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Elvis Costello & The Imposters: The Boy Named If & Other Favorites Tour 2022 [Concert Review]

Brian Q. Newcomb | August 12, 2022 August 12, 2022 | Concert Reviews , Reviews

Elvis Costello & The Imposters w/ Nicole Atkins; The Boy Named If & Other Favorites Tour :  Rose Music Center; Dayton, OH; Saturday, August 6, 2022

Elvis Costello has been a singer and songwriter of note for going on 45 years, but as we were reminded at his concert on Saturday night at the Rose Music Center, he is first and foremost a storyteller. Rarely do you hear artists play music they’ve recorded through the P.A. as part of the playlist before they hit the stage, but I heard Costello’s distinctive singing voice on several alt-country sounding songs that played before he took the stage with his fine band of backing musicians, and for the several verses that played loudly through the system after the lights went down before they walked out to greet the crowd.

But shortly after the band opened the show with two songs from the 1979 release, Armed Forces – “Accidents Will Happen” and “Green Shirt,” two that he’s played consistently at live shows for some years, Costello thanked the crowd for the warm response to “Surrender to the Rhythm,” the recorded song playing as they entered, telling the story of that album’s creation, although to be honest, that applause when the lights went down had a lot more to do with getting the show started.

The concert had barely begun, but Costello was in story telling mode; he recounted a phone call from his old friend Allan Mayes, recalling how Elvis had joined his band Rusty 50 years earlier, suggesting that they should get together and “record a cassette.” Costello recalled their early days, playing anywhere folk would let them, and some places where they wouldn’t, like a Catholic girl’s school. So, Costello one upped his first bandmate and partner, saying they should record the album they would have made when they were 18, if someone had let them. In honor of the release of The Resurrection of Rust , Costello dedicated the next song to his old pal Allan, who he suggested was no doubt out playing some venue in his hometown of Austin. Then, Costello led the band into “Either Side of the Same Town,” a country ballad leaning number from one of their great, but underrated releases, ‘04’s The Delivery Man , with bass player Davey Faragher, who’s addition to the band brought the change of the name from The Attractions to the Imposters. He sang harmony vocals on the choruses, while Elvis’ vocal delivery found him screaming and howling as he killed on those high notes. The guy still has some amazing pipes.

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

Costello introduced “Hetty O’Hara Confidential,” about an old school gossip columnist from an era when “sin and shame were for sale,” who loses her platform in the age of social media, because “now everyone has a megaphone.” And fitting his vocal delivery, once Charlie Sexton had played a guitar solo, and Steve Nieve took one on organ, Costello played a jazz guitar solo as well, then pulled out a megaphone to deliver the final “Who’s got the dope/who’s got the potential?”

That one came from Hey Clockface , the 2020 release from solo recordings made in Helsinki with Costello playing all the instruments. Then, he added a new song to the setlist of the first time on this tour, from the very same album, the loud, angry rant of “No Flag,” which is the closest thing to Costello’s early punk influenced music recorded in many years. Given that this song was recorded completely solo, Costello playing all the instruments, it was an excellent moment to take notice of his incredible live band, now called The Imposters. The song is framed around one of those great rock guitar riffs played by Costello, framed by the pounding rhythm of Pete Thomas, who along with Steve Nieve on keyboards joined The Attractions in late 1977. Of course, Nieve had first recorded with Costello on “Watching the Detectives,” a song from Elvis’ debut album, My Aim Is True , which was next on Costello’s setlist.

On this beloved 45-year-old track, the storyteller in Costello has tended to take hold, as he tells of watching late night TV crime dramas as a child, like “The Invisible Lady,” on a black and white screen for inspiration, telling the tale while his band sizzles behind him with a rockin’ reggae beat, only to slide easily back into the song’s final verse. But staying with that early ’77 debut, the band dived immediately into “Mystery Dance,” which gave guest guitarist Sexton a chance to play out over the rockin’ rhythm, before Elvis said “go Steve go,” and Nieve pounded out those fast high-end chords of old school rock & roll piano.

