Elvis Costello & the Imposters and Blondie

Seeing Elvis Costello & the Imposters and Blondie was a last-minute decision. I grew up listening and watching both, but I've only seen Elvis Costello live once, with The Attractions, years ago when they opened for Sting. Seeing Blondie would be a new experience, and it intrigued me. Still, inexplicably, neither did I keep up with the news of this incredible tour nor did I jump on it when I learned it was stopping by the Anthem in Southwest D.C. on July 26th.

Instead, on the day of the concert, I saw that – to my surprise – tickets were still available. By the end of my workday, instead of taking the nap that was tempting me, I went to the venue to weigh the pros and cons of the long line I expected to see. It shocked me that only five people were there when I arrived. I will take one general admission ticket, please! (Happy birthday to me!) I made it to the front and settled in for some magic.

Note to self: Next time, plan better with snacks and more comfortable shoes. Still, in my post-show glow, I determined that this was one of the best late Friday afternoon decisions I ever made.

I hoped that Debbie Harry and Elvis Costello might perform together at some point, but they didn't. This was a true double bill: Blondie played the first set, and Elvis Costello & the Imposters followed the intermission with the second set. Here are some highlights.

Blondie

The stage was set with three giant screens along the back wall. Before the band came out, the screens advertised Debbie Harry's upcoming memoir, Face It and had some interesting line drawings decorating the surrounding blank space. Throughout the show, the screens flashed artsy photos or just TV scramble. Everything was edgy, artistic, and very Blondie!

But, when Debbie Harry first appeared, I was shocked and disappointed. She wore sunglasses, a bulky sliver jacket, brick-sized platform shoes, and worst of all, an odd glittery jockey hat. It seemed like an old lady's ensemble built for covering up, and I couldn't see her. Eventually, she stripped all these layers off one by one to reveal her fresh face and a sleek and stylish outfit underneath, and she was the Debbie Harry I remembered. Phew! Toward the end, she covered up again with a flowing slivery gown, which seemed more fitting for this beautiful lady!

What she wore didn't matter, though; she still sounded amazing! No one even cared that they had to start Hanging on the Telephone a few times to get it right. "We're just having fun, right?" Debbie Harry said. "That's what this tour is all about!" Everyone screamed in agreement. (I actually like these kinds of mixups. It turns the rock stars into real people.)

I knew almost every song that Blondie performed word for word and sang and danced along the entire time. I didn't realize how many songs I loved and had memorized. Aside from Hanging on the Telephone, they played other classics like One Way or Another, Call Me,  and Atomic. During Heart of Glass, they mixed in a bit of I Feel Love by Donna Summer, and during The Tide is High, they slipped into Grove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite, which I thought was a perfect song for Blondie to cover. They also covered Old Town Road by Lil Nas X, which I really liked. And, when they played Rapture, I nearly lost my mind! (Debbie Harry told us that the producers advised against the release of this "controversial" song. After all, it included rapping! Who's going to like or get it? "Shows what they know," she said. I think it turned out alright.)

Blondie kicked off their encore with a sultry version of From Russia with Love and sent a subtle message by flashing the presidential seal on the screens behind them. And, just as I had wished for, they ended their set with Dreaming! My night was complete.

But it wasn't! Going into the intermission, it occurred to me that this already fantastic concert was only half over!

Intermission
As the lights came on, the speakers blared Kids in America by Kim Wilde, and we were all so wound up from Blondie that we sang along and danced around to that too. During the intermission, the screens switched from advertising Debbie Harry's book to advertising Elvis Costello's latest album, Look Now.

Meanwhile, roadies switched out the instruments for the next band, which included some unexpected drama! We all watched them fussing over Elvis Costello's pedal board. Three guys were involved, one turning the knobs on the pedal board, one testing out the guitar, and one running around to relay messages to managers. Eventually, one of them unhooked and ran off stage with the pedal board. As he did so, those of us watching groaned, feeling sorry for their predicament. When he returned, running with a new pedal board, we cheered. They tested this new one out for a while longer. The third guy now had a flashlight because the lights had gone down, the music had relooped, and we all sang and danced along to Kim Wilde again. When the guy gave up on the replacement pedal board and ran with it off stage again, we groaned again too, but now with worry that they show may never go on.

