Venue:
Blenheim Palace
Date: 16/06/2018
O, I just don’t know where to begin…… The positives? Well it didn’t rain and the support acts were great. Pete Thomas gets better and better and I quite took to Davey Faragher, who winced beautifully at every duff note.
To the beginning. With it threatening to rain all day, and the forecasters expecting it, there were only occasional spatters on the windscreen as I drove down, a surprisingly simple park and wander into the grounds. Not too packed and the arena made good use of the available architecture, with the outside lawn, if you will, as it spread down to the lake, pleasantly thronging with geese and humans in seemingly equal numbers. Food, beer and toilets a semi-circle of convenience, all looked promising.
Nick Lowe, on prompt at 6, clearly knew the demographic, opening with ‘People Change’, the first of several acerbic tales of middle aged disappointment. Dapper in pressed white shirt and slacks, his quiff a thing of wonder to behold, white as his shirt. A fabulous version of the Dionne/BeeGees ‘Heartbreaker’ then led into a selection of old Rockpilers, you know, ‘Cruel to be Kind’, ‘Heart’, all just sung with precision to his simple acoustic guitar. Lovely stuff, even throwing in ‘Peace, Love and Understanding’, saying he hoped it might not be it’s last airing that day. A chugging ‘I Knew the Bride’ and he was off.No ‘Breaking Glass’ as not allowed in the arena.
45 minutes and the longest queues ever, besignalling the PSA generation present. More alarmingly, they had already run out of the only decent ale, Laganitas budget IPA, 5.5%, meaning a dry day now onward for me.
“We’re the Waterboys and we’re a rock and roll band”, shouted Mike Scott and he was true to his word. Quite the loudest version of his band I have seen, the sound was crunchingly precise, kicking off with ‘Medicine Bow’ and ‘All the Things She Gave Me’. Indeed the set predominated big music over folky fare, Steve Wickham now more comfortable flailing his fiddle in fusion-lite solos than I have seen before. And enjoying it. As, clearly, was Brother Paul, a grinning troll on epic hammond, all hair and teeth. I hadn’t expected girly singers, normally less than impressed by the need, but these two were good. You know the ones that Dave Gilmour touts for his shows? That good. New bassist, (a wandering) Aenghus, meant that, sadly, David Hood is back home in Muscle Shoals, a solid counter to the the ever more impressive now quite longterm drummer. A couple of the new songs meant we got a handle on Scott’s slightly chopey lyrical direction, he looking a bit too slack jawed and drool these days to carry it quite off, but they sounded great musically, his guitar kerranging away with almost Neil Young intensity. After a brief choral singalong to Shithole, it was a Scott on piano led ‘Whole of the Moon’. The audience went apeshit, me apart, it being a song I loathe and always have. Thankfully he remembered this and, rather the finishing then, gave an epic ‘Fisherman’s Blues’ to close. “Give Costello my regards” his parting shot.As in follow that.
Another 45 minute loo break and the stage lights came on for the first time, as the band lurched on, Nieve in an odd red (army?) peaked hat, Costello in obligatory pinstripe and stubble, looking no where near as buffed as in the promo pictures. And two more girly singers. WTF? Stage right on a platform, all shimmer, satin and sway, it soon became apparent as to why. Sorry, guys, it’s official. He can’t sing. Flatter than Paul Whitehouse’s fishmonger, he kicked off seemingly listening to a different version of nearly every song played. The balance was slightly off as well, meaning keyboards were largely muted, revealing only the more annoying plinky plinky motifs that are so prevalent. Opener was ‘Wonder Woman’ from his Toussaint collaboration, a bit of a google, needing his voice in better nick, it was largely a greatest hits nostalgia fest, albeit often the less obvious songs, a fair few from the ’10 Hail Marys’ early collection. ‘Radio Radio’ was the first to really wake up the heavily partisan audience. It was not only Faragher wincing as Costello hit everything but the notes required. Beginning the weigh up the money spent and the long drive home, as they launched into an OK ‘Detectives’ I joined a slow trickle and left. What I could hear of ‘Chelsea’ and Pump It Up’ could not draw me back.