After that loud jam, Costello introduced his opening act, singer Nicole Atkins back to the stage to join him on four songs. Costello put on an acoustic guitar, and they opened on a tender, light country rendering or “I’ll Wear It Proudly,” from another one of Costello’s most underrated albums, but a personal favorite, King of America , from 1986. Then, finally turning to a song from his newest release, The Boy Named If , Costello and Atkins trading verses, but really playing up the old schoolgirl group vocal sound when they get to the line about “The Marvelettes.” Then in another flash from the past, Costello led Atkins and the band through two from his 1994 album, Brutal Youth , the quieter “Still Too Soon to Know,” and the rock & roll pop chorus of “Just About Glad,” after which he sent Atkins off stage with applause from the crowd.

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

At this point, you could feel the energy go up a notch as Costello led his Imposters into two more from the new album, even as he told another story about the confession prior to his first communion, where he admitted to the sin of adultery, something he had no knowledge of until he encountered a new girl at school and felt something he’d never felt before. He said, “I wrote this song about her, it’s called ‘Penelope Halfpenny,” but of course it’s really about me, they’re all about me.” It was a bit of a scorcher, and Costello took a torrid, slamming solo on his Telecaster. The from the same album, one with a pop-driven melody, “What If I Can’t Give You Anything But Love?” The song heated up during the lengthy jam, with Costello turning toward Sexton as the two guitarists played off of each other, passing musical phrases back and forth.

This was followed by “Newspaper Pane,” which started out as a slow creeper, Costello talking through the song’s vivid, poetic storyline of a woman trapped in her grief, newspapers over the windows to keep out the light. The original was on Hey Clockfa ce but was recorded in New York City with jazz producer and arranger Michael Leonhart, with contributions on guitar from Bill Frisell. In the hands of the Imposters, the tensions in the song grew more intense with each verse, Costello speaking the narrative poetry through another of his effected microphones, the piece grew to a full-on rocker on the wings of Nieve’s organ parts and guitar solo from Elvis.

But before the overdriven guitar sounds entirely faded, Costello had nodded to his drummer of 45 years Pete Thomas, while quickly changing back to a Fender Jaguar guitar, and the two were half a verse into “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” again from his sophomore release, This Year’s Model , before the rest of the band caught up. Anyone who’s seen Costello & Co. live in recent years could no doubt feel that sudden shift to a higher gear of urgency as the band picked up momentum as they begin to build toward the concert’s climax. Costello played a screamer of a guitar solo and then while the band continued playing “Chelsea,” Elvis introduced his band, starting with bassist Farragher, who took a bass solo. Next up, “from Paris, France, the Professor Steve Nieve on organ, piano, and various and sundry keyboards,” announced Elvis in his best MC, the entertainer voice.

Then honoring the presence of the band’s special guest, Charlie Sexton, who’s produced records for the likes of Lucinda Williams, but is like best known as Bob Dylan’s lead guitarist for many years. He came on board with Elvis and the Imposters late in 2021 and will play through the summer tour. After Sexton took a couple turns around the melody on solo, Costello instructed the crowd to “stand up for the drummer,” repeatedly, but Thomas who played powerfully throughout the band’s 105 minute set, thrashed his kit briefly for emphasis, and very quickly cued Costello to play the opening killer guitar riff of their latest single, “Magnificent Hurt,” the fourth and final track of the evening from A Boy Called If , with Costello emphasizing the “hurt” each time it came around with a screaming guitar lick.

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

The song ended, but the music never stopped. Thomas counted out the fast four and the band launched into a crowd favorite, “Pump It Up,” always a showstopper. But again, with the crowd chanting along to “pump it up,” Elvis finished the song and Thomas counted out the beat for their set-closing number, the Nick Lowe written early hit of Costello, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?” which again became an audience sing-along.

Costello motioned for his bandmates to come out front, side by side, and then quieting the applause, he told another story about the band’s early days, explaining that when they first played America, they only had about 35 minutes of music, and “on a good night we could get it down to 22.” He went on to explain that they did know a ballad, but they never played it because he wasn’t able to play the gentle opening licks, but since they had Charlie Sexton here tonight, did the crowd want to hear on more? Then, of course, they served up a campfire sing along version of Costello’s classic from his debut, “Alison,” which included the lyric which gave the album its title: My Aim Is True. Costello added a verse at the end, singing in his high falsetto, “I’m gonna make you love me.” He gathered up the boys in the band one more time, put on the red hat that he’d tossed aside before the band’s first song, and off they went into the night.

