This on UT Performing Arts site:
Elvis Costello
with the Austin Symphony Orchestra
Bass Concert Hall
Tuesday, April 11 @ 8PM
Mark your calendars for a phenomenal event! On April 11, Elvis Costello's Symphony Tour hits Austin for one night only as the UT Performing Arts Center presents ELVIS COSTELLO with the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
Costello and longtime keyboardist Steve Nieve team up with Cap City's own Austin Symphony in a performance that features two unforgettable sets. The first, a suite from Il Sogno (The Dream), Costello's celebrated full-length orchestral work based on Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night Dream. After intermission, it's classic Costello as Elvis, Steve, and the symphony wrap up a perfect evening with a collection of Costello's acclaimed songs.
Tickets go on sale Friday, February 10 at NOON! (WTF!)
http://www.utpac.org/2005/month.php?monthNum=4#233
EC with Austin Symphony Orchestra April 11, 2006
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legman open to offers
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EC with Austin Symphony Orchestra April 11, 2006
Now I'm the invisible man, and you can't see me.
http://www.austin360.com/music/content/ ... tello.html
Elvis Costello's aim is any genre he likes
By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, April 09, 2006
As fans at Bass Concert Hall on Tuesday night will be reminded, the list of musical genres Elvis Costello hasn't mastered continues to shrink.
Since he catapulted into the pop consciousness in 1977 with the hostile, complicated "My Aim is True," the 51-year old artist, also known as Declan McManus, has become one of his generation's signature songwriters, moving from taunt tunes of lust and frustration to detailed songcraft able to express almost anything his muse desires. Costello's work has influenced anyone who wants to make smart, literate pop, from Austin's own Spoon to Belle and Sebastian.
Feel like some R&B? Just check out the faux-Stax bash 'n' pop on "Get Happy!" or the grittier stories on "The Delivery Man."
Country? Dig the earnest balladeering on "Almost Blue."
More traditional pop? He collaborated with Burt Bacharach on the 1998 opus "Painted From Memory."
Soundtracks? See also his work with composer Richard Harvey on the scores to British TV shows "G.B.H." and "Jake's Progress."
This year, he collaborated with Allan Toussaint on "The River in Reverse," an album about the destruction of New Orleans.
And then there's his contemporary classical migrations. He recorded the 1993 album "The Juliet Letters" with the Brodsky Quartet. The 2003 set "North" was a torchier, pop-classical exercise in composition, but was released on legendary classical label Deutsche Grammophon, as was his next album and first orchestral composition "Il Sogno."
Costello will play a suite from the latter — a commission from the Italian dance company Aterballetto to score their take on Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" — for the first half of his Bass performance.
The show's second half will reflect the most recent genre Costello has cracked: the standard song. Or, rather, on the new Costello album "My Flame Burns Blue," he treats his tunes from his catalog as you would standards, complete with swinging orchestration from the jazz-oriented Metropole Orkest, a Dutch ensemble famous for its versatility.
For example, the formerly sprightly "Clubland" goes dark and moody, while the vaguely reggaefied "Watching the Detectives" turns into '50s TV jazz. Elsewhere, Charles Mingus and Billy Strayhorn compositions get Costello lyrics.
What's amazing is how well it hangs together.
Costello has a theory for that. "I didn't see these concerts as 'Pops orchestra plays the hits of REO Speedwagon,' " Costello says of the orchestral tour supporting "My Flame Burns Blue." "Metropole Orkest is pretty much unique in the world. They've played everything from (jazz saxophonist) Bill Evans to (composer/producer) Brian Eno. There's very little you can throw at them that they can't play and make work."
Costello says as the pieces developed during the arranging process, different themes came to the fore. "Take 'Watching the Detectives,' " he says. "That song is about a woman watching a detective show to the distraction of her lover. But in this version, instead of creating the mood in his mind, we're basing the tune on the song that's playing in the show she's watching."
A little precious, perhaps, but a neat trick nonetheless.