But it did! After the set had started, the guy ran back out on stage with the pedal board in hand, ready to try again, but Elvis waved him away, saying, "Leave it. Just leave it. It's fine," he said and explained to us: "We started a little late tonight because we had a little problem with the pedal board, but I told them it didn't matter. Just make it loud!"

Elvis Costello & The Imposters

I must admit that I don't have Elvis Costello lyrics memorized as well as Blondie's, but I still love the music because I love Elvis Costello! I first fell for Elvis when he came out with the song called Veronica. I bought a cassette tape of Spike (in a record store bargain bin), which has that song on it, and I loved every song on that album.

I've also seen Elvis Costello around everywhere over the years, so I know a lot of his classic songs. My sister and I sang along with him when he was touring with Sting. I also saw him on music shows, doing collaborations with Burt Bacharach, T Bone Burnett, and others. I saw him on an episode of Frasier, and I remember when he filled in for David Letterman hosting The Late Show. He always said interesting, funny things on talk shows too. I binge-watched his own talk show, called Spectacle, in which he interviewed and played with his peers. I also read his wonderful memoir, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. This time around, Elvis was the main attraction for me.

Elvis wore a cool three-piece suit, looking very British. He later took his coat off and added a bright red hat. Toward the end, he added a sparkly coat that I wanted. 

 

This set was sprinkled with music from Elvis Costello's entire catalog. Everyone went bonkers as the classics kept coming. Pump It Up kicked things off, and it only got better from there. Some of my favorites were Accidents Will Happen, Beyond Belief, Watching the Detectives, So Like Candy, I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down, Every Day I Write the Book, Alison, and the gem of the encore, (What's so Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding. As each song played, the screens behind the band displayed images or messages related to the song lyrics (like "Thou shall not kill" during Peace, Love, and Understanding) as well as old photos and album covers from the band's lengthy catalog and storied past.

Unlike Blondie, which seemed to play hit after hit, Elvis Costello & the Imposters switched things up every once in a while. Sometimes, Elvis played a slower tune at the piano or moved the two fantastic backup vocalists, Kitten Karoi and Briana Lee, up front with him to perform together. Maybe this set felt different to me because I wasn't familiar with every song or because Elvis Costello has a bigger song catalog from which to choose. Or, maybe all the songs they played are hits, and I just don't know it! In any case, I appreciated all of it.

              

As usual, Elvis Costello was full of jokes or interesting thoughts between songs. These anecdotes often end up being my favorite parts of any appearance. For example, he tried to decide which song to play that would best fit today's political climate. He mentioned several contenders, including Beyond Belief, but I think Accidents Will Happen was the winner. He also brought up Elvis Presley for no apparent reason, saying that if he had lived longer, he would have had massive hits with covers of Duran Duran's Rio and Blondie's Heart of Glass – and he performed a bit of both with a good Elvis impression.

I felt so lucky to see both Blondie and Elvis Costello & The Imposters together on the same night! (Here's a little gallery of professional photos of Blondie and Elvis Costello & the Imposters from the show to make up for my blurry results.)

Everyone left the Anthem in a deliriously happy haze. It may have taken me two full days to recover, but Elvis Costello and Blondie only get better with age!

Hugh Was Here!

Even though it was walking distance from my apartment, I didn't buy a ticket to see Hugh Jackman: The Man, the Music, the Show at Capitol One Arena right away. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like to see Hugh Jackman in an arena instead of a theatre or movie. But as the date approached, my heart beat faster and I checked for tickets. By then, most tickets were being resold at ridiculous prices, and I couldn't talk myself into buying one since I was suddenly unemployed and depressed. But I told myself to buy a ticket if I had a new job by the time this show came to DC: July 1 was my new job search target deadline.