Nicole Atkins, a long-time indie pop and rock artist, opened the show with her band, playing 10 of her own tracks in a crisp, warm 45-minute set as the sun was beginning to set. She has a strong, powerful voice, and she started out on acoustic guitar which together with her lead guitarist’s twangy Telecaster gave her a country/Americana sound. After three songs she switched to an electric Jaguar, taking full advantage of the whammy bar. Introducing a slow number and inviting the crowd members to enter the “Ted Danson Slow Dancing Contest,” suggesting that the song went out to her high school sweetheart, Chris Isaak, who she confessed didn’t know they were dating, but she nailed that twangy warbling “Wicked Ways” sound. She closed out the set with a handful of rockier pop songs, and ended the night with a ballad, singing “You’re the One,” winning over a fair number of fans in the crowd.

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Live Review: Elvis Costello and the Imposters • Out of Space • Evanston

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

Elvis Costello and the Imposters

Out of Space at Canal Shores Golf Course, Evanston, IL

Friday, August 5, 2022

Review by Jeff Elbel

Elvis Costello last visited Chicago in November, previewing material from 2022’s The Boy Named If album. Fans who missed that concert at Chicago Theatre were given a second chance to experience the strength of the English singer’s fresh material on Friday in Evanston. With a less experimental approach than 2020’s worthy Hey Clockface , The Boy Named If and its songs, including driving rocker “Magnificent Hurt,” proved to be sharp-witted and emotionally potent, with stylish playing to engage any longtime devotee of Costello’s work with the Attractions or Imposters.

The set list emphasized the extreme chronological ends of Costello’s 32-album catalog. The Attractions’ first three essential albums were well represented in order to prevent general revolt among the paying public, but the heart of the show was the clutch of five new songs from The Boy Named If and Costello’s compelling banter introducing each one. There may have been no “Veronica” or “Let Him Dangle” for fans of Spike , much less the New Wave corker “Radio, Radio,” but such omissions served to amplify Costello’s commitment to artistic forward motion. The Imposters’ spin on “Hetty O’Hara Confidential” was a highlight drawn from Hey Clockface , featuring Davey Faragher’s walking standup bass line. Costello described the song as a tale of scandal and shame. “It’s for sale everywhere you look,” he added. Drummer Pete Thomas and keyboardist Steve Nieve took the studio cut’s beatbox-infused arrangement and recast it as a lively R&B-jazz romp reminiscent of Ray Charles.

Costello expressed gratitude and relief to be reconnecting with his audience post-lockdown. He also joked about his longevity, reaching 50 years in showbiz. “We’re moving into the ABBA phase,” he said, describing a transition toward sending performing holograms on tour as true impostors.

Thomas played a conga line rhythm for “The Death of Magic Thinking” from The Boy Named If . Costello described the song as reflecting a young man’s experience, “trying to discover whether that look in someone’s eyes is a look of invitation or a look of prohibition. And boy, had you better get that right.”

Four deep cuts were offered as treats for devoted fans. “Still Too Soon to Know” was an elegant tearjerker from 1994’s Brutal Youth featuring guest Nicole Atkins, who had opened the evening ahead of a sparkling set by Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets. Costello eschewed the single “Monkey to Man,” choosing “Either Side of the Same Town” to represent 2004’s The Delivery Man . The song was performed in tribute to Allan Mayes, Costello’s teenage friend with whom he first performed as part of the band Rusty. Costello and Mayes recently released The Resurrection of Rust , with the Imposters standing in for the original Rusty musicians from 1972.

Before launching the remaining rarity, Costello asked the summertime crowd at Canal Shores Golf Course the rhetorical question, “Do you wanna hear another one?” Amid enthusiastic response, Costello added, “It seems like the evening for it if we could just get the cicadas out of our mouths.” The band played a stirring version of the earnest “I’ll Wear it Proudly” from 1986 roots music gem King of America , also accompanied by Atkins. Revealing the collaboration’s impromptu nature, Costello directed Atkins’ warm alto harmonies and phrasing like a choral conductor.