He claims not to have any strategies for writing in a wide variety of idioms, saying it's pretty much impossible to compartmentalize the process. "I don't think you can," Costello says. "A song will come to you and a sound will surround it and you know right away if it demands drums and guitar or something else."
Costello's almost compulsive eclecticism has meant that he's working more now — and on more varied projects — than he ever has before. Just in the past month, he's produced "The River in Reverse," recorded with Tony Bennett, played the Grand Ole Opry, guested at a Chieftains concert at Carnegie Hall and played the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions (a honor he was granted in '03).
Here's the funny part: With playlists and MP3 players driving listening habits, his sort of eclectic work habits increasingly feel like a rule rather than an exception. And he's quick to credit his parents for enabling this sort of genre-hopping. "I was fortunate to live in a very open musical household. I liked the music my parents listened to, like Charles Mingus. I didn't even hear rock until I was 9. It wasn't on the radio that much in England, so I heard mostly ballad singers, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and classical music."
No wonder the guy can do anything.
jgross@statesman.com; 912-5926
Elvis Costello's aim is any genre he likes
By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, April 09, 2006
As fans at Bass Concert Hall on Tuesday night will be reminded, the list of musical genres Elvis Costello hasn't mastered continues to shrink.
Since he catapulted into the pop consciousness in 1977 with the hostile, complicated "My Aim is True," the 51-year old artist, also known as Declan McManus, has become one of his generation's signature songwriters, moving from taunt tunes of lust and frustration to detailed songcraft able to express almost anything his muse desires. Costello's work has influenced anyone who wants to make smart, literate pop, from Austin's own Spoon to Belle and Sebastian.
Feel like some R&B? Just check out the faux-Stax bash 'n' pop on "Get Happy!" or the grittier stories on "The Delivery Man."
Country? Dig the earnest balladeering on "Almost Blue."
More traditional pop? He collaborated with Burt Bacharach on the 1998 opus "Painted From Memory."
Soundtracks? See also his work with composer Richard Harvey on the scores to British TV shows "G.B.H." and "Jake's Progress."
This year, he collaborated with Allan Toussaint on "The River in Reverse," an album about the destruction of New Orleans.
And then there's his contemporary classical migrations. He recorded the 1993 album "The Juliet Letters" with the Brodsky Quartet. The 2003 set "North" was a torchier, pop-classical exercise in composition, but was released on legendary classical label Deutsche Grammophon, as was his next album and first orchestral composition "Il Sogno."
Costello will play a suite from the latter — a commission from the Italian dance company Aterballetto to score their take on Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" — for the first half of his Bass performance.
The show's second half will reflect the most recent genre Costello has cracked: the standard song. Or, rather, on the new Costello album "My Flame Burns Blue," he treats his tunes from his catalog as you would standards, complete with swinging orchestration from the jazz-oriented Metropole Orkest, a Dutch ensemble famous for its versatility.
For example, the formerly sprightly "Clubland" goes dark and moody, while the vaguely reggaefied "Watching the Detectives" turns into '50s TV jazz. Elsewhere, Charles Mingus and Billy Strayhorn compositions get Costello lyrics.
What's amazing is how well it hangs together.
Costello has a theory for that. "I didn't see these concerts as 'Pops orchestra plays the hits of REO Speedwagon,' " Costello says of the orchestral tour supporting "My Flame Burns Blue." "Metropole Orkest is pretty much unique in the world. They've played everything from (jazz saxophonist) Bill Evans to (composer/producer) Brian Eno. There's very little you can throw at them that they can't play and make work."
Costello says as the pieces developed during the arranging process, different themes came to the fore. "Take 'Watching the Detectives,' " he says. "That song is about a woman watching a detective show to the distraction of her lover. But in this version, instead of creating the mood in his mind, we're basing the tune on the song that's playing in the show she's watching."
A little precious, perhaps, but a neat trick nonetheless.
He claims not to have any strategies for writing in a wide variety of idioms, saying it's pretty much impossible to compartmentalize the process. "I don't think you can," Costello says. "A song will come to you and a sound will surround it and you know right away if it demands drums and guitar or something else."