Setlist tell me what I missed. A solo ‘Alison’ with the girls could have been good but I suspect would have curdled my ears. I would like to have heard ‘Little Palaces’. And ‘Shipbuilding’. I would not like to have heard ‘She’.
Home by midnight. No regrets.
The audience:
Oblivious, by and large. A mix of hardcore Costello fanbase message-boarders in old Ts and porkpie hats, with garden centre weekend couples remembering better days. As said, a trickle of frowning saddos like me, rushing back to play old recordings and relive old memories.
It made me think..
I wish I wasn’t so darn picky. I love Costello and, yes, identify with and admire his voice as it was, or as the studio delivers. A novice compared to @steveT and @dogfacedboy , I have only seen him six or seven times. Only twice was he brilliant, Glasto early 90s and at Symphony Hall with Steve Nieve as a duo. Twice he was awful, last year as it happens, and way back when, at the old Bingley Hall in Brum. I ain’t going to risk it anymore.
retropath2 says
Have Nick Lowe’s new single, played yesterday:
(If it ain’t broke……..)
Gatz says
We had seriously considered making the journey for this but now I’m glad I gave it a miss. I enjoyed the last times I saw Lowe and Costello (never been persuaded by The Waterboys), but sometimes it better to let bands go.
SteveT says
A not unexpected review. As much as it pains me I am beginning to feel that Costello is losing his relevance as he prefers to hobnob with the celebrity friends that he clearly loves to hang out with rather than make any new music of any worth.
He apparently has a new album coming out in September with the Imposters. If it is an album of rock based songs I will be excited. If it is his piddly attempts at movie ballads then frankly he can stick it up his ass. Not sure his voice is flat – more that his soundchecks are and always have been sloppy. Even on the fansite forum where anything critical is usually dismissed there are mutterings about poor sound mix. He is better than that – or should be.
Tiggerlion says
Elvis Costello makes me sad, grieving over my lost youth and my all consuming passions. I’ve seen him seven times, the final time in the eighties. I bought all his records with the attention to detail that most of us on The Afterword know and understand. I devoured them all. I even bought his records when I had no record player to play them on.
But, in the last decade, something has broken inside me. I find him thoroughly irritating. His back catalogue seems full of smartypants vitriol that now sounds pointless. I feel like slapping him across the chops. His grown-up more recent product sounds weak in my ears, although the one with Burt is fine. This Year’s Model still sounds like the future, the soulfulness on Get Happy!! feels genuine and Watching The Detectives can make the hairs on my neck bristle, even today. The rest, though, curls my toes, especially Blood And Chocolate and King Of America.
Sorry and all that.
Twang says
Up. Except theBurt one is execrable, and caused my departure from his fan base. “She” was the absolute pits, and I’ve barely bothered with him since. The first album and “Almost blue” still get an airing so I guess I like him in country rock mode.
SteveT says
@Tiggerlion agreed with your sentiment until your last sentence which is clearly tosh (ooaa). King of America features Indoor Fireworks, I’ll wear it proudly, Sleep of the Just, American without tears and Little Palaces. Those 5 songs alone are amongst some of the finest he has written and easily elevates that album to a place in his top three. Even after that Spike and Mighty like a rose are excellent albums and the song Still from North might be one of the great love songs with a tune to die for. It was after this that his attitude became almost a shrug of his shoulders. Since he married Diana Krall he has to my mind lost his cutting edge – as if happiness has dulled his creative abilities. Its a bloody great shame because he is one of his greatest ever songwriters. I shall buy his new album when/if it eventually comes out but I don’t have great expectations. I hope to be proven wrong but I somehow doubt it.
Tiggerlion says
*groans*
I’m going to have to listen again. Not today. I don’t have the strength. At the time, I thought those King and Blood were magnificent artistic achievements.
Spike and Mighty are where I started to have real doubts. They postured at me, rather than drew me in.
Junior Wells says
Gosh DFB would be having kittens if he hadn’t left the blog.
I find it remarkable that bands can either not do a proper soundcheck or do one properly have the sound turn to shit between then and the show.
And how Declan can think She is worthy of inclusion is equally mystifying.
retropath2 says
This just in….. For @junior-wells
Junior Wells says
There’s a special place in hell for Justin Trudeau … and you Retro.
