Went to see elvis costello at the Phil in liverpool wedensday night (25th june) with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Featuring
Clark Rundell - Conductor
Gisela Stille - Soprano
Steve Nieve - Piano
Chris Laurence - Bass
Martin France - Drums
Rob Buckland - Saxophone
The first part of the gig was a bit of a mixture starting with All This Useless Beauty from 1996. The Girl In The Other Room and Almost Blue. then there was the more experimental works extracts from his first full scale classical orchestral work, Il Sogno. He was then joined on stage with Gisela Stille for The Secret Songs including How Deep Is The Red, She Handed Me A Mirror and He Has Forgotten Me Completely, written for the Royal Danish Opera about Hans Christian Anderson.
After a intermission of about 20 mins (and a couple of ciggys outside)
The second half kicked off with Green Shirt - complete with percussion performed on a type writer. Watching The Detectives and Veronica, She, Accidents Will Happen , The Scarlet Tide and and the Burt Bacharach co-write God Give Me Strength,he drew from every era of his career. The biggest applause, unsurprisingly, came for the sublime Shipbuilding, along with an outcry of booing when Thatcher was mentioned.
As he launched into the encore's, he merged Alison into Smokey Robinson’s Tracks Of My Tears.
i have seen Costello many times over the years thiis one was right up there with the best.
have posted 2 tracks from the gig i found on youtube my favourite from the night God Give Me Strength and Alison/Tracks Of My Tears
My Trusted MOGs
Looks like great fun, though surprisingly formal! He's certainly metamorphosisized his act more than a few times. With his most recent release being more pumped up I would have thought the show would be too, but maybe being at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic made this a one of a kind show. I would have loved to have been there. Thanks for sharing.
My Trusted MOGs
Thrilled to hear a live rendition of the Costello-Bacharach classic. I wish they'd collaborate again.
Elvis looks surprisingly good in that photo, receding hairline and all. Like the sideburns.
My Trusted MOGs
glad you liked
dermahrk was best song of the night
waydutch it was a 2 off one in glasgow and one in liverpool
cheers
My Trusted MOGs
The man is quite the performer. What an ecelectic show!
My Trusted MOGs
I really have to admit my ignorance in not being well versed in Elvis Costello's work although I know he definitely is a force in the music industry.
I applaud him working with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. I love it when orchestra's team up with rock/roll/hip hop/alternative musicians and bring a different audience to appreciate the music. As they say, music = life!
Love the youtube clips.
My Trusted MOGs
My comments mirror Serenity's I would never have put him doing a 'classical' gig
You must have had a great evening and the 2 tracks you have posted have such moving lyrics. Smokey Robinson's being 1 of my all time favourites. Would have loved to have been there myself
it just had to be done
thanks ocean x
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appologies for the scoller not working, if you go to the lyric page although its saying 'God give me strength' isnt available the link does work and brings up the scroller with lyrics
then again you could just edit it out x
My Trusted MOGs
These words really got to me
Now I have nothing, so God give me strength
cause Im weak in her [his] wake
And if Im strong I might still break
And I dont have anything to share
That I wont throw away into the air
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out [this belle is wrung out]
[he] she was the light that Id bless
[he] she took my last chance at happiness
So God give me strength, God give me strength
I cant hold onto [him] her, God give me strength
When the phone doesnt ring
And Im lost in imagining
Everything that kind of love is worth
As I tumble back down to the earth
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
[he] she was the light that Id bless
[he] she took my last chance at happiness
So God give me strength,
God if [hed] shed grant me [his] her indulgence and decline
I might as well wipe [him] her from my memory
Fracture the spell as [he] she becomes my enemy
Maybe I was washed out like a lip-print on his shirt
See, Im only human, I want him to hurt
I want him
I want him to hurt
[instrumental]
Since I lost the power to pretend
That there could ever be a happy ending
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
[he] she was the light that Id bless
[he] she took my last chance at happiness
So God give me strength, God give me strength