Atkins also elevated the vibrant new R&B song “My Most Beautiful Mistake.” Costello introduced the duet by saying the song was about a reprehensible character on the prowl at a local diner, posing as a Hollywood screenwriter in search of work. “You can tell this is a work of imagination because it wouldn’t be anything like me at all,” Costello said with eyebrows raised.

Faragher connected deeply with Thomas during an extended romp through “Watching the Detectives,” performing under eerie green light. The pair displayed their collective chops with lively dub reggae fills that were decorated by Costello’s slashing spy-movie guitar and Nieve’s spook-show organ. The song included Costello’s boyhood memory of watching the thriller The Invisible Lady on late-night TV, tempted by a nearby package of abandoned cigarettes to try looking as cool as the hero. “You can’t get the genius back into the bottle,” repeated the singer at the song’s apex.

The Imposters’ lineup was further augmented by Austin, Texas guitarist Charlie Sexton, who defected from Bob Dylan’s band last year. Costello seemed to enjoy the additional firepower, joining the sound of his familiar customized Fender Jazzmaster with Sexton’s guitar during “Green Shirt.” The pair squared off at center stage for twin solos during the swinging and pleading, “What If I Can’t Give You Anything but Love?” Sexton shone throughout the evening, with a particularly hot solo during rowdy rock and roller “Mystery Dance” from the Attractions’ 1977 debut My Aim is True . When the spotlight turned his way, Nieve answered by uncorking a Johnnie Johnson-styled piano run. Sexton and Faragher added rich harmony to songs, including “Accidents Will Happen.”

Cartwheeling pop stomper “Penelope Halfpenny” borrowed a measure of New Wave energy from “Pump it Up.” Costello told a wry story about growing up Catholic and having to decide what sin to claim at his first pre-teen confessional, settling on adultery by the process of eliminating the other choices. The song was inspired by a teacher who fostered ideas of a rich and adventurous life, with an underlying notion that it would all work out “if you’d just be loving and kind to people.” The song’s coda brimmed with feral rock, crashing like the Kinks and the Who.

The crowd rose to its feet as the main set concluded with a raucous “Pump it Up” and a bristling version of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.” Nieve punctuated the latter with riffs reminiscent of “Oliver’s Army” while Sexton lashed into his chiming Rickenbacker guitar. Many hoped for a duet with the song’s author Nick Lowe, but Elvis’ second opening act had already left the building.

Any honest fan will admit a hard truth – Costello has lost a step as a concert vocalist. When he’s got his full wind and is belting rousing material like “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea” punctuated with howls or gliding falsetto, Costello sounds like the reliable rocker his audience knows and loves. When he pulls back for a melodic crooner like the night’s encore of “Alison,” cracks show via pitchy singing and phrasing that lags Thomas’ finely tuned beat. Given significant challenges, including Costello’s cancer treatment in 2018, however, it seems blessedly lucky to have the beloved artist returned to health, in good spirits, and on stage at all – and still delivering such undiminished, provocative and irresistible new material in the studio. This writer has witnessed Costello’s incrementally returning power since his first post-treatment show at Riot Fest Chicago in 2018. Here’s wishing him a continued upward trajectory in the company of his exceptional bandmates while looking forward to more new material as cracking as the songs on The Boy Named If .

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Elvis Costello & the Imposters Plot 7-0-7 Tour for 2024

by Lorie Liebig September 26, 2023, 12:27 pm

Elvis Costello will hit the road this January with his band, the Imposters, for a new stretch of headlining shows. The newly announced 7-0-7 Tour will begin with a stop in Tallahassee and continue to cities across the southern U.S. through early February. 

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The acclaimed English-born singer/songwriter’s touring schedule includes a set at the 30A Songwriters Festival and a headlining show at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. He’ll be joined by fellow seasoned songsmith and guitarist Charlie Sexton , who will serve as support on all 15 dates of the trek.