Harry Tufnell says
Great review Retro, I’d have loved to have seen Nick Lowe again, Waterboys I’m sure I’d have tapped my foot but the thing that put me off was the latest incarnation of Mr DP. I saw the setlist and at least you didn’t have to endure “Jimmy Standing In The Fucking Rain” which he seems to think has become one of his standards over the past decade or so. I’ve seen Elvis many times, 20+, but the last few times culminating in the awful Palladium solo show have been the dogshit on the shoe of my gig going life and I’m not going to bother again. After all I’ve still got Sheffield Top Rank on the TYM tour…
SteveT says
The last Spinning Wheel tour was great but since then pretty dire culminating in the pretty awful show at Warwick Arts Centre that I went to with Retro.
We know he can do it because I have seen him do it several times and have evidence in the form of live at the El Mocambo. However now it seems he can no longer be bothered.
Razor Boy says
I totally concur with you Retro
We bailed after Accidents Will Happen (14th song of a 21 song setlist)
Loved Nick Lowe and wish he’d had a longer time slot.The Waterboys are always pretty darn good whenever I have seen them, this incarnation of the band was also good the two girl singer he had were great.
But Elvis…meh, big meh.
DrJ says
Oh I just don’t know where to begin…
Costello plays Dublin next Saturday and uncharacteristically I don’t have a ticket yet. I’ve seen him 21 times since 1989 and the love has ebbed and flowed. I really lost interest with the Toussant album and the Secret… record, which I hated. Then I saw him do a spectacular gig at the Royal Festival Hall in 2010 and I was back in again. I still think 2010’s National Ransom is a top 5 Costello Record.
But now I’m not on a hot streak with EC. Last saw him do an Imposters show in Belfast in 2016 which was a fun romp. Do I want to go again? I never need to hear Detectives or Alison live again. He plays She because it is by some margin his most played track on Spotify.
Will it be as good as the Taylor Swift gig I was at two days ago? No. No it won’t.
So yeah, I’ll probably go.
Junior Wells says
Most popular on Spotify ? How is that possible. Some malign outcome from a nefarious algorithm (TMFTL), people asking for songs with She in the title.
I’m gobsmacked.
dai says
We have had this discussion before. My point was that since 1978 Watching the Detectives (as an example) has been played more than the execrable She. And it is probably still played more by his fans who, being of a certain age, are playing it on CD, vinyl, cassette and 8 track rather than Spotify.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
I read all this with deep sorrow – whilst I think EC hasn’t recorded a really decent album since Imperial Bedroom his concerts have for me always been things of wonder and joy. Seen him at least a dozen times and nary anything else but marvellous. The last time was Amsterdam around 2005 (?) where he tore the house down – have things really got this bad? I can’t imagine ever leaving one of his gigs early, WTF???
Tahir W says
He’s not awfully likable is he?
SteveT says
Not sure I know what you mean by that comment. Why isn’t he likeable? He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of music, has a sharp intellect and is engaging conversationally. Or are you basing your opinion on his snarling persona when he started out with and which is the era that most of his fans yearn for?
Seems he cant win – nasty in song makes him likeable as a person. Nice in song makes him unlikeable? Bit weird that.
DrJ says
FWIW, I have had four interactions with Mr Costello and he’s been ace each time. I know this might seem like a dull thing to say, but I really admire his work ethic. He is always ready and prepared. He doesn’t turn up in a studio and expect to jam out his new album, the songs are done and he’s waiting for the red light – you see it again and again in his collaborations. He doesn’t waste time. For some people, that might take the fun out of things, but I admire his dedication to the lot of a working musician. He obviously inherited it from his dad and the others on his family tree.
Tahir W says
Oh, why do most of his fans yearn for the snarling period?
DrJ says
Not sure. I’m fond of the Warners years because that’s where I got on board, I think he’s been inconsistent since. However now that he’s not prolific anymore, you can’t write off one year’s album expecting a different one to drop in 12 months. Only two albums this decade. While we’re here, I also really don’t like My Aim Is True.
Moose the Mooche says
In the good old days DFB would be along presently to call you all cloth-eared c***s.