Costello's almost compulsive eclecticism has meant that he's working more now — and on more varied projects — than he ever has before. Just in the past month, he's produced "The River in Reverse," recorded with Tony Bennett, played the Grand Ole Opry, guested at a Chieftains concert at Carnegie Hall and played the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions (a honor he was granted in '03).
Here's the funny part: With playlists and MP3 players driving listening habits, his sort of eclectic work habits increasingly feel like a rule rather than an exception. And he's quick to credit his parents for enabling this sort of genre-hopping. "I was fortunate to live in a very open musical household. I liked the music my parents listened to, like Charles Mingus. I didn't even hear rock until I was 9. It wasn't on the radio that much in England, so I heard mostly ballad singers, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and classical music."
No wonder the guy can do anything.
jgross@statesman.com; 912-5926
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legman open to offers
- Posts: 326
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:13 pm
- Location: Sweet Sweet Mesquite Texas
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/s ... online.com
The Austin Symphony Orchestra will collaborate with Elvis Costello tonight in a performance at Bass Concert Hall as part of his tour across the U.S. Other stops for Costello include performances with the Boston Pops, the Houston Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony.
The Daily Texan
Elvis Costello takes on Austin Symphony
British hit performer to play alongside classical musicians
Emily Watson
Posted: 4/11/06
Newcomer bands such as Bloc Party have drawn audiences as part of the Brit-pop invasion, but despite the recent rush of fans to their concerts, some older and better-known Britons have endured.
Elvis Costello, who has been performing for 28 years and is legendary for such hits as "Peace, Love and Understanding," "Watching the Detectives" and "Pump It Up," will return to Austin tonight for his anticipated collaboration with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. This year Costello is touring America, playing with top orchestras around the U.S. After stopping in Austin, he is scheduled to perform with other notable orchestras, such as the Boston Pops, the Houston Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony.
Tonight's performance will mark Costello's first concert with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. During the show, the symphony will accompany Costello in playing music from his latest album, My Flame Burns Blue, on which he performs yet another pop experiment by combining his experienced vocals with the complex sound of a big-band orchestra. My Flame Burns Blue was released in February.
The show will feature original music from Costello's Il Sogno, influenced by Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The set also includes unusual sounds and instruments such as the cimbolam, which is used in Eastern European music and is often compared to a dulcimer. These instruments are used to create a sound similar to the folk music played overseas.
Problems with finding musicians to play each instrument arose during production, said Jim Reagan, executive director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
"We hunted all over for someone to play [the cimbolam] in the show," Reagan said.
The orchestra has collaborated with other pop acts before, but with the eclectic stylings of Costello, the orchestra hopes to draw a new crowd.
"We hope to attract a different audience to hear the orchestra and to show people that orchestral music can be played with any genre of music," said Reagan. "We want to broaden our horizons."
Costello has also participated in many joint acts. Since his 1977 debut album, My Aim is True, Costello has played with singers such as Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach, as well as bands such as The Imposters and The Attractions. This has given Costello the opportunity to experiment with many different types of music, ranging from hard-hitting rock 'n' roll to much calmer folk music.
The performance will be at 8 p.m. tonight at the Bass Concert Hall. Tickets range from $44 to $75 and are available online.
The Austin Symphony Orchestra will collaborate with Elvis Costello tonight in a performance at Bass Concert Hall as part of his tour across the U.S. Other stops for Costello include performances with the Boston Pops, the Houston Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony.
The Daily Texan
Elvis Costello takes on Austin Symphony
British hit performer to play alongside classical musicians
Emily Watson
Posted: 4/11/06
Newcomer bands such as Bloc Party have drawn audiences as part of the Brit-pop invasion, but despite the recent rush of fans to their concerts, some older and better-known Britons have endured.
Elvis Costello, who has been performing for 28 years and is legendary for such hits as "Peace, Love and Understanding," "Watching the Detectives" and "Pump It Up," will return to Austin tonight for his anticipated collaboration with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. This year Costello is touring America, playing with top orchestras around the U.S. After stopping in Austin, he is scheduled to perform with other notable orchestras, such as the Boston Pops, the Houston Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony.
