau de la Música."

Or in "English" via Google Translate:

Elvis Costello makes up for his bad start in Spain in Madrid

Elvis Costello has exhibited a wide repertoire this Monday at the Lope de Vega theater in Madrid, where he has ranged from electronica to jazz adorned with extensive anecdotes from his intimate life and his musical career.

After an ill-fated stop in Granada last Saturday, where rain forced him to interrupt the concert, the singer-songwriter and pianist made up for his bad start on Spanish soil in a recital in which the public showed their admiration and complicity, celebrating the classics and supporting him in his most experimental creations, some of them improvised on the spot.

Among the audience was his friend Jorge Drexler, who cheered Costello from the rooftops while he said goodbye to his iconic hat between swing bars.

The arrival of the Londoner to the capital is part of his European tour, which began at the end of August in Italy, where he is accompanied exclusively by pianist Steve Nieve, a member of the band The Attractions with which he achieved worldwide fame.

The synergy between singer and pianist made one forgive the British's vocal wear and tear, as he struggled, not always successfully, to reach the highest tones. However, Costello's energy grew the more intimate the atmosphere became, reaching the point of animating the audience when, far from electrical experiments, he took up his acoustic guitar.

The artist has not spared his praise for Nieve either, whom he has defined not only as "the best candidate to be The Attractions' keyboardist" but as an artist he trusts to "capture his ideas and make them flow" making up for the limited Costello's ability to play the piano.

One of the most intimate moments of the evening was the memory of the late composer Burt Bacharach, with whom Costello recorded the album “Painted From Memory” at a time when “only sad songs came out.” Repressing emotion and, after performing the song "Toledo", co-written by both, Costello has recognized himself lucky to "form a small part of the life" of a man with a wonderful existence.

The classic, acoustic for the occasion, «(What's so funny about) peace, love and understanding» closed the repertoire as the only encore, after which both artists greeted each other with gestures of gratitude and cheers to head to Barcelona, where , next Tuesday, they will offer a recital at the Palau de la Música."

MOOT

[sweetest punch]

https://www.mondosonoro.com/criticas/co ... -costello/

La dualidad del mito
7 / 10

La nueva gira de Declan Patrick MacManus –aka Elvis Costello– por nuestro país se presentaba en formato de dúo, con el londinense flanqueado por Steve Nieve, su pianista de largo recorrido desde aquel incorruptible debut (y piedra angular de la new wave) que fue “My Aim Is True” (Hip-O, 77). Un tour en el que el británico se enfrasca (sin disimulo) en la misión de reinventar a conciencia su propio repertorio, siguiendo la estela de aquella decisión tomada por Bob Dylan hace ya tiempo, aunque en su caso alejado de la generosa troupe que rodea al de Minnesota. Una misión que materializa tirando de diferentes ópticas, contrapuestas y chocantes entre sí cuando de presentar el contenido se trata. Dualidad que resultó determinante en el devenir del espectáculo.

Costello puede apostar por bases pregrabadas experimentales y algo chirriantes, con la intención de exprimir un sonido pretendidamente (en ocasiones incluso pretenciosamente) vanguardista y actualizar aquellas cualidades que en su momento cristalizaron en la propia canción. Unas referencias probadas en las iniciales “When I Was Cruel No. 2” y “Talking In The Dark”, o en una “We're All Cowards Now” con ecos de krautrock. La baza opuesta apunta al clasicismo extremo y de formas limpias, que respeta la melodía y, sobre el escenario, le ajusta con mayor naturalidad y solvencia. Unas opciones que, entreveradas, motivaron la bipolaridad del concierto, hasta tambalear la identidad de un espectáculo puntualmente irregular e incluso confuso, apuntalado además a través de un formato que se antoja un pelín desamparado.

También resultó chocante comprobar cómo la voz de Costello era muy capaz de rememorar tiempos gloriosos (con su consecuente acongojo y emoción), pero también de patinar en más de una ocasión, si bien el autor mantiene en todo momento esa presencia elegante y admirable de aquel que está dotado con una genialidad incuestionable. En cualquier caso, el vocalista estuvo muy comunicativo durante toda la velada, introduciendo a la audiencia buena parte de las seleccionadas al estilo del extinto programa ‘Storytellers’ de la cadena de televisión VH1. Sin duda, un lujo dado el estatus del artista y al imponente amparo del Teatro Lope de Vega, pero que, al mismo tiempo e inevitablemente, obstaculizó la fluidez de una secuencia de por sí inconexa.