Hugh Jackman must have heard my plan and made it happen. I started a new job on June 17, and I remembered my promise two days before showtime. "Oooh, I have a seat in Row B, section 121," the box office salesperson told me. (It's in one of the first sections of stadium seating on the right side of the stage, above the heads of everyone on the floor.) I'll take it!

I fell head over heels for Hugh Jackman after seeing him in The Boy from Oz on Broadway in 2003. I already knew him as "Wolverine" in the X-Men movies. When I heard that he sings and dances in this true-story musical about a gay Australian songwriter named Peter Allen, I couldn't imagine it and had to check it out. I called my Dad from New York the day after seeing it and exclaimed that it was the best show I'd ever seen in my life. Over the course of its run on Broadway, I saw it three times and, of course, Hugh inspired some Kitties. As usual, I also immersed myself in my new obsession, watching and learning everything I could find about Hugh Jackman. So, I'm not sure why attending this new show starring Hugh Jackman in 2019 was even in question.

The Stage is Set. 

Once I bought my ticket, my Hugh Jackman fandom returned in full force. Work hours couldn't go by fast enough and getting stuck on the Metro because of a disabled train ahead made me consider walking back to DC from Virginia. (I didn't have to do that; it was just a 10-minute wait.) Once I got downtown, I worried when I saw the long lines inching into Capitol One Arena, but I made it to my seat with 15 minutes to spare.

The stage included a walkway that stretched into the middle of the floor seating and ended with a small circular platform. The place was pretty full and loud because a deejay was on the walkway spinning tunes and pumping up the crowd for some kind of spectacle. What was I in for? I felt better when I spotted a 12-piece orchestra – including stings horns, drums, and a grand piano – set up on the stage.

As the lights dimmed, the giant screens that flanked the stage lit up with a speedy montage of Hugh Jackman's movies. It reminded me that I've seen all of them and, oh yeah, this guy is amazing!

I was right that it would be weird to see Hugh Jackman doing a one-man show in a sports arena, but this was not that. The musicians, singers, and giant screens behind him made this a massive group celebration of song, dance, Australian roots, career milestones, and an overall extraordinary life.

The anticipation builds.... 

It's Showtime!

Act I

Hugh Jackman opened the show, singing the The Greatest Showman and followed that with Come Alive – two songs from The Greatest Showman, the 2017 movie musical in which he played P.T Barnum. On my way home from the concert, I overheard two girls and a guy discussing this event. One girl commented, "I was thoroughly entertained, like, the entire time." The other girl said, "I had no idea he could do all that! I mean, I think I might have seen half of an X-Men movie once." Apparently, some people paid big bucks to attend this show based on this one recent movie role.

After the two opening tunes, Hugh talked to us! He talked about his love of numbers and how he remembers random phone numbers and addresses from his past. (Just like my Dad, I thought!) He even rambled some memorized numbers off to us. He admitted that he turned 50 years old this year and did a high-kick impression of Sally O'Malley. He also told us that he's one of those annoying people who leaves concerts early – when there are about two songs to go – to get the car out of the garage before the traffic jams. He gave us permission to do the same tonight.

This tour is a giant production!

He explained his start in musicals, as Gaston in the 1995 Australian stage production of Beauty and the Beast and sang his character's song, Gaston, in character but not a candlestick costume. Then, he talked about meeting his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, that same year, when they acted together in an Australian made-for-TV drama called Correlli. With a montage of photos of her and their family scrolling behind him, he sang, All the Way – the song that they played for their first dance as husband and wife.

Next, he admitted to having an Olivia Newton-John poster in his bedroom during the "Let's get physical!" era. This anecdote led into him singing a speedy version of I've Been Everywhere by Australian country singer Goeff Mack. He rattling off lyrics without any cue cards or cheat sheets, and it was a impressive workout.

