Elvis/Imposters, San Diego , April 16 '12

[johnfoyle]

Who's going?

Cool illustration with this preview -

http://www.pacificsandiego.com/2012/04/ ... r-a-spin-3


Illustration by R. Black

[Azmuda]

Cool illustration with this preview -

That poster was also used for March 23, 2005.

[johnfoyle]

A timeless classic!

That '05 show sounds exciting !

http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB3 ... go%2C+2005

[johnfoyle]

Preview -
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan ... ys-season/

[And No Coffee Table]

Very clear pic of the wheel: http://instagr.am/p/JgQbkHJDq_/

[migdd]

Nice shot of the wheel. Harry Worth has been added.

[And No Coffee Table]

I think this is actually the first time "Pump It Up" has appeared on the wheel without being followed by "in 6/8."

And it looks like "Big Hoo Small Boo" has officially been changed to the comparatively logical "Big Boo Small Hoo."

[migdd]

the comparatively logical "Big Boo Small Hoo."

Indeed.

[And No Coffee Table]

Twitter:

Elvis is doing purple rain!!!!! Ahhhhhhh

[And No Coffee Table]

Ex-basketball star Bill Walton spun the wheel (it landed on "Pump It Up") and apparently even joined in on "Ramble On Rose."



Walton previously spun the wheel in Boston in 1986.
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... -16_Boston

[And No Coffee Table]

Setlist from official site:

http://www.elviscostello.com/news/the-s ... esults/151

Overture - featuring the former Mother Superior of Our Lady of Perpetual Torment, Dixie De La Fontaine


I Hope You’re Happy Now

Heart Of The City

Mystery Dance

Uncomplicated

The Spectacular Spinning Songbook
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror – Spin 1
Watching The Detectives – Spin 2
Everyday I Write The Book – Spin 3
Toussaint - Nearer To You – Spin 4

“I Can Sing A Rainbow” Jackpot – Spin 5
Greenshirt

Red Shoes

Purple Rain

Harry Worth – Spin 6

The Hammer Of Songs
Alison
Pump It Up  - Spin 7 – Bill Walton
You Belong To Me - IMPROMPTU
Radio Radio – IMPROMPTU
Ramble On Rose – Bill’s Request

Interlude

A Slow Drag With Josephine

Jimmie Standing In The Rain

The Comedians - IMPROMPTU
Veronica – Spinner's Request - IMPROMPTU

“Girl” Jackpot – Spin 8 
This Year’s Girl
Girls Talk
Chelsea

Finale
Peace, Love And Understanding

[The Gentleman]

Second outing for "The Comedians"-- do we have report on which version he's performing. my guess: original lyrics, but without the tricky time signature of the LP recording.

[And No Coffee Table]

Second outing for "The Comedians"-- do we have report on which version he's performing. my guess: original lyrics, but without the tricky time signature of the LP recording.

Poor Deportee said it was the Roy Orbison version in Vancouver.

Clearly a "Numbers" spin is overdue. I suggest Elvis rig the wheel at the Wiltern tonight if necessary.

[migdd]

Clearly a "Numbers" spin is overdue. I suggest Elvis rig the wheel at the Wiltern tonight if necessary.

The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Two should be played.

[And No Coffee Table]

Agree... "Less Than Zero," "The Nameless One," "A Monster Went And Ate My Red Two," "My Three Sons," "4give Her Anything," "Five Small Words," "Six Fingered Man," "Seven Day Weekend," "Eight Days A Week"...

It may have to be spun early in the show.

[sweetest punch]

PLU: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZcVmqUdcRI

[MOJO]

What's with the Star Wars affect on the lyrics? A bit cheezy.

[krm]

PLU: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZcVmqUdcRI

can i hear Byrds turn turn turn @ 1.30?

[bronxapostle]

you got it krm...LOVE adding those tidbits of songs to the setlists!!

[ahawkman]

I attended with my 8 year old daughter, her first concert!

I thought it was a great show musically; the sound was very good and the set list was pretty solid. Highlights for me were Jimmie (which didn't surprise me) and Harry Worth (which sort of did). He ended Jimmie with a stanza from Brother Can You Spare a DIme, very cool.

I was dubious about the whole wheel thing going in, and my fears were confirmed. To me, having the audience onstage for such an extended period is too distracting. Especially in San Diego, where it was pretty much (except for Bill Walton) a parade of extroverted hotties who were trying to outdo each other for Elvis' and the audience's attention. It does allow Elvis to spout more witty banter, so that's good, but again the distraction (to Elvis as well it seemed) wasn't worth it IMO. Elvis seemed to sense it too and toned it down for the last half of the concert, which improved things. I will admit that Elvis did crack me up when he asked one particularly buxom babe, "what happened to the gloves you wore when you first came up.... they were the first things I noticed about you. (To the audience) It's all about the accessories!"

