Growing up as an Elvis Costello fanatic wasn't easy. At a time, during my formative high school years, when most of my peers were engulfed by the sounds of cheesy corporate radio rock, I was drawing inspiration and personal satisfaction from the brilliance Elvis pumped out with each record he unleashed. While I drew my fair share of harsh criticism and earned lots of moronic nicknames from my classmates for liking that "nerd," I took solace in knowing that none of the bland, bloated bands they liked were capable of writing something as venomous or acerbic as the angry new wave strains of "Radio Radio" or as stylish and lush as late night torch song "Almost Blue."
Having born witness to what is still, to this day, the single most amazing concert I've ever experienced — in 1982 on his Imperial Bedroom tour — my love for and fascination with Costello and his fantastic backing band The Attractions only grew exponentially. I knew then I'd be making a lifelong commitment.
With tons of great records to his credit, either backed by The Attractions, The Imposters, The Roots or alongside Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint or countless other collaborators and musicians, Costello has rightfully and respectably risen from his "Angry Young Man" status of the late 1970s to a bona fide player in the shaping and molding of our current generation's music.
With a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction under his belt and chops as a writer, producer, composer, actor and talk show host, Elvis has proven he was no fluke. What Bob Dylan represented and signaled for the generation group before, Elvis is for me. No other songwriter grabbed my attention and expanded the possibilities of what a great song could be like Elvis did.
More than three decades and plenty more spectacular EC shows I've been lucky enough to attend later, the luster hasn't worn off. Not one bit. A chance to see Elvis live is one that I'll never pass up and the announcement that his latest solo jaunt, the "Detour Tour," was coming to town only stoked my excitement.
The man is known for drastically changing his setlists from night to night, dabbling in obscure deep album cuts, clever covers as well as the bulk of the songs he's become known for; in sum, a typical Elvis Costello show is anything but typical.
Expect to be treated to witty between song banter, a voice that hasn't lost any of it's range or clarity and those songs...all those remarkable songs. And don't expect to back be home any time soon. Elvis Costello shows have been known to turn into marathon performances.
If this will be your first Elvis Costello show, expect to be wowed. For those of us returning for more of what we've come to know and love about the man, expect to be wowed. Again.
CLICK HERE to check out a Spotify playlist of Elvis Costello tracks...
Elvis Costello performs Mon., March 16, 8 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N. McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater; tickets are $150, $99.50, $69.50 and $49.50. For more info, call 727-791-7400 or visit the REH website.