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Rock

Elvis Costello & the Imposters Tickets

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Rating: 3.1 out of 5 based on 48 reviews

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About

Elvis Costello is a writer and part-time musician who made a number of records in the 20th Century, some of which are still remembered today.

He was born in London and raised there and in Liverpool.

Costello is the composer or lyricist of over six hundred published titles, including fifteen songs co-written with Paul McCartney and renowned collaborations with Allen Toussaint, the Brodsky Quartet and T Bone Burnett.

Costello's songwriting alliance with Burt Bacharach, began in 1995 with the song, "God Give Me Strength", which led to the 1998 album, "Painted From Memory", before their work was collected in 2023, on the four-album set, "The Songs Of Bacharach & Costello".

Elvis Costello songs have been recorded by Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Chet Baker, Dusty Springfield, Solomon Burke, George Jones, Linda Ronstadt and Bjork, while among the artists with whom he has written songs are Loretta Lynn, Carole King, Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson and his wife, Diana Krall.

Working purely as a lyricist, Costello has provided words for the music of Billy Strayhorn, Oscar Peterson and for twelve Charles Mingus compositions and as a composer, set twelve unpublished lyrics by Bob Dylan.

2024 will see the opening of "A Face In The Crowd", Sarah Ruhl's stage adaptation of the Budd Schulberg story for which Elvis Costello composed the songs.

"A Face In The Crowd" will open at the Young Vic in London on INSERT DATE, directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah and produced by Adam Kenwright.

Elvis Costello is the author of "Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink", a more than six-hundred page memoir which has been translated into six languages. He has received a range of awards over his 45 year old career of which the induction into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame is probably the most significant.

Although he holds two honorary doctorates in music - one from the University of Liverpool and another from the New England Conservatory- Elvis Costello is known for playing the guitar with almost no regard for common sense.

Costello currently performs with The Imposters; his long time companions, drummer, Pete Thomas and pianist, Steve Nieve, bassist of twenty-three years standing, Davey Faragher and their special guest, Texas guitarist, Charlie Sexton.

