Elvis Costello - 1981-01-25 Chapel Hill

<<   1981-01-25 Chapel Hill

Elvis Costello And The Attractions
Carmichael Auditorium, University Of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
25 January 1981


01. Beaten To The Punch
02. Accidents Will Happen
03. Pretty Words
04. Hand In Hand
05. Motel Matches
06. Luxembourg
07. Clubland
08. This Year's Girl
09. Alison
10. The Imposter
11. New Lace Sleeves
12. Big Tears
13. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - Martin Belmont joins the band
14. Oliver's Army
15. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
16. Temptation
17. He's Got You
18. I've Been Born Again - King Horse
19. Lovers Walk
20. Secondary Modern
21. Radio, Radio
22. You Belong To Me
23. Slippin' And Slidin'
24. Watching The Detectives - including Master Blaster (Jammin')
25. I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
26. Help Me
27. Green Shirt
28. Pump It Up


Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Martin Belmont- lead guitar


Recorder: Unknown
Lineage: Unknown

Comments by area51GM:

40 years on ..................................

This seems like a relentless sprint by Elvis towards the prize of lucrative and prestigious shows on the east coast of the United States but there is no audible sign from this audience recording of any fatigue or loss of enthusiasm from Elvis and The Attractions and no tendency to short change the audience with shorter sets. Indeed this contains the most songs so far performed (by one admittedly) but Elvis sounds cheery from the beginning "how are ya?" to the band introductions in "Pump It Up". For once the concert doesn't begin with a duet between Steve and Elvis but with an exhilarating "Beaten To The Punch" and the tension of the 7ths makes this a great starting song. "Pretty Words" makes a rare appearance too and swoops around the hall with a slight echo making it sound even more mellifluous! "Motel Matches " appears, captured for the first time as a recording though reportedly played in Austin on 22 January and fits smoothly into the set which again has a series of contrasts from gentle "Motel Matches" to raucous, "Luxembourg" and "Alison" to "The Imposter" and "New Lace Sleeves" to "Big Tears". Before the first appearance of "Peace, Love And Understanding", Martin Belmont is welcomed onto the stage and immediately after this statement of equanimity, Elvis prefaces "Oliver's Army" with "I guess this is the alternative" with no little irony. The third single cut "Chelsea" follows again with a good balance between the three guitars though the keys are a little low in the mix and a tape flip occurs just before "Temptation". Elvis again makes a dig at the radio stations mentioning the sort of songs he expected to hear as he came up from New Orleans through Atlanta and he sounds like a barrel-boy from the East End of London in broad cockney accents. The encores include an impassioned "Slippin' and Slidin'" and almost funky "I Can't Stand Up" and "Help Me" and surprisingly, in penultimate place "Green Shirt".

This is sourced from a cassette I received in trade during the 80s most likely from either Dave or Tony in the U.S. and was a little slow so I've brought it up to the correct pitch. Thanks also to the unknown recorder!

Lineage: Maxell XLII cassette > Nakamichi DR3 (no Dolby) > NAD 660 CDR > EAC > Nero 9 for track separation and pitch adjustment > TLH > FLAC > you