Elvis Costello is doing it all alone on his current Australian tour. It is just Elvis and half a dozen of his guitars.
Elvis Costello knows how to do it different and keep it interesting for himself and the audience. The stripped back intimate show allowed fans to get closer to the songs and the performer.
The only complaint from the night came from Elvis himself. He said he had a sore throat because it was a “seaside gig” referring to the St Kilda venue on Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay.
He appeared in a dark suit and cane hat. At times it was like watching Dylan. That hit home even more later in the show when he did a bit from Bob’s ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ during ‘Pump It Up’.
Every Elvis show is a different show but he somehow manages to drop enough songs you know with ones you might like to hear.
The last two albums ‘Momofuku’ and ‘Secret, Profane & Sugarcane’ were represented with two tracks each.
Elvis told a funny story about how he hated ‘Everyday I Write The Book’. He said he wrote it in 10 minutes as a joke and it became a hit.
Here is the setlist for Elvis Costello at The Palais, St Kilda October 13, 2009.
01. Blue Chair?(from Blood and Chocolate, 1986)
02. Rocking Horse Road - with Wild Thing?(from Brutal Youth, 1994)
03. Harry Worth?(from Momofuku, 2008)
04. Veronica?(from Spike, 1989)
05. Down Among The Wines And Spirits (from Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, 2009)
06. Suit Of Lights?(from King of America, 1986)
07. So Like Candy?(from Mighty Like A Rose, 1991)
08. Everyday I Write The Book?(from Punch The Clock, 1983)
09. Bedlam?(from The Delivery Man, 2004)
10. Rope?(from For The Stars, 2001)
11. One Bell Ringing?(unreleased)
12. Hand In Hand?(from This Year’s Model, 1978)
13. High Fidelity?(from Get Happy, 1980)
14. Watching The Detectives?(from My Aim Is True, 1977)
15. God's Comic / Mr. Feathers?(from Spike, 1989/Momofuku, 2008)
16. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said??(from My Aim Is True, 1977/Van Morrison cover)
17. Oliver's Army?(from Armed Forces, 1979)
18. Alison - including He'll Have To Go?(from My Aim Is True, 1977)
Encore
19. Sulphur To Sugarcane (from Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, 2009)
20. All Or Nothing At All?(unreleased)
21. She?(from Nottinghill soundtrack, 1999)
22. Pump It Up - with Subterranean Homesick Blues?(from This Years Model, 1977)
23. I Want You (from Blood and Chocolate, 1986)
