A Stimulating Night with Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve at the Capitol Theatre

Elvis Costello will be enshrined eternally as one of the pioneer forces of the punk rock movement of the late 1970s, even though he transitioned out of that genre almost five decades ago. By the mid-1980s, he had reinvented himself as a singer-songwriter deeply entrenched in vintage American music, from blues to folk to jazz. When performing with his bands, first the Attractions and then the Imposters, he rocked his songs, increasingly with a penchant for crooning his distinctive vocals. Solo, or with his longtime collaborator, keyboardist Steve Nieve, however, Costello can get radically experimental. Such was the case on this tour, the 10th time since 1998 that Costello and Nieve have traveled without the rest of the Imposters.

On the sixth date of this 15-date east coast tour, Costello opened his set at the Capitol Theatre with a whimper rather than a bang. He performed two of his songs unaccompanied, singing and playing guitar while sitting on a stool on the side of the dark stage. Costello then moved center stage as Nieve joined him for the third song and stayed for the remainder of the 21-song performance. Together, the duo performed several of Costello’s better-known songs as well as a healthy lot of his deeper cuts.

A nearly two-hour non-stop program featuring one singer and only two musicians, sometimes only one musician, can run the risk of having songs sound alike. Here, however, Costello and Nieve took advantage of their stripped-down format and reinvented melodies, teased snippets of Costello’s catalog into featured songs, and even saw Nieve sing a bit, a rarity. The set introduced no new songs, yet reworked many vintage songs with entirely fresh arrangements.

The unusual and unpredictable arrangements of Costello’s best-known songs must have mystified yet engaged the listeners. For instance, while the full band version of “(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea” is best known for its force and vigor, here it featured only Nieve playing a fast piano roll throughout the song as Costello paced the stage while lilting the lyrics. Even staunch Costello fans might not have recognized the song until Costello reached the chorus.

Similarly, Nieve masterfully accompanied Costello on grand piano as Costello crooned a slowed interpretation of his “Accidents Will Happen.” The duo’s version of “Clubland” was flavored with a Latin music treatment. “Alison” was more recognizable, although it started softly and built to a noisier end with Costello ripping into his electric guitar. The cover of Brinsley Schwarz’s “(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,” which concludes or nearly concludes almost every Costello concert, featured Nieve singing the second verse. The show featured many surprises for those fans who usually follow the full band’s concerts.

Now 70 years old, with 33 studio albums, two Grammy Awards, and inductions into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Costello’s integrity continues to spellbind his cult of mature music fans. Costello has faded from the mainstream limelight, yet his prolific musical output and the integrity of his performances draw a substantial and ever-faithful coterie of music fans. Entertaining concerts, like this one at the Capitol Theatre, assure that his legacy is far from ended.

All photographs by Dino Perrucci

Setlist

1. Deportee (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover) (Elvis Costello only)
2. Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover) (Elvis Costello only)
3. When I Was Cruel No. 2 (Elvis Costello cover, with a snippet of “Dancing Queen”)
4. They're Not Laughing at Me Now (Elvis Costello cover)
5. Wednesday Week (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover)
6. Harpies Bizarre (Elvis Costello cover)
7. Shot with His Own Gun (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover)
8. No Flag (Elvis Costello cover)
9. Man Out of Time (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover)
10. (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover)
11. Poisoned Rose (Elvis Costello cover)
12. Hetty O'Hara Confidential (Elvis Costello cover)
13. Stations of the Cross (Elvis Costello cover)
14. Clubland (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover, with “Ghost Town” and “How Insensitive”)
15. Accidents Will Happen (Elvis Costello & the Attractions cover)
16. I Still Have That Other Girl (Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach cover
17. She (Charles Aznavour cover)
18. Alison (Elvis Costello cover, with a snippet of “Everyday I Write the Book”)
19. Come the Meantimes (Elvis Costello and the Roots cover)
20. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover) (Steve Nieve sang a verse)
21. I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down (Sam & Dave cover)

Related Articles:

Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Radio City Music Hall (2024)

The Nearness of You at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room (2024)

Elvis Costello & the Imposters at the Rooftop at Pier 17 (2022)

Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Forest Hills Stadium (2019)

Elvis Costello at Carnegie Hall (2014)

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The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.

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