Setlists

    1. 1.Watching the Detectives (Elvis Costello cover)
    2. 2.No Flag (Elvis Costello cover)
    3. 3.Waiting for the End of the World (Elvis Costello cover)
    4. 4.American Gangster Time
    5. 5.New Lace Sleeves (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    6. 6.Mystery Dance (Elvis Costello cover)
    7. 7.Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town (Mel Tillis cover)
    8. 8.Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    9. 9.I Hope You're Happy Now (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    10. 10.What If I Can't Give You Anything but Love?
    11. 11.Clubland (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    12. 12.Come the Meantimes (Elvis Costello and The Roots cover)
    13. 13.Alison (Elvis Costello cover)
    14. 14.Clown Strike (Elvis Costello cover)
    15. 15.Magnificent Hurt
    16. 16.(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    17. 17.Pump It Up (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    18. 18.(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)
    1. 1.Watching the Detectives (Elvis Costello cover)
    2. 2.American Gangster Time
    3. 3.Waiting for the End of the World (Elvis Costello cover)
    4. 4.Either Side of the Same Town
    5. 5.Clown Strike (Elvis Costello cover)
    6. 6.Brilliant Mistake (Elvis Costello cover)
    7. 7.Flutter & Wow
    8. 8.Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    9. 9.I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down (Sam & Dave cover) (New Years Eve 1981 style) (Elvis sings it in the crowd)
    10. 10.Clubland (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover) (with “Ghost Town”)
    11. 11.(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (Elvis Costello cover) (with “Before The Next Teardrop Falls”)
    12. 12.Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Nina Simone cover)
    13. 13.The Greatest Love (Lee Dorsey cover)
    14. 14.(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    15. 15.Magnificent Hurt
    16. 16.Pump It Up (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    17. 17.(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)
    18. 18.Farewell, OK
    19. 19.Slow Down (Larry Williams cover)
    20. 20.Alison (Elvis Costello cover) (with “I Will Be There”)
    1. -Wang Dang (Bob Destiny cover)
    2. 1.Pump It Up (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    3. 2.Watching the Detectives (Elvis Costello cover)
    4. 3.No Flag (Elvis Costello cover)
    5. 4.Come the Meantimes (Elvis Costello and The Roots cover) (with a couple instrumental snippets of "Liquidator" by the Harry J All Stars)
    6. 5.Happy Birthday to You (Mildred J. Hill & Patty Hill cover)
    7. 6.I Trust (The Byrds cover)
    8. 7.Wonder Woman (Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint cover)
    9. 8.Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    10. 9.A Face in the Crowd (Elvis Costello cover)
    11. 10.Blood & Hot Sauce (Elvis Costello cover)
    12. 11.Ode to Billie Joe / Everybody's Cryin' Mercy (Bobby Gentry song segued with the Mose Allison song)
    13. 12.Clubland (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover) (with a snippet of the Specials' "Ghost Town" and instrumental outro of Elvis Costello's "Impatience")
    14. 13.Mystery Dance (Elvis Costello cover) (with a snippet of Mr. Sad Head's "Hot Weather Blues" and the fourth verse from the Honky Tonk demo)
    15. 14.Alison (Elvis Costello cover)
    16. 15.(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)
    17. 16.We Are All Cowards Now (Elvis Costello cover)
    1. 1.Hetty O'Hara Confidential (Elvis Costello cover)
    2. 2.Watch Your Step (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    3. 3.Waiting for the End of the World (Elvis Costello cover)
    4. 4.The Boy Named If
    5. 5.Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    6. 6.Radio Radio (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    7. 7.My Baby Just Squeals (You Heel) (Elvis Costello cover)
    8. 8.Like Licorice (The Coward Brothers cover)
    9. 9.Watching the Detectives (Elvis Costello cover)
    10. 10.A Face in the Crowd (Elvis Costello cover)
    11. 11.Blood & Hot Sauce (Elvis Costello cover)
    12. 12.Everybody's Cryin' Mercy (Mose Allison cover)
    13. 13.(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (Elvis Costello cover)
    14. 14.Dio, come ti amo (Domenico Modugno cover)
    15. 15.Almost Blue / (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    16. 16.Clubland / Ghost Town / Insensatez (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    17. 17.Wonder Woman (Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint cover)
    18. 18.I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down (Sam & Dave cover)
    19. 19.High Fidelity (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    20. 20.Man Out of Time (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    21. 21.There Won't Be Anymore (Charlie Rich cover)
    22. 22.She (Charles Aznavour cover)
    23. 23.Alison / I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
    24. 24.(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    25. 25.Magnificent Hurt
    26. 26.Pump It Up (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    27. 27.(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)
    1. 1.Hetty O'Hara Confidential (Elvis Costello cover)
    2. 2.Watch Your Step (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    3. 3.Waiting for the End of the World (Elvis Costello cover)
    4. 4.Heart of the City (Nick Lowe cover)
    5. 5.Uncomplicated (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    6. 6.What If I Can't Give You Anything but Love?
    7. 7.Mystery Dance (Elvis Costello cover)
    8. 8.The Man You Love to Hate
    9. 9.Watching the Detectives (Elvis Costello cover) (Spooky Mix)
    10. 10.Poisoned Rose (Elvis Costello cover)
    11. 11.The Greatest Love (Lee Dorsey cover) (Dedicated to Allen Touissant)
    12. 12.Like Licorice (The Coward Brothers cover)
    13. 13.Alison (Elvis Costello cover)
    14. 14.Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover) (Segue from Alison into Everyday I Write the Book)
    15. 15.Everybody's Cryin' Mercy (Mose Allison cover)
    16. 16.A Good Year for the Roses (George Jones cover)
    17. 17.Clubland (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    18. 18.Ghost Town (The Specials cover) (Segue from Clubland)
    19. 19.The Comedians (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    20. 20.She (Charles Aznavour cover)
    21. 21.Deep Dark Truthful Mirror (Elvis Costello cover)
  1. Encore

