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It wasn't the rain or heat that threatened to put a damper on the Elvis Costello concert; it was the Crash Test Dummies.
But it was our lucky night. The humidity dropped, the clouds parted, and the Dummies' forty-five minute set remained surprisingly tolerable. It is disappointing, however, to realize that the high point of their show came when the second keyboardist (hired for the tour) demonstrated her uncanny talent for Mongolian overtonal singing.
When Elvis and the Attractions finally took the stage, they went straight to their instruments and played for two solid hours-no foolin' around. They kicked off with four oldies strung back- to-back "No Action," "The Beat," "Waiting for the End of the World," and "Beyond Belief." The band made it clear that applause mongering was not going to be part of the night's agenda. Apparently, Costello views breaking between songs as a waste of time.
After a seven year hiatus, Costello and the Attractions reunited last winter to record a new album, Brutal Youth. Not surprisingly, they sounded super-energetic on the new songs. Costello belted out the lyrics to "Sulky Girl" with all the rage of a man on the verge of strangling an impossible woman. This was followed by the evening's first true ballad, "London's Brilliant Parade," a homesick roam through London's landmarks. The chorus, "I'm having the time of my life (or something quite like it)," was raucously recycled later in "Rocking Horse Road."
The centerpiece of the concert was an extended "Clown Strike," during which Elvis empathetically implored the audience, "You don't have to go so far, 'cause I love you as you are." He also took time during the song to insert a version of "On Broadway," featuring an uncharacteristically long guitar solo. He then launched back into "Clown Strike" with renewed fervor.
Strident and sure, the Brutal Youth songs sparkled. But that is not to say the oldies were left out or merely regurgitated (save for a lackluster "Alison"). "You Belong To Me" had even more venom than the tempestuous versions on This Year's Model and Live At El Mocambo. Elvis even paid homage to Smokey Robinson, doing a heartfelt medley of "Tracks of My Tears" and "Tears of a Clown." The real knockout punch came with "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes." Costello's treatment of the ending, an incessant repetition of the song's title, made the recording seem blasé by comparison.
For the most part, Costello ignored the material from his recent experimental albums. He did, however, include the gorgeous "So Like Candy" and the dramatically surreal "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror." Interestingly, those songs didn't quite measure up to the studio versions. It seems that Costello may have been wise to depart from the Attractions and their straight-forward approach for albums like Spike and Mighty Like a Rose.
Before returning three times for a total of ten encore songs, Costello closed by tying together his current single, "13 Steps Lead Down," and one of his oldest ones, "Radio, Radio."
Costello's new material could stand alongside the old and more than hold its own. In an industry where it has become commonplace for artists to ride on their past achievements, it is refreshing to find one who refuses to do so.
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