Thursday, March 08, 2018

Elvis Costello and the Attractions @ Brooklyn Steel

Elvis Costello and the Attractions
@ Brooklyn Steel
Brooklyn, NY - March 7, 2018

Not rain nor sleet nor snow could keep Elvis and company and a strong number of fans from this rather intimate show at the 1800 person standing room only old warehouse off the beaten path (well, not that off the beaten path at all, just far away in 3 inches of slushy ice whipped by winds).

Playing from across the whole span of his career, E.C. had the boys in fine form, which usually means "it's like the Mocambo in '77!" but for the first time, one had the first whisps of Age. Only in that Elvis' penchant for rumination seems more like that of an older man than it ever has before and he's really starting to make use of that big sign of rock aging - youthful back-up singers (though his career-long love of all kinds of music should be factored into the presence of the singers). But Mellow Costello is still a rock n roll fiend. You get the vibe enough and you can feel that "Radio Radio" is coming after "Miracle Man". But that also means some surprises ("Green Shirt") and at long last, at least by this fan's lights and experiences", Blood & Chocolate, his last perfect record is finally getting its due with not one but two appearances ("I Want You", not an unfamiliar one but we also got "Blue Chair" which nearly had my knees buckling).

After the Imperial Bedroom do-up the year before last, it was good to hear from other records again. And the Face In the Crowd Broadway songs are definitely ready for their close-up. The cherry on top was the announcement that yeah why not let's make another record for old times sake. History indicates it will have at least one fan going "it's like the Mocambo in '77!"

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