    1. 22.(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    2. 23.Magnificent Hurt
    3. 24.Pump It Up (Elvis Costello & The Attractions cover)
    4. 25.(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)
    5. 26.Farewell, OK

Reviews

Rating: 3.1 out of 5 based on 48 reviews
  • Amazing show

    by WoodstockWightman on 2023-06-16Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 4 out of 5

    We got to enjoy some of our old favorites except he never played Alison which was a bit disappointing some of his new tunes were good but a bit slow for some of us Enjoyed the fact we got to see Elvis for the 1st time Also enjoyed Nick Lowe the Straightjackets their face masks were a hoot Sounded great

  • Allison!

    by LA on 2023-06-13Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 5 out of 5

    It was unexpectedly different but also awesome!!! Wished he played Allison though!

  • Twists

    by Mad Hack on 2023-06-12Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 5 out of 5

    Loved watching a band finding its way. Pros to the end. Sound was wicked, and Watching the Detectives and Indoor Fireworks were highlights for me. Nick Lowe's band was spectacular, and he is a rhythm machine. The show was unique, and I love that about live music.

  • Elvis is back!

    by Roger on 2023-06-11Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 5 out of 5

    Elvis exchanged the greatest hits list for more engrossing re-interpretation of some of his best songs. Nick Low and Charlie Sexton were great additions to the show.

  • Elvis Costello has left the building

    by Aghast on 2023-06-11Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 1 out of 5

    This was the absolute worst experience of my life. Off key, off tempo, off track, off of reality. It was an assault on my senses that was practically torture, except that I could leave, which I did with a huge part of the rest of the audience. If Elvis wants to play the part of mad scientist experimenting on live subjects perhaps he should be paying us. But even then I would not want endure this madness.

  • Walked out!

    by T on 2023-06-10Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 1 out of 5

    I was totally excited to see EC as this was a Birthday gift to myself. It was supposed to be a great night out with my wife. We have both been overworked so this was something we looked forward to. However from the first note I realized that it seemed they must not have had a sound check! The piano section was way too over powering and it was a short while after this I noticed there was a lot of out of time playing going on. Just enough to make some of the songs start to train wreck. ( sound jumbled) we tried our best and waited through about 9 so he before we motioned each other to leave. Also we seemed to not be the only ones. There was a bit of an exit happening by many. Wish I could get my money back. It was not a great show.

  • Elvis comes up short

    by Mac on 2023-06-10Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 3 out of 5

    I was disappointed with the Vancouver show. The instrumental sounds were good but the vocals were poor and when you add in the number of songs that were rearranged it was difficult to figure out which song he was playing. Also, he didn't play 2 of his biggest hits which I was looking forward to hear.

  • Awful

    by Jerk Meat on 2023-06-10Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 2 out of 5

    Elvis Costello was awful. I was very disappointed. I’ve seen plenty of shows by all different genres and levels of musicians, and Costello’s performance was the worst I’ve ever seen. The open mic at the pub down the street is better than the performance he gave. Too bad, as I was really looking forward to the show. Nick Lowe opened, and played a good set.

  • No respect

    by Spike on 2023-06-10Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 1 out of 5

    Elvis Costello was a horrible concert for someone who had been going to se him since 1983. Played a couple of songs that he was known for. Mix in your old and new but never forget what got you to where you are! N

  • I Grew up listening to Elvis

    by johnog on 2023-06-10Queen Elizabeth Theatre - VancouverRating: 5 out of 5

    The sound was great and the band was in good form. Loved Green shirt and The Beat to start things off. The re-worked songs were good, i really enjoyed Accidents will happen and Watching the detectives. Both had elements of new and old which i loved. Best part of the evening was Whats so funny about peace love and understanding with Nick Lowe, as it sounded like it did back in the 80's.