My daughter was tired halfway through but was a trooper and hung in until the end. She knew only about 5 of the songs, so that makes it tough. But I think it was a good experience for her.

[And No Coffee Table]

Ex-basketball star Bill Walton spun the wheel (it landed on "Pump It Up") and apparently even joined in on "Ramble On Rose."

Walton previously spun the wheel in Boston in 1986.
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... -16_Boston

Especially in San Diego, where it was pretty much (except for Bill Walton) a parade of extroverted hotties who were trying to outdo each other for Elvis' and the audience's attention.

RIP

Bill Walton, NBA Star, ESPN Commentator and Grateful Dead Superfan, Dies at 71

[sweetest punch]

https://www.elviscostello.com/uncategor ... qcqmGYJUCd

BILL WALTON

I am saddened to read of the passing of Bill Walton – the Boston Celtics basketball star and two-time NBA Champion – and wanted to send my condolences to his wife Lori, his sons, Adam, Nathan, Luke and Chris and to all of his family and his friends, knowing that all of his admirers are poorer for this day arriving.

My first encounter with Bill was not as a fan of the Celtics but in watching him march up the aisle of the Orpheum Theatre in Boston in the summer of 1986.

The “Costello Sings Again” tour was a presentation in which we played between three-to-five nights in six American cities, offering a different show every evening, including the first appearance of “The Spectacular Spinning Songbook” – a
magnificent show business contraption which was even taller than Bill and which audience members were invited to spin in order to select the next song in the show.

About six songs into the evening, I became aware of a murmur of encouragement for Bill to take the stage and my security man, Paddy Callaghan, who was playing the role of our M.C., “Xavier Valentine”, muttered to me that “this famous guy is coming up” and then I saw Bill approaching.

Even allowing for the rake of the theatre floor and the height of the stage, when Bill was only twenty or thirty feet away we appeared to be eye-to-eye and I thought it must be some kind of optical illusion.

He arrived into the spotlight to a huge ovation and was gracious in playing along with the whole game show routine and may have even been briefly persuaded into the go-go cage into which we invited our contestants to gambol and caper. I cannot imagine the device was really built to accommodate a person of Bill’s stature.

It wasn’t the last time we shared a stage, as when I revived the “Spinning Songbook” in 2012 for “The Revolver Tour”, we played San Diego, where Bill was now living. This time we came prepared with a song by Bill’s beloved Grateful Dead, among the forty song titles to be selected by “chance”.

I am not at liberty to confirm or deny whether any mischief or shenanigans were involved in “Ramble On Rose’ being selected but Bill seemed to be delighted with his good fortune and Lori’s photograph of that evening is an absolute gem. I have to say that Bill’s knowledge of the Dead catalogue was vastly superior to my understanding of basketball tactics but by then I was more than aware of his incredible achievements on the court and I loved seeing him again.

I got to serenade Bill one more time on my “Detour” show at Balboa Theatre in 2016.

In the afternoon of the concert, I had taught the Hunter/Garcia song “It Must Have Been The Roses” to Rebecca and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe – who were opening the show and then joining me in the finale.

Thirty songs into the show we finally played Bill his Grateful Dead tune, in between my musical setting of the Bob Dylan lyric, “Down On The Bottom” and Merle Haggard’s “I Threw Away The Rose”, as the second to last song of the night.

Bill always did like to keep the finest company and I will carry that song with me and sing it again in his honor when I next have the chance.

Here’s a beautiful interview with Bill, in which he speaks so generously of that night.

“I am the human being that I am today because of the Grateful Dead”: Bill Walton shares life lessons from 859 shows”:
https://www.salon.com/2016/04/16/i_am_t ... 859_shows/

——————-

From the article:

(…)
Just last night, we all went to hear Elvis Costello play in San Diego. He put on a spectacular three and a half hour show that was a roller coaster ride through the universe and beyond. And the second to the last song, he broke out “It Must’ve Been the Roses.” (A minor Grateful Dead classic.) And when we talked to Elvis after the show, he said it was only the second time he’s ever sung it in public. There were just tears coming down. He did not have a band with him. It was him, his guitar, his piano and a microphone. It was a phenomenal show. There’s got to be a sense of emotional commitment, of mental acuity -- for a singer/songwriter, for a band, for a basketball team -- to be able to convey the message of hope. To be able put your life into it so that it will inspire other people to care.
(…)