Then, he walked over to the piano, saying he was going to play it! "I think three years of piano in high school qualifies you to play arenas," he quipped as he sat down. He played and sang, You Will Be Found – a song from the Tony-award winning musical Dear Evan Hansen. (Hugh Jackman wasn't in this show but the music was written by the same people who wrote the music for The Greatest Showman, Benji Pasek and Justin Paul.) He performed this together with DC's own 18th Street Singers. I loved that he enlisted some locals, and the song was so moving!

Afterward, Hugh talked about how his dad always worked, every day without fail, at Price Waterhouse. That is, until he took three days off to walk Hugh to the stage door at Carnegie Hall, where he was participating in a charity event. Although it was semi-casual event, his dad showed up in full back tie to escort his son to the door because, to him, it was that important. So, the next song, Soliloquy from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, was performed in his dad's honor.

Carnegie Hall is one of the world's best venues!

Next was a rousing rendition of This is Me from The Greatest Showman, sung with background vocalist Jenna Lee James and accompanied by eight dancers. That was pretty good, but then they topped off the first act with a medley of three songs from Les Miserables. (Hugh starred as Jean Valjean in the fantastic movie musical version of Les Miserables in 2012.) He performed Valjean's Soliloquy, I Dreamed a Dream, and One Day More with additional singers (both background vocalists Jenna Lee James and Kayleigh McKnight as well as the 18th Street Singers), filling the arena with these classic songs while swirling giant flags along the walkway. It left me teary-eyed!

A selection from Les Miserables capped off Act I. 

As the lights came on, a giant clock appeared on the stage's circular screen, and Hugh said he'd be back in 20 minutes. He pointed at the clock and told us to watch the numbers. As I settled all the lovey-dovey butterflies in my stomach, the older woman next to me exhaled and said, "I wonder what he's going to do next. I mean, what's he going to do next?!"

By then, I had figured it out and I couldn't wait, so let's get to it!

Act II

Hugh Jackman didn't come back in 20. Instead, the screens showed footage of his spectacular performances in The Boy from Oz, from 2003 through 2004, which earned him the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical. Then, Peter Allen hit the stage, and I couldn't stop smiling! In full character, Hugh chatted and improvised with the audience, as he did during all the performances of that amazing show. (This is one of the many reasons he won that Tony. Every performance was new, different, and exciting!)

On this night, he came off stage and walked along the stadium seating (on the far left side), scanning the crowd. He picked a large guy named Kyle, who looked out of place at this Hugh Jackman concert. Kyle said he just lost a $10 bet with his wife, who had guessed that Hugh/Peter would come over to talk to him. "Do you want me to spot you a $20?" Hugh/Peter asked. Instead, he gave him a $100 bill that he found in his pocket and brought him on stage. Hugh/Peter asked him what he did for a living, and Kyle said that he actually just had a job interview. Hugh/Peter was excited about this and asked eagerly, "For what?!" Kyle hesitantly explained, "Well, I'm in recovery, and I help people with substance abuse issues." That earned him a roaring round of applause and a few hugs from Hugh – I mean, Peter – who was telling him how fantastic he was! (That is fantastic!)

Then, Hugh/Peter moved on to chatting with the wife: "Does he pick his own clothes?" and eying Kyle's boring ensemble, "He can no longer be in charge, darling."

Getting back to the songs, with Kyle still on stage, Hugh sang a slew of Peter Allen hits, including, Not the Boy Next Door; a medley of Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), Don't Cry Out Loud, I Honestly Love You, Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage, and I Go to Rio; and Tenterfield Saddler. During Arthur's Theme, he sang and addressed Kyle with a wink, "Just once in your life, you'll find him... Kyle..." They started dancing and, unprompted, Kyle lifted him off his feet. (I told you he was a big guy.) Hugh/Peter exclaimed, "We could do the Dirty Dancing thing!" Everyone laughed as he tried to bounce upward into that shape, but they did not prepare for that! It was still the best. I wanted to see Boy from Oz all over again (and again)!

The selection from The Boy from Oz made everyone happy!