Mike_H says
Well, you probably all are, but that aside, I’ve never been a big fan of the Watching The Detectives hitmaker, (he was O.K. on the first Stiff tour but Dury was better, don’t you think?) so what do I care?
dai says
I like King of America (especially) and Blood and Chocolate quite a lot.I think the rot set in when Declan started to think he was a really great, versatile singer. He isn’t.
Junior Wells says
Shiiiipbuiiiiillllllldiiiiing is the marker
Black Celebration says
Could someone explain his fame in America to me? I have liked a lot of his stuff in the past, but I don’t see how he has achieved such a high profile in the States.
dai says
Fame? He is known, but is hardly massive. Plays pretty small theatres.
Black Celebration says
He’s been in The Simpsons though.
Tiggerlion says
And Frasier.
Gatz says
And Friends.
Rigid Digit says
and Sesame Street
duco01 says
and “No Surrender”
Moose the Mooche says
He was excellent in Twin Peaks.
bigstevie says
…also in Treme.
pawsforthought says
…and 30 Rock.
MC Escher says
…and Two and A Half Men.
SteveT says
@dai sells out pretty small venues on a regular basis – has a pretty hectic schedule even when he hasn’t recorded for any length of time. Would imagine his live show sales are still pretty high in comparison to other artists that came onto the scene at the same time – in fact most have fallen by the wayside.
Reportedly his net worth is $80 million – hardly unsuccessful.
Gary says
The same dai who posts here? Good Lord.
dai says
I can categorically refute the assertion that I am worth $80 million! (don’t believe Elvis is either, his wife is probably richer though).
Somebody I know slightly was nanny to his (and DIane Krall’s) kids once.
SteveT says
@dai I thought Diana would be richer too but apparently her fortune is ‘only circa $8 million.
Seems good looking jazz musicians are less appealing than geeky rock stars.
Mike_H says
Jazz just doesn’t sell like rock/pop/R&B does.
I imagine those lush-production Diana Krall albums with the big orchestras have yet to show much of a profit.
The really big labels do these things mainly as PR projects, telling the world “Hey! We’re serious about music here at Universal!”
retropath2 says
Telly programmes with Bill Clinton and records with Toussaint, Bacharach and the Roots might explain, let alone Marian McPartlin and the Metropole Orkestra. If you appear on Letterman* enough you are famous.
*a generic term for whoever helms late night talk shows that all americans seem to live on.
Tiggerlion says
He made an effort with the USA from the get-go, touring extensively from as early as 1978. I even think his drunken outburst about Ray Charles helped, as all publicity is good publicity.
Chrisf says
This SNL performance and the subsequent publicity of getting banned from the show, probably helped also……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeOAD2pafc8
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Or the fact that EC is an actual “Artist” and is respected and admired over there where Artists tend to get revered instead of, as often is the case in the UK, dismissed as past it, no longer relevant etc.
Few rock stars, and EC is indeed a rock star, have as wide and varied history as his, from punk to country to balladeer to those godawful collaborations with The North Sea Orchestra or whatever they are called. A restless soul constantly pushing boundaries sounds clichéd and trite but it fits EC perfectly. The fact that a lot of his stuff released these past twenty years has largely left me cold is irrevelant – he deserves our respect for a whole bunch of records that tower over a whole bunch of his contemporaries.
As I say above I am genuinely shocked that these days his concerts are no longer any good – I may have to make a special effort to find out for myself what had gone wrong.
dai says
What has gone wrong? Age probably. He’s in his 60s now. I haven’t seen him live in about 10 years, but saw 2 shows with The Imposters around then. One was a big disappointment, the other was superb. Even great performers have off nights.