Tonight's performance will mark Costello's first concert with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. During the show, the symphony will accompany Costello in playing music from his latest album, My Flame Burns Blue, on which he performs yet another pop experiment by combining his experienced vocals with the complex sound of a big-band orchestra. My Flame Burns Blue was released in February.
The show will feature original music from Costello's Il Sogno, influenced by Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The set also includes unusual sounds and instruments such as the cimbolam, which is used in Eastern European music and is often compared to a dulcimer. These instruments are used to create a sound similar to the folk music played overseas.
Problems with finding musicians to play each instrument arose during production, said Jim Reagan, executive director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
"We hunted all over for someone to play [the cimbolam] in the show," Reagan said.
The orchestra has collaborated with other pop acts before, but with the eclectic stylings of Costello, the orchestra hopes to draw a new crowd.
"We hope to attract a different audience to hear the orchestra and to show people that orchestral music can be played with any genre of music," said Reagan. "We want to broaden our horizons."
Costello has also participated in many joint acts. Since his 1977 debut album, My Aim is True, Costello has played with singers such as Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach, as well as bands such as The Imposters and The Attractions. This has given Costello the opportunity to experiment with many different types of music, ranging from hard-hitting rock 'n' roll to much calmer folk music.
The performance will be at 8 p.m. tonight at the Bass Concert Hall. Tickets range from $44 to $75 and are available online.
we'll be there - fourth row - YES!
probably won't be the same as screaming standing front row at the erwin center '83, or the opera house '85, or the backyard '99, but i'll take elvis anywhere in any incarnation. really looking forward to it. my husband rocks for surprising me with tickets.
jojo
jojo
Haven't posted since last years spate of Elvis shows in Texas, but I'll be attending both tonight's performance in Austin and Thursday's show in Houston! I'll post setlist and details upon arriving home tonight.
I've never seen Elvis with any band other than the Attractions/Imposters and once solo w/ Steve, so this should be an interesting change!
Looking forward to it.
-Will
I've never seen Elvis with any band other than the Attractions/Imposters and once solo w/ Steve, so this should be an interesting change!
Looking forward to it.
-Will
Austin Setlist
Just got back from the Austin symphony show! Setlist was as follows:
Il Sogno
River in Reverse (solo)
All This Useless Beauty (w/ symphony)
The Birds Will Still Be Singing
------------intermission
Still
Upon a Veil Of Midnight Blue
Veronica
Almost Blue
Watching the Detectives
My Flame Burns Blue
She
God Give Me Strength
------------encore
I Still Have That Other Girl
Alison/No More Tearstained Makeup
Couldn't Call it Unexpected #4
Good show! Looking forward to Houston!
-Will
Il Sogno
River in Reverse (solo)
All This Useless Beauty (w/ symphony)
The Birds Will Still Be Singing
------------intermission
Still
Upon a Veil Of Midnight Blue
Veronica
Almost Blue
Watching the Detectives
My Flame Burns Blue
She
God Give Me Strength
------------encore
I Still Have That Other Girl
Alison/No More Tearstained Makeup
Couldn't Call it Unexpected #4
Good show! Looking forward to Houston!
-Will
I have a few very silly questions about the show (in general). I'm seeing him in Bethesda next week.
Did it start promptly (8:00 pm)?
How were people dressed? I've never been to a symphony show of any kind. Do I have to dress up?
Were people allowed to still be seated after it started?
Was there any booze to purchase during intermission?
How long was the whole show?
Thank you!
Did it start promptly (8:00 pm)?
How were people dressed? I've never been to a symphony show of any kind. Do I have to dress up?
Were people allowed to still be seated after it started?
Was there any booze to purchase during intermission?
How long was the whole show?