Costello and his bandmates—Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, and Davey Faragher—have spent much of the past year on the road in support of their 2022 record,  The Boy Named If . In March, a box set titled  The Songs of Bacharach & Costello  was released, which includes a treasure trove of collaborative tracks from the pair recorded during the 1990s.

[RELATED: Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello Paint the Music of Memory]

Fans can access a limited artist presale for all dates of the 2024 7-0-7 Tour starting tomorrow (September 27) at 10 a.m. local time, followed by a general on-sale set to begin September 29, also at 10 a.m. local time. 

A complete list of upcoming live performances is listed below. Additional information on the tour, including ticketing options, can be found by visiting Elvis Costello’s official website .

7-0-7 Tour Dates

January 10 – Tallahassee, FL @ FSU Opening Nights at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall 

January 11 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 

January 12 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre 

January 14 – Miramar Beach, FL @ 30A Songwriters Festival Grand Boulevard Outdoor Stage 

January 16 – New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum Theater 

January 17 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues Houston 

January 19 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre 

January 20 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at the Moody Theatre 

January 22 – San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre 

January 25 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre 

January 26 – St. Louis, MO @ The Factory at the District 

January 29 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 

January 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy 

January 31 – Durham, NC @ DPAC 

February 2 – Wilmington, NC @ Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College 

Photo by Mark Seliger, Courtesy of Shore Fire Media

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Elvis Costello & the Imposters Plot ‘We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday’ Tour

  • By Larisha Paul

Larisha Paul

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Tour season continues for Elvis Costello and the Imposters as they plot their next stretch of shows on the road. The We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday tour is scheduled for June and July 2023, with Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets joining as special guests.

The 23-date North American tour is scheduled to begin on June 7 in Vancouver and extends through July 14 with a final show in Philadelphia. Elvis Costello and the Imposters will stop in Reno, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Omaha, Nashville, Bridgeport, Boston, Baltimore, New York, and more.

General sale for the We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday tour begins Friday, March 31 at 10 a.m. local time.

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“With Burt Bacharach, it was very different. It was predominantly music first and often one or the other of us would make the first musical statement,” Costello told Rolling Stone last year. “In some cases, I wrote a melody to which he would write the bridge. Sometimes writing every other line would come from one or the other of us once we’d got a dialogue going. But then my job would be to respond to the mood and the implication of that music, what would serve that music in a narrative. The mood of the music was very apparently melancholic and reflective, so I didn’t want to overcomplicate lyrics with lots of showy images.”

Elvis Costello & The Imposters “We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday” Tour Dates June 7 – Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre June 9 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery June 10 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater June 11 – Reno, NV @ Silver Legacy Casino Reno June 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre June 14 – Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theatre June 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre June 17 – Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort June 18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre June 20 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion June 21 – Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse Omaha June 23 – Hammond, IN @ The Venue at Horseshoe Casino June 24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest* June 25 – Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center June 28 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre July 1 – Lenox, MA @ Tanglewood* July 2 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom July 5 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater July 6 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway July 8 – Syracuse, NY @ Landmark Theatre July 9 – Baltimore, MD @ The Lyric July 12 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre July 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia

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  • Costello, Elvis & The Imposters
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Show all 546 Elvis Costello & The Imposters songs

  • ...And in Every Home ( 33 )
  • ...Dust ( 37 )
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  • (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes / Purple Rain / I Want You ( 1 )
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  • (What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding ( 1 )
  • 13 Steps Lead Down ( 11 )
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  • I Want You / I Say a Little Prayer ( 1 )
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  • I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime) ( 2 )
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  • International Echo ( 3 )
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It Had to Be You performed by Elvis Costello & The Imposters

  • Original Artist Isham Jones Orchestra
  • From the release It Had to Be You / After the Storm ( Single )
  • Total Plays 1 time by Elvis Costello & The Imposters
  •   8 times by 5 artists
  • First Played in Concert February 2, 2024 at Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC, USA
  • Most Recently Played February 2, 2024 at Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC, USA