Next, to calm things down a bit, the background vocalists Kayleigh McKnight and Jenna Lee James started singing A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman. Hugh was backstage changing but came out in time to wander around the stage, strolling around dancers as they sang. Then he joined in by the third verse. It was an ethereal, moving performance by everyone involved. They even had someone on stage sharing lyrics in sign language.

After that awesomeness, Hugh talked to us some more! He said, "I had a very difficult childhood. I only had three channels on the telly. We didn't even have remote controls!" He said that he used to run home from school to watch old movies on TV (because that's what they played on TV back then), and that's how he fell in love with movies and musicals. (This is what I did when I was a kid!) He then went into a medley of show tunes, including Luck Be a Lady, Singin' in the Rain, I Got Rhythm, Steppin' Out With My Baby, and Sing Sing Sing.

Everybody could use some old show tunes now and again. 

You can guess what my favorites were in that group. He had an umbrella, of course, and then just like Gene Kelly, he picked out people in the audience to sing the "I got" part for George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm." That made me happy, even when pointed at a girl who wasn't paying attention. (He said, "Oh, you weren't listening, were you? It's okay. It's not school. You can do whatever you want," and he moved on to another person.)

As he got into Steppin' Out With My Baby, he gave one of the dancers a solo moment: "This is Camille, from DC!" he said. He built up the moment before her solo, telling everyone that her family is here watching her and, "She's only been waiting for this her whole life – no pressure!" (She was a star!)

Hugh talked about how his big brother made fun of his interest in dance when he was a kid, so he played rugby instead. Then, when he was in his late teens, his brother apologized after seeing him perform somewhere, telling him he should pursue what he loves, so he enrolled in his first dance class the next day. Then, Hugh started tap dancing, and my night was compete!

The dancing lessons paid off!

Hugh told us he likes musicals; they are all great! But he really likes rock music too. Suddenly, a bunch of different loud songs came on over the speakers, like "Taking Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive and "Jump" by Van Halen. And then, Hugh started banging on various drums because I think he can do everything! The dancers were carrying these drums - some were sideways, some were straight on, and some were held up high. It was all choreographed and exciting to see and hear. At the end, he did one of Wolverine's signature poses – with drum sticks in hand, not blades – and everyone screamed! He spotted a guy in the audience at the end of the walkway, waving a DVD of Real Steel...and he signed it while on stage! He laughed, "So when I did that [pose], you thought Real Steel, huh? That's right. Yup, Wolverine was in Real Steel."

You get a drum, and you get a drum, and you get a drum! Everybody gets a drum! 

After the drum extravaganza was over, Hugh exclaimed, "Let's see Ryan Reynolds do that!" And immediately followed with, "Do not post that! I might get 4 million tweets tomorrow morning!" (Sorry, Hugh, but that was funny. Ryan Reynolds fans, it's a joke!)

I couldn't have guessed where we were going from here, but it was Australia. He talked about the Australian Outback, the vastness of the land, and how there is nowhere else like it. Then four indigenous musicians (three men and one woman) – part of the company Nomad Two Worlds – played two songs, Art Song and Inhibition, complete with digeridoos! The woman, Olive Knight, translated some of the language, including, "The land is crying for its people, and the people are crying for the land. Do not be silent. Fight for her. I had a dream, and my dream came true." The Australian portion of this program ended with Hugh singing Israel Kamakowiwo'ole's version of Over the Rainbow.

See the digeridoos?

Then Hugh switched gears and sang Mack the Knife to the crowd. At one point, he kissed an audience member's hand instead of shaking it. When he let go, she melted into her friend's arms. (It wasn't me.)

It was here that he announced, "There are two songs to go, if you want to go." I figured I should stay at this point.

Phone flashlights made the arena look like it was full of stars. 

While he sang From Now On from The Greatest Showman, he introduced all the dancers and musicians for rounds of applause. And, during the last song – Peter Allen's Once Before I Go – he signed autographs and sometimes interjected between lyrics: "Can I borrow your Sharpie? Multitasking!"

I told you he can do everything.