Thank you!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27338862@N ... otostream/
Uploaded on April 12, 2006
by callipygian2005
Uploaded on April 12, 2006
by callipygian2005
In response to JEM's questions:
It started quite promptly at 8pm. Austin is a bad judge of dress code for just about anything---its a very "slacker casual" kind of town, where you can walk into just about any restaurant in town dressed in jeans and a t shirt. Most people were dressed "nicely", but not like suit and tie, etc. People did move about after the show started, and there was alcohol purchased during intermission and before the show, but I don't believe it was allowed inside the hall. The whole show was a little more than 2 hours, including intermission.
Nice setlist grab jojo!
-Will
It started quite promptly at 8pm. Austin is a bad judge of dress code for just about anything---its a very "slacker casual" kind of town, where you can walk into just about any restaurant in town dressed in jeans and a t shirt. Most people were dressed "nicely", but not like suit and tie, etc. People did move about after the show started, and there was alcohol purchased during intermission and before the show, but I don't believe it was allowed inside the hall. The whole show was a little more than 2 hours, including intermission.
Nice setlist grab jojo!
-Will
yes, i'm happy about that set-list gank!
it was the first chair violinist's. that made me happy for some reason. I liked her.
thanks for the posting the photos, John. Elvis aka Declan was very gracious to his fans after the show and the blue feather in his cap was mesmerizing.
thanks for the posting the photos, John. Elvis aka Declan was very gracious to his fans after the show and the blue feather in his cap was mesmerizing.
http://www.austin360.com/arts/content/a ... views.html
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Music
ELVIS VIES TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
It's not news that Elvis Costello, once New Wave's angriest young songwriter, has wanted to be Ol' Blue Eyes. And Nelson Riddle. And George Jones. And possibly also the Pogues, ABBA and Fletcher Henderson. Costello stretches out stylistically just to prove he can, and Tuesday at Bass Concert Hall, he -- along with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, guest-conducted by Alan Broadbent -- displayed his copious talents as a composer, songwriter and singer.
The program started with a 30-minute suite from "Il Sogno," the symphonic commission Costello composed for an Italian dance company's riff on "Midsummer Night's Dream." Costello briefly introduced the evening ("Just a little bit of a change from the Armadillo World Headquarters") noting that Puck was a "jazz fairy."
Somewhat betraying Costello's roots in rock, "Il Sogno" is a riffy piece, filled with identifiable hooks and phrases. Was there a drum kit back there? Costello noted that the authority figures were represented by the richer instruments, while martial beats and jazzy passages were saved for the proles. The opening sections felt a little two-dimensional, saved by light touches, such as a snake-charming saxophone solo and the occasional anxious melody. Ultimately, Costello's anthemic phrases and bookish strings built to a detailed conclusion.
Once Costello began the vocal portion of the evening, you remember why he gets away with all this. Not only are a nice percentage of the songs pretty good, but his voice has held up startlingly well for a dude whose been in the game nearly 30 years. Costello grabbed an acoustic guitar and opened with a bracing, angry "The River in Reverse," the excellent title track from this collaboration with Alan Toussaint, to be released later this year.
Joined by longtime Costello pianist Steve Nieve, Costello and the symphony set the man's song book on "maximum croon." Ballads such as "All this Useless Beauty" and a string quartet piece from "The Juliet Letters" stayed pretty much the same. The crowd really should have had a tumbler of scotch for "Almost Blue" and "My Flamer Burns Blue," while the dull "Veronica" was mercifully cranked up, "Watching the Detectives" became hard-swinging '50s TV jazz and "Alison" is still a slow dance for the ages. To his credit, the arrangement worked, avoiding the "Boston pops plays ELO" feel for something richer. Ol' Blue Eyes would have approved. --Joe Gross
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Music
ELVIS VIES TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
It's not news that Elvis Costello, once New Wave's angriest young songwriter, has wanted to be Ol' Blue Eyes. And Nelson Riddle. And George Jones. And possibly also the Pogues, ABBA and Fletcher Henderson. Costello stretches out stylistically just to prove he can, and Tuesday at Bass Concert Hall, he -- along with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, guest-conducted by Alan Broadbent -- displayed his copious talents as a composer, songwriter and singer.
