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!

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink

Hi everyone,

When I saw last year that Elvis Costello was on a book tour in support his new memoir Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, I bought my ticket for his D.C. stop immediately. I can't claim to be his biggest fan, but I love some of his music, and I always find him entertaining. Elvis Costello first got my attention in 1989 when he released Spike, an album that includes some songs co-written with Paul McCartney. One of its singles, "Veronica," became a big hit on the radio and MTV, which I thought was impressive considering it's a happy tune about someone with Alzheimer's disease. My other favorite song on Spike is called "Tramp the Dirt Down," an unfriendly commentary on Margaret Thatcher. I guess I was that kind of kid.

I saw Elvis Costello perform a live set once in person, when he opened for Sting, but I mostly catch him randomly on TV. I remember when he showed up on "Frasier" in the '90s, playing a musician who just got hired to perform daily at Cafe Nervosa, ruining the Crane Brothers' peaceful coffee-shop hangout. And, I tuned in that night in 2003 when he filled in for David Letterman as host of "The Late Show." (Why do I remember these things?) Also, over the years, Elvis Costello showed up on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," always game to do something fun.

My favorite thing that Elvis Costello has ever done, though, is "Spectacle," a music-filled talk show, which he hosted. He interviewed musicians and other famous faces about music and performed related songs with his guests. The show aired from 2008 to 2010, but I didn't see it until last year when I finally got around to renting the DVDs through Netflix. Elvis Costello is so knowledgeable about music, having played with so many different musicians of different genres. Through this show, I learned about artists I love as well as ones I'd never heard of before. This show was a perfect combination of friendly, informative conversation and wonderful performances in a relaxed setting in front of a small audience. It should still be on the air and required viewing in schools!

But I'll get off that soapbox and sum up my admiration for Elvis Costello by saying this: with his fantastic songwriting abilities already established – Listen to "Alison," "Beyond Belief," "God Give Me Strength" or the rowdier "Pump It Up" and "Oliver's Army," just to name a few. – Elvis Costello always tells interesting stories, whether he's singing or talking. So, I had a good feeling about him writing a book. When I picked this book up at Sixth & I Synagogue last October and realized that it was 672 pages, I may have questioned my logic a bit, but I still kept the faith.

Before the author even appeared on stage, I noticed that Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink includes no index, and the photos are sprinkled throughout the text without any captions. The first thing Elvis Costello said to us about the book was that we might notice it includes no index and the photos aren't captioned or stuck in the middle on a cluster of special paper. He explained, "I'm telling a story. If you read the book, you'll know who that person is in the picture." I couldn't wait to get started.

This book is great! It reads really fast because, as we know, Elvis Costello weaves good tales. It was an interesting read because, since I'm not overly familiar with his vast body of work, I rolled right past the specific details and lyrics about various unfamiliar songs that I'm sure his superfans would study more fiercely. After reading the book, I learned that a companion CD exists, which probably includes many of the songs the author refers to in his story. I wish I had known about this helpful resource while I was reading.

I favored learning about Declan MacManus before he became Elvis Costello – the boy who went to work with his dad (Ross MacManus, a popular singer and musician in his own day), hanging around in the back rows of dance halls, watching him and the other musicians rehearse, fostering his growing love for music. This book covers a good amount of family history with wonderful details about his grand and great-grand relatives as well as his own upbringing. It was exciting to following his determined move from office jobs to rock-and-roller. Feeling the passion and drive he had to share his craft is inspiring.

I've known about Elvis Costello's rise on the new wave/punk music scene and his early reputation as an angry young man, but the one I've come to know better is the Elvis Costello of now – the proper British gentleman, who always wears a suit and hat and is quick to joke, explain music history, and play with varied musicians, like Emmylou Harris and Mavis Staples. For me, his exploits with his old bandmates, The Attractions, at the height of their fame are more side notes to the richer life he's led, learning and honing his musicianship – always moving forward to the next thing, sticking by his family, and eventually finding his own personal contentment.

In the book's acknowledgements, Elvis Costello thanks his wife, jazz musician Diana Krall, for making him take the time to write everything down for this memoir so that he and the family will have it. That's what this book reads like: a personal keepsake for future generations of the MacManus Clan to remember not only his extraordinary life, but also the lives of those distant working-class relatives who have already passed. The old black-and-white photos complement this effort, capturing the author at all ages as well as relatives, friends, scribbled song lyrics, and other mementos.

Unlike a typical memoir, this one is not a chronological life story. It's more like a box of memories. Chapters about Elvis Costello's parents and grandparents run alongside chapters about working with Paul McCartney, T Bone Burnett, Burt Bacharach, and Allen Toussaint. Within those, he recalls his encounters with Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, and even classic film director Frank Capra. You never know who or what he'll run into on the next page. Elvis Costello will keep you reading to find out.

Vocal

On April 2, I attended a charity concert in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center benefiting Paul Newman's Association of Hole in the Wall Camps. Renamed the SeriousFun Children's Network, it now provides 28 summer camps around the world for seriously ill children, giving them and their parents a break from hospitals and doctor appointments. Free of charge, these camps let the kids be kids.

I've read about these concerts--which offer music, celebrity appearances, and participation by the campers themselves--but this was my first time attending. While I was excited to see some of the celebrity guests, I was most eager to see how the kids would be involved. I'd seen photos and video clips of Paul Newman on stage in costume playing and singing songs with the campers--Everything was accompanied by smiles and laughter.

Billed as "A Celebration of Paul Newman's Dream," this year's concert was a bittersweet reminder of why we were all there--the children with their unflappable spirit and the great man who gave them this gift of freedom, normalcy, and fun. Fourteen campers represented their camps that night. Some of them traveled from foreign countries, such as Italy and Hungary. I was moved and entertained at the same time: One moment, a teenager told us about his best friend, someone he met at his summer camp who never failed to make him laugh but eventually lost his battle with cancer. The next, a younger boy told us the best thing about his camp: two trees that together have grown to form the letter 'H.' "I was told to write an essay about what I love about the camp," he said, "But that would just ruin it."

This year's celebrity guests included Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Paul Simon, Trisha Yearwood, Josh Groban, and Jake Gyllenhaal. One of my favorite moments came during Elvis Costello's three-song set. The concert was backed by a 14-piece house band, but Elvis only enlisted four members of the string section. He commented on the beautiful theater's fantastic acoustics. Then, during his second song, "A Slow Drag with Josephine," he proved it. Playing alone on his acoustic guitar, he stepped away from the microphone but kept singing while roaming the stage. Avery Fisher Hall is elegantly simple in shades of beige, but Elvis was right: The acoustics rock!

Here, Comet volunteered to take center-stage because he loves Elvis Costello! While Gordon, B.J., Lily, and Ashes are in the band, the other kitties wouldn't dare miss this event. They've snagged front-row seats.

(Illustration Friday: April 6, 2012)

At the benefit, Elvis Costello introduced "A Slow Drag for Josephine," saying that he was about to play some rock 'n' roll. Our cheers transformed to giggles when he clarified, "At least, it's rock 'n' roll as I imagine it in 1921." You may not know this song, so I thought I'd include it here for your listening pleasure. While not quite as cool as the version I heard, here he is singing it on Jools Holland's show, "Later Live," in 2010. Enjoy!

Video © BBC