Plays by Other Artists

  • Nathaniel Rateliff 3 times
  • Jimmyjohn McCabe 2 times
  • The Mothers of Invention 1 time
  • The Overtones 1 time
  • Mar 5, 2024
  • Mar 4, 2024
  • Mar 3, 2024
  • Mar 2, 2024
  • Mar 1, 2024
  • Feb 29, 2024
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elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

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Published: 2023/09/26

Elvis Costello & The Imposters to Embark on Seven-O-Seven Tour with Charlie Sexton

Elvis Costello & The Imposters to Embark on Seven-O-Seven Tour with Charlie Sexton

Today, Elvis Costello announced he and The Imposters will be traversing the Southern United States to kick off 2024. The ensemble, which includes Steve Nieve, Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas, will also welcome iconic blues guitarist Charlie Sexton.

“As the days grow shorter, anticipation swells,” a press release about the tour stated. “Remember that this is not just a concert — it is a communion of amorous spirits, an odyssey of pure, unadulterated elation.”

The run is being touted as the Seven-O-Seven tour and will commence in Tallahassee, Fla., on Jan. 10. From there, they’ll float around Florida with performances scheduled for Clearwater, Miami Beach and Miramar Beach. Next, they’ll head to New Orleans before hitting major cities in Texas like Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.

Costello and company will continue north with stops in Kanas City, Mont. and St. Louis before they stop in Nashville and Atlanta. The performances culminate with two shows in North Carolina: Durham on Jan. 31 and Wilmington on Feb. 2.

Artist presale tickets go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. local time, before opening to the general public on Friday, Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. Learn more and find tickets here .

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

Elvis Costello and the Imposters’ 7-0-7 Tour Jan. 10 – Tallahassee, FL – FSU Opening Nights at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall Jan. 11 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall Jan. 12 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre Jan. 14 – Miramar Beach, FL – 30A Songwriters Festival Grand Boulevard Outdoor Stage Jan. 16 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater Jan. 17 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston Jan. 19 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre Jan. 20 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theatre Jan. 22 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre Jan. 25 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theatre Jan. 26 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory at the District Jan. 29 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium Jan. 30 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy Jan. 31 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center Feb. 2 – Wilmington, NC – Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College

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Elvis Costello & The Imposters

31 march - 2 april 2024.

In the Concert Hall

Multi-award winning singer-songwriter and rock ’n’ roll hall of famer Elvis Costello returns to the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall – with his legendary band The Imposters – for the first time in 17 years.

$8.95 booking fee applies per transaction

Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.

Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.

The only authorised ticket agency for this event is  Sydney Opera House . For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the frequently asked questions below.

Sydney Opera House Insiders pre-sale 9am, Wednesday 14th September 2022

Become a Sydney Opera House Insider to receive exclusive pre-sale access

What’s On e-newsletter on-sale 12pm, Wednesday 14th September 2022

General Public tickets on-sale 9am, Friday 16th September 2022

Wheelchair accessible

There are a number of wheelchair and companion seating locations available.

To book accessible seating contact Box Office via email or telephone on: +61 2 9250 7777 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm AEST)

Find out more about  accessibility at Sydney Opera House

The duration of this event is yet to be confirmed.

Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.

Suitable for all ages.

Performance may contain the use of strobe lighting and smoke machines.

The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our   Child Safety Policy .

Electric atmosphere in barnstorming show. The Guardian

Also on this page

Venue information 

Covid-safe information

Frequently asked questions, pump it up with the return of a rock 'n' roll legend.

His career is legendary, spanning more than four decades and thirty-plus albums, and his songs – “Alison”, “Pump It Up”, “This Year’s Model”, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding” – are classics, explosive punk energy channeled through the timelessness of classic rock ’n’ roll songwriting. Now, after 17 long years, multi-award winning singer-songwriter Elvis Costello is returning to the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall for three dynamite, career-spanning performances, and he’s bringing his indefatigable band The Imposters along for the ride.

Costello has written lyrics for compositions by Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn and Oscar Peterson and musical settings for words by W.B. Yeats and Bob Dylan.  Costello’s songs have been recorded by a great number of artists, including George Jones, Linda Ronstadt, Georgie Fame, Chet Baker, Johnny Cash, June Tabor, Roy Orbison, Dusty Springfield