The program started with a 30-minute suite from "Il Sogno," the symphonic commission Costello composed for an Italian dance company's riff on "Midsummer Night's Dream." Costello briefly introduced the evening ("Just a little bit of a change from the Armadillo World Headquarters") noting that Puck was a "jazz fairy."
Somewhat betraying Costello's roots in rock, "Il Sogno" is a riffy piece, filled with identifiable hooks and phrases. Was there a drum kit back there? Costello noted that the authority figures were represented by the richer instruments, while martial beats and jazzy passages were saved for the proles. The opening sections felt a little two-dimensional, saved by light touches, such as a snake-charming saxophone solo and the occasional anxious melody. Ultimately, Costello's anthemic phrases and bookish strings built to a detailed conclusion.
Once Costello began the vocal portion of the evening, you remember why he gets away with all this. Not only are a nice percentage of the songs pretty good, but his voice has held up startlingly well for a dude whose been in the game nearly 30 years. Costello grabbed an acoustic guitar and opened with a bracing, angry "The River in Reverse," the excellent title track from this collaboration with Alan Toussaint, to be released later this year.
Joined by longtime Costello pianist Steve Nieve, Costello and the symphony set the man's song book on "maximum croon." Ballads such as "All this Useless Beauty" and a string quartet piece from "The Juliet Letters" stayed pretty much the same. The crowd really should have had a tumbler of scotch for "Almost Blue" and "My Flamer Burns Blue," while the dull "Veronica" was mercifully cranked up, "Watching the Detectives" became hard-swinging '50s TV jazz and "Alison" is still a slow dance for the ages. To his credit, the arrangement worked, avoiding the "Boston pops plays ELO" feel for something richer. Ol' Blue Eyes would have approved. --Joe Gross
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... =109317241
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Declan, I will never doubt you again
The Declan in question is Elvis Costello. With the Austin Symphony in tow, this could have gone in any direction and part of me did worry that I had spent 50 bucks on the one Elvis show I might not enjoy. I've seen Elvis four times, three of them in the last three years. None of the shows have been the same but all of them have been amazing and last night was certainly not an exception. The first half of the show was mostly made of an abbreviated version of Elvis's Midsummers' Night Dream inspired ballet "Il Sono." It was a comissioned piece, kind ofsad Italy has to outsource it's ballet these days. Elvis gave a brief explanation of what kind of music represented various characters, like this kind of odd march representing the rude mechanicals or how Elvis's interpretation of Puck was that he was a "Jazz Fairy."
With that all set up, the story played itself out well in the music. You could see all the scenes in your head as the music played, so Elvis did a really great job with that one. Once that was over Elvis came out and played "The River In Reverse" from his new album with Allen Toussaint that comes out in June. I swear that Elvis, The Melvins, and The Fall are competing to see who can put the most music out. While I doubt that is true, I do enjoy the image of Elvis, King Buzzo, and Mark E Smith in a room making wagers.After that,"All This Useless Beauty" with the symphony. This was apparently a new arrangement he had just written and it was the first time he had performed it with anyone. That was really cool knowing we were the first ones to hear it and it was really well done.
The Austin Symphony was incredibly tight and could turn on a dime.I was also so glad I had gotten the seat I had. They were the cheap seats but I was looking directly down center stage on everything with absolutely no obstructions in my way. It was fantastic.Intermission came and went pretty quickly. For the second half, Attractions/Imposters Keyboard player Steve Nieve came out with the big piano. About three songs into this set, Elvis did a beautiful version of "Veronica." I was never big on that one because when it came out, Veronica was a really annoying girl I went to school with. Now I can see it as the gorgeous song Elvis wrote with Paul McCartney in honor of his grandmother. VH-1 today actually showed the version of it from Elvis's Storyteller's appearance and last night's totally blew that one away.
