Elvis Costello Gig - Palais - 23rd November 2004

The Elvis Costello gig I went to last night was absolutely awesome. Easily one of the best gigs I've ever been to. Amazing what sitting in the 3rd row does to the enjoyment of a gig.

I was actually sitting next to the guy who created The Elvis Costello website. Amazing who you get to meet when you are in the good seats. I was having a bit of a chat to him, chatting about his music etc. Apparently he had a plant in the audience recording a bootleg of the gig :-) Even got some earplugs off him (Lorin and I were getting our right ears blasted from being so close to the speakers). Yes...I know I'm soft! Well the earplugs were more for Lorin than for me, but I put one in one of my ears as well, made it more enjoyable.

I was very close to meeting Elvis afterwards as well, there was a meet & greet session and he walked right past me to get into the cordoned off area where you needed to have a VIP pass to get in :-( He seemed very down to earth, chatting with the people casually like they were his old mates. Well, maybe they were (probably record company folk). I'd actually bought a T-Shirt in anticipation of getting him to sign it, but unfortunately the security people asked us to leave when they realised we didn't have VIP passes :-(

I'm going to make it my mission to get great seats to any future gigs I go to, it makes such a difference. The first time I saw Elvis Costello was at the concert hall and it was ok, but this time it was SO much better.

He played 11/13 songs from his new album -- the only songs he didn't play were the last two The Judgement and The scarlet tide. The judgement is probably my favourite track from the album, so I was a bit annoyed he didn't play that. Kinda like the last gig where he didn't play Episode of blonde which was my favourite track from When I was cruel.

Of his older hits, he played these:

Alison
(I don't want to go to) Chelsea
Pump it up
Radio, radio
(What's so funny 'bout) peace love and understanding?
Oliver's army
Accidents will happen
I can't stand up for falling down
High fidelity
Good year for the roses
Everyday I write the book

Some of his lesser known earlier songs he played:

Blame it on cain
Waiting for the end of the world
No action
Uncomplicated
13 steps lead down
Hidden charms
Tear off your own head (It's a doll's revolution)

He also played a couple of rarities:

The monkey (B-Side, inspired Monkey to man from his new album)
Suspicious minds (the Elvis Presley song, he segued Pump it up into this)

I think that covers everything he played, can't think of any of the other songs. The guy who I was sitting next to wrote down the setlist and he'll be publishing it on his website.

What a legend...I'm still on a high from it!