DrJ says
Here’s a list of my Costello gigs and brief impression of each one
89 – Dublin, National Stadium, Solo – Amazing
91 – Dublin, Olympia, w/ Rude 5 – Amazing
92 – Dublin, Abbey, Charity Gig, Solo – Pretty cool
94 – London, Shepherd Bush Empire, w/Attractions – Amazing
94 – Dublin, Point, w/Attractions – Lost in the size of the venue
95 – Dublin, Point, supporting Dylan – Amazing
96 – Dublin, Stadium, w/Attractions – Minimal recollection
99 – Dublin, NCH, w/Steve Nieve – Great
00 – Dublin, NCH, Guest of Burt Bacharach – Great, but brief
02 – Dublin, Stadium, w/Imposters – Ramshackle
05 – Berlin, w/Imposters – Noisy fun
05 – London, Apollo, w/Imposters – Average
05 – London, Kenwood House, w/Imposters – Amazing
09 – London, Barbican, w/Brodsky Quartet – Good
10 – London, Royal Festival Hall, Solo – Amazing
12 – London, Royal Albert Hall, w/Imposters – Pretty good
12 – Dublin, The O2, w/Imposters – Pretty good
13 – London, Royal Albert Hall, w/Imposters – Not great
14 – Dublin, BGET, Solo – Pretty good
14 – Belfast, Waterfront, Solo – Worst audience ever
16 – Belfast, Odessey, w/Imposters – Pretty, pretty good, an homage to The Attractions
There we have it. This is fun!
Moose the Mooche says
Didn’t know he’d done all those gigs with Sal Solo….
seekenee says
Ha!!!!
Moose the Mooche says
Or maybe it was his Felicity Kendal tribute act
(and you think I nailed that bloody Twin Peaks thing into the ground..)
The Muswell Hillbilly says
Would you mind directing me to the origin of the Twin Peaks thing? Makes me laugh every time but I’ve never known quite why you’re saying it.
Thanks awfully, etc. etc…
Moose the Mooche says
Can’t remember sadly….I didn’t start it…. It was always burning since the world’s been turning.
The Muswell Hillbilly says
Oh well. Carry on. I like it
fentonsteve says
I went to the 05 Apollo gig on a friend’s spare ticket. It was decidedly average and I left before the end in order to catch the faster early train.
Max the Dog says
I was at the National Stadium in ’89 as was the good doctor above – I also remember it as a cracking show. Between one thing and another, I didn’t see him again until Galway in 2016 with the Imposters. Really good show once the sound problems on the first two songs were sorted out. I thought it was that my ears were still ringing after The Undertones, but I see on this thread that he has something of a reputation for sloppy sound. Played ‘She’ of course, but made up for it by doing ‘Shipbuilding’ and ‘Bedlam’ in The encore set. Apparently the following night in Dublin he did 25 songs including ‘I Want You’. Hope he releases some proper new material this year – I’m a fan of his (relatively) recent stuff – The Delivery Man, When I Was Cruel and the Bacharach one.
SteveT says
@DrJ I was at that 94 Shepherds Bush gig too and concur it was excellent. However I recall first two numbers were dire before the sound was adjusted. He is the only artist I have seen where that has been a common occurrence. He should take more care with his sound checks.
Best I have seen him was at Locarno in Birmingham and as a duo with Nick Lowe in Liverpool.
Still one of my favourite artists both live and on record but I do feel he needs to arrest an apparent decline.
DrJ says
He did four Fridays at the SBE in Nov 94 and I was there on Nov 18th (the night before I’d seen Sparks, and that was something).
Myself and my pal had decided to get down early, got in and onto the crash barrier front and centre. I didn’t know that the support was going to be Difford & Tilbrook – but there they were, doing their thing.
The reason I had traveled over as a pale-faced college student for three days in London was to see Elvis with The Attractions. Up until Brutal Youth, I thought I’d become an EC fan too late to ever see him with the beat combos to end all beat combos. No Irish date had been announced and when I figured that Sparks would be part of the same trip then I went to the travel agent and booked an airplane ticket, because that’s how long ago that was.
Elvis had a bit of a bad voice so he started the gig on his own acoustically with All This Useless Beauty, which I already knew because he’d played it at the 1992 gig I’d seen. Then New Amsterdam. Then he started You Tripped At Every Step – now by this point, I had listened to Brutal Youth constantly for the previous seven months that it had been out. What I wasn’t expecting was about 90 seconds into You Tripped… when The Attractions pelted onto the stage, crash-landed at their instruments and without missing a beat charged in to join EC on the chorus. There they were – Elvis Costello & The Attractions. Still makes me happy to this day.