The next highlight for me was "Watching The Detectives." Elvis talked about the origins of the song, about the woman ignoring her lover to watch Tv cop shows and how in this new arrangement, she must have been watching Batman.He could see the "Biff,bang, pow's" in his head You don't think Elvis can get any better and then he brings Batman into it and everything's better with Batman. Elvis also totally solved the Saxophone mystery for me. He played "My Flame Burns Blue," where the music was written by Billy Strayhorn just before he died and Elvis wrote the lyrics. I realized that a lot of sax tries to be Jazzy in non jazz songs and it's really just horrible. If you're going to play sax in rock, rock, like Steve Mackaye from The Stooges, don't be something else. Thank you Elvis, for solving another mystery of life. The show ended too soon, for both Elvis and the crowd, but as Elvis pointed out, They just show up with a ton of sheet music so it's hard to improvise with a Symphony. I was amazed though that Elvis said they had only had one rehearsal. Stellar job by everyone in the Austin Symphony. I will never doubt Elvis for a second ever again.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Declan, I will never doubt you again
The Declan in question is Elvis Costello. With the Austin Symphony in tow, this could have gone in any direction and part of me did worry that I had spent 50 bucks on the one Elvis show I might not enjoy. I've seen Elvis four times, three of them in the last three years. None of the shows have been the same but all of them have been amazing and last night was certainly not an exception. The first half of the show was mostly made of an abbreviated version of Elvis's Midsummers' Night Dream inspired ballet "Il Sono." It was a comissioned piece, kind ofsad Italy has to outsource it's ballet these days. Elvis gave a brief explanation of what kind of music represented various characters, like this kind of odd march representing the rude mechanicals or how Elvis's interpretation of Puck was that he was a "Jazz Fairy."
With that all set up, the story played itself out well in the music. You could see all the scenes in your head as the music played, so Elvis did a really great job with that one. Once that was over Elvis came out and played "The River In Reverse" from his new album with Allen Toussaint that comes out in June. I swear that Elvis, The Melvins, and The Fall are competing to see who can put the most music out. While I doubt that is true, I do enjoy the image of Elvis, King Buzzo, and Mark E Smith in a room making wagers.After that,"All This Useless Beauty" with the symphony. This was apparently a new arrangement he had just written and it was the first time he had performed it with anyone. That was really cool knowing we were the first ones to hear it and it was really well done.
The Austin Symphony was incredibly tight and could turn on a dime.I was also so glad I had gotten the seat I had. They were the cheap seats but I was looking directly down center stage on everything with absolutely no obstructions in my way. It was fantastic.Intermission came and went pretty quickly. For the second half, Attractions/Imposters Keyboard player Steve Nieve came out with the big piano. About three songs into this set, Elvis did a beautiful version of "Veronica." I was never big on that one because when it came out, Veronica was a really annoying girl I went to school with. Now I can see it as the gorgeous song Elvis wrote with Paul McCartney in honor of his grandmother. VH-1 today actually showed the version of it from Elvis's Storyteller's appearance and last night's totally blew that one away.
The next highlight for me was "Watching The Detectives." Elvis talked about the origins of the song, about the woman ignoring her lover to watch Tv cop shows and how in this new arrangement, she must have been watching Batman.He could see the "Biff,bang, pow's" in his head You don't think Elvis can get any better and then he brings Batman into it and everything's better with Batman. Elvis also totally solved the Saxophone mystery for me. He played "My Flame Burns Blue," where the music was written by Billy Strayhorn just before he died and Elvis wrote the lyrics. I realized that a lot of sax tries to be Jazzy in non jazz songs and it's really just horrible. If you're going to play sax in rock, rock, like Steve Mackaye from The Stooges, don't be something else. Thank you Elvis, for solving another mystery of life. The show ended too soon, for both Elvis and the crowd, but as Elvis pointed out, They just show up with a ton of sheet music so it's hard to improvise with a Symphony. I was amazed though that Elvis said they had only had one rehearsal. Stellar job by everyone in the Austin Symphony. I will never doubt Elvis for a second ever again.
