FIELD NOTES: Elvis Costello, Leeds City Varieties, 2nd and 3rd September 2024
The 4 Sets, 2 Nights Flyer (Image: Elvis Costello website)
As a one off event, Elvis Costello, joined by long term collaborator, Steve Nieve, played four gigs over two nights at the legendary Victorian Music Hall.
The Victorian splendour of City Varieties, Leeds (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Promising to deliver a different set of songs from his extensive back catalogue for each performance (which almost occurred bar a couple of duplications!) Costello was fired up from the outset.
Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve, City Varieties, Leeds (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Given the volume of songs performed I’m not going to review the lengthy gigs in detail, but would say the two nights and four sets were a fascinating deep-dive into Costello’s impressive musical legacy, many of his classic songs were re-worked to accommodate the intensity of the stripped down duo and hallowed environment they were operating within.
As might be expected for an artist who continually re-invents himself, there was also a considerable focus on many of the hidden gems within his back catalogue, and we were treated to some powerfully emotional renditions as the sets unfolded.
Costello appeared relaxed but reverent of the venue, and warmly and fondly shared many stories from his impressive career and influences.
Steve Nieve, Costello’s trusty lieutenant of many year’s service provided fantastic keyboard backing and even was thrust in the vocal limelight on the final set closer of “(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?”
When City Varieties stalwart, Ken Dodd’s “Where’s Me Shirt” filled the auditorium as the audience departed on both nights, we were all left with a massive feeling of “Happiness".
Seats: Dress Circle B9 and B5, and Stalls D14 and D1
Set list - 2 September 2024 (early):
01. Green Shirt
02. Secondary Modern
03. Penelope Halfpenny
04. Accidents Will Happen
05. Jack Of All Parades
06. Blue Chair
07. Black Sails In The Sunset
08. White Knuckles - including Roxanne
09. Poison Moon
10. All This Useless Beauty
11. Clubland - including Ghost Town
12. Newspaper Pane
13. Everybody's Crying Mercy - including Ode To Billie Joe
14. Shot With His Own Gun
15. She
16. Alison
Start time: 19:00
End time: 20:20
Set list - 2 September 2024 (late):
01. Watching The Detectives
02. Watch Your Step
03. My Baby Just Purrs (You're Mine, Not Hers)
04. Country Darkness
05. Less Than Zero
06. The Man You Love To Hate
07. Beyond Belief
08. Ghost Train
09. Dio Come Ti Amo / Almost Blue
10. A Face In The Crowd
11. God's Comic
12. Man Out Of Time
13. Mystery Dance
14. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
15. Good Year For The Roses
Start time: 21:30
End time: 22:55
Set list - 3 September 2024 (early):
01. When I Was Cruel No. 2
02. Waiting For The End Of The World
03. Motel Matches
04. Sneaky Feelings
05. Cheap Reward
06. Harry Worth
07. After The Fall
08. The Invisible Man
09. Still Too Soon To Know
10. Jimmie Standing In The Rain - including Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?
11. Poisoned Rose
12. New Amsterdam
13. The Long Honeymoon
14. She
15. Farewell, OK
Start time: 19:00
End time: 20:25
Set list - 3 September 2024 (late):
01. Pills And Soap
02. Human Hands
03. Take Out Some Insurance
04. Hoover Factory
05. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
06. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
07. Dr. Watson, I Presume
08. Suit Of Lights
09. Vitajex
10. What Is It That I Need That I Don't Already Have?
11. This Year's Girl
12. Blood & Hot Sauce
13. Brilliant Mistake - "first draft" lyrics - including Tangled Up In Blue
14. Clown Around Town
15. Oliver's Army
16. Shipbuilding
17. We Are All Cowards Now
18. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - Steve Nieve sings second verse
Start time: 21:30
End time: 23.00
Big thanks to The Elvis Costello Wiki for the above set list data