Not a bad setlist either:
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/elvis-costello-and-the-attractions/1994/shepherds-bush-empire-london-england-bf4e1a2.html
SteveT says
Stop press – EC and Imposters just announced new 20 date USA tour. New album must be on its way.
retropath2 says
New record, Lord I hope not. Because it’ll be lauded as a return to form and, in truth, will probably be brilliant. Or possibly. But his voice will be perfect. And then I’ll make the mistake of one last, for old times sake, show…
Actually, I don’t think there is any new. He wouldn’t resist the opportunity to show it off.
SteveT says
Au contraire. Band have been under strict instructions not to divulge anything and decision was made not to preview any of the new songs until release and the new tour in November. Hopefully it will be a barnstorming set highlighting the prowess of the best beat group ever rather than some hapless tinkly ballady stuff because lets face it he aint going to write another ballad as good as Alison.
Tiggerlion says
Come to think of it, I enjoyed his recent album with Roots. haven’t listened to it since the year it was released.
Mousey says
The best thing about Elvis Costello has always been Steve Nieve
duco01 says
Can I just interject here with a mention for Steve Nieve’s solo album “Lazy Point”. It’s a good’un!
retropath2 says
Which one is that? I heard one and its was dull old drivel, despite me really wanting to like it. And now it reads as if I am calling myself a dick. See below,
retropath2 says
Only a massive pianist would say that
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Other opinions are apparently available
http://www.hotpress.com/Elvis-Costello/music/reviews/live/Elvis-Costello–The-Imposters-at-the-Bord-Gis-Energy-Theatre/22641633.html
SteveT says
Great review by Pat except Deep dark truthful mirror is a pile of vomit and the worst song on Spike by some distance rather than s redeeming song.
duco01 says
Yeah, I don’t care for “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror” either. Yet Costello himself must love it, because every time I’ve gone to see him live, he plucks it out of the old songbook and gives it an airing (see also “Pump it Up”).
Contrast this with an EC song that I absolutely adore, like “You Little Fool”: he’s never performed it once in all the 19 times I’ve paid to see the Beloved Entertainer. It’s always the way…
SteveT says
@duco01 see also After the fall. I have possibly seen Costello around 25 times. Never seen him play it.
I had tickets to see him in 1999 when my daughter was born. She was in hospital longer than expected and had to miss the concert. Guess what he played?
retropath2 says
Well, I like it, especially the version on the Unshaved and Unplugged bootleg
retropath2 says
A considerably expanded show from the outside gig that opened the tour, plus, I reckon, Costello had read mine and upped his game. Plus Pat likes a gargle.
Just sayin’
DrJ says
So in the end I went along last night and I didn’t think it was great. I realise though that many people in the room thought otherwise, giving the man a standing o by the end. The sound was dodgy up front, he intermittently sang flat, off the beat, I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe it’s me. I’ve seen all the tricks. I also can’t stand I Want You – I’m with Bruce Thomas on that one.
And can we talk about Elvis as a guitarist? Compared to Steve and Pete as an instrumentalist he is nowhere near their standard. The loop pedal solo in Watching The Detectives is very poor. His default guitar sound of muddy-fuzzy-verytrebly-fasttremelo is old and gets lost in the mix.
Yeah, maybe me & EC need a break.
retropath2 says
Tell that to your Uncle Pat!
DrJ says
For the record, we’re cousins!
retropath2 says
Aren’t you all ‘cousins” in Ireland? (Beautific smile)
Disclaimer: my family hail from the Hebrides where we really are all half-siblings. Flip, even Ianess….
Lando Cakes says
I was at the Edinburgh gig tonight and I rather enjoyed it. Yeah, that’s right – I thought it was quite good. I’m not afraid to take a controversial stance, no sirree.
Gatz says
This just in – Elvis has cancelled remaining dates on the European tour, and it turns out he performed the earlier dates while recovering from surgery for ‘a small but very
aggressive cancerous malignancy’.
https://www.elviscostello.com/#!/news/297540
Moose the Mooche says
Bloody hell! Get well soon Dec’.
Tiggerlion says
Oh lord! And I was being horrible about him. 😳
retropath2 says
Hopefully they will have caught it ahead of needing zoladex, but, in case:
https://www.ehealthme.com/ds/zoladex/hoarseness-or-changing-voice/