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King Hoarse
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I bought a really cool Cat Woman suit for a girlfriend once and this quote made me think of that, but with Elvis and in a Batman suit. (Not quite the turn on for me I'm afraid.)johnfoyle wrote:You don't think Elvis can get any better and then he brings Batman into it and everything's better with Batman.
What this world needs is more silly men.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainme ... d3b33.html
Concert Review: Costello becomes the crooner
Web Posted: 04/14/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Hector Saldaña
San Antonio Express-News
AUSTIN — Elvis Costello cleans up nicely.
The punk rock era's angriest young man has been making music for grownups for a long time. But it was still a little odd to see him in a tuxedo for his performance Tuesday with the Austin Symphony Orchestra at Bass Concert Hall.
Costello — today much more elfin than ticked off — traded his Fender Jazzmaster electric guitar for a couple of acoustic models and came armed with an arsenal of Burt Bacharach-style, major-seventh chord arrangements.
And there's the rub.
The intimacy of the evening was lovely, but Costello's classical "Il Sogno" is too often either dreary or clamoring and jarring like so much Henry Mancini over Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil." Costello's aim, if not quite true, is ambitious, though sorely missing Bacharach's light touch.
And it is exactly that sense of risk that elevated this concert beyond typically half-baked, celebrity-driven symphony pop series shows.
Accompanied, too, by pianist Steve Nieve (whose pea green socks fashion statement looked as if Linda Blair had given them her "Exorcist" treatment), Costello scored knockouts when on his Gibson J-45 and Martin guitars.
He opened the two-part concert with a harrowing new track from his upcoming project with Allen Toussaint, full of graveyard shift imagery and chorus that goes, "Wake me up with a slap or a kiss."
For the hardcore, he strummed "Veronica" like Buddy Holly and hushed them with "Allison" gone Muzak.
Just as often, he put the guitars down and crooned. Costello's throaty vibrato ushered "All This Useless Beauty" over a lush score. "Watching the Detectives" became a James Bond chase scene.
Throughout, Costello, 51, kept a sense of humor and amazement about him. He introduced the utterly romantic ballad "She" this way: "It's like asking Peter Lorre to play the Cary Grant part."
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hsaldana@express-news.net
Concert Review: Costello becomes the crooner
Web Posted: 04/14/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Hector Saldaña
San Antonio Express-News
AUSTIN — Elvis Costello cleans up nicely.
The punk rock era's angriest young man has been making music for grownups for a long time. But it was still a little odd to see him in a tuxedo for his performance Tuesday with the Austin Symphony Orchestra at Bass Concert Hall.
Costello — today much more elfin than ticked off — traded his Fender Jazzmaster electric guitar for a couple of acoustic models and came armed with an arsenal of Burt Bacharach-style, major-seventh chord arrangements.
And there's the rub.
The intimacy of the evening was lovely, but Costello's classical "Il Sogno" is too often either dreary or clamoring and jarring like so much Henry Mancini over Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil." Costello's aim, if not quite true, is ambitious, though sorely missing Bacharach's light touch.
And it is exactly that sense of risk that elevated this concert beyond typically half-baked, celebrity-driven symphony pop series shows.
Accompanied, too, by pianist Steve Nieve (whose pea green socks fashion statement looked as if Linda Blair had given them her "Exorcist" treatment), Costello scored knockouts when on his Gibson J-45 and Martin guitars.
He opened the two-part concert with a harrowing new track from his upcoming project with Allen Toussaint, full of graveyard shift imagery and chorus that goes, "Wake me up with a slap or a kiss."
For the hardcore, he strummed "Veronica" like Buddy Holly and hushed them with "Allison" gone Muzak.
Just as often, he put the guitars down and crooned. Costello's throaty vibrato ushered "All This Useless Beauty" over a lush score. "Watching the Detectives" became a James Bond chase scene.
Throughout, Costello, 51, kept a sense of humor and amazement about him. He introduced the utterly romantic ballad "She" this way: "It's like asking Peter Lorre to play the Cary Grant part."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hsaldana@express-news.net