Dos horas sin bises, tras las que enfilar los pasillos del teatro con gesto algo torcido, sin duda más por desubicación que por desaprobación. Satisfechos, en cualquier caso, de haber podido disfrutar de otro encuentro (uno definitivamente diferente) con esa leyenda aún en activo que es Elvis Costello. Entre otras cosas, porque en la retina quedaban piezas maravillosas como “Tart”, la antibelicista “Shipbuilding”, “Watching The Detectives”, la siempre preciosa “She”, “Alison”, aquella “Toledo” grabada junto a Burt Bacharach, “A Face In The Crowd”, o la versión del “(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding” de su socio Nick Lowe que originalmente aparecía en “Armed Forces” (Hip-O, 79) ejerciendo como incuestionable fin de cita.

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Google translation:

The duality of the myth
7 / 10

The new tour of Declan Patrick MacManus –aka Elvis Costello– through our country was presented as a duo, with the Londoner flanked by Steve Nieve, his longtime pianist since that incorruptible debut (and cornerstone of the new wave) that was "My Aim Is True" (Hip-O, 77). A tour in which the Briton embarks (without concealment) on the mission of consciously reinventing his own repertoire, following in the wake of that decision made by Bob Dylan some time ago, although in his case far from the generous troupe that surrounds the from Minnesota. A mission that he materializes by using different, contrasting and clashing optics when it comes to presenting the content. Duality that was decisive in the future of the show.

Costello can bet on experimental and somewhat creaky pre-recorded bases, with the intention of squeezing a supposedly (sometimes even pretentiously) avant-garde sound and updating those qualities that at the time crystallized in the song itself. Some proven references in the initials “When I Was Cruel No. 2” and “Talking In The Dark”, or in a “We're All Cowards Now” with echoes of krautrock. The opposite trick points to extreme classicism and clean forms, which respect the melody and, on stage, adjust it more naturally and solvency. Some intertwined options that motivated the bipolarity of the concert, to the point of shaking the identity of a punctually irregular and even confusing show, also propped up through a format that seems a bit helpless.

It was also shocking to see how Costello's voice was very capable of recalling glorious times (with its consequent grief and emotion), but also of skating on more than one occasion, although the author maintains that elegant and admirable presence of that time at all times. who is endowed with unquestionable genius. In any case, the vocalist was very communicative throughout the evening, introducing the audience to a good part of those selected in the style of the extinct 'Storytellers' program on the VH1 television network. Undoubtedly, a luxury given the status of the artist and the imposing protection of the Lope de Vega Theater, but which, at the same time and inevitably, hindered the flow of an already unconnected sequence.

Two hours without an encore, after which they headed down the halls of the theater with a somewhat crooked gesture, undoubtedly more out of misplacement than out of disapproval. Satisfied, in any case, to have been able to enjoy another encounter (a definitely different one) with that still active legend that is Elvis Costello. Among other things, because wonderful pieces like “Tart”, the anti-war “Shipbuilding”, “Watching The Detectives”, the always precious “She”, “Alison”, that “Toledo” recorded with Burt Bacharach, “were left in the retina.” A Face In The Crowd”, or the version of “(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding” by his partner Nick Lowe that originally appeared in “Armed Forces” (Hip-O, 79) acting as the unquestionable end of appointment.

[sweetest punch]

https://www.elespanol.com/el-cultural/e ... 174_0.html

Google translation: https://www-elespanol-com.translate.goo ... r_pto=wapp

[sweetest punch]

https://www.noticieromadrid.es/comunida ... en-espana/

Google translation: https://www-noticieromadrid-es.translat ... r_pto=wapp

[sheeptotheslaughter]

I thought it was the best Elvis gig I have been to in ages. Yes the voice took a couple of songs to warm up but after that it was fine.

A great turn out from the UK and Ireland lovely to see friendly faces on what was a trying trip for a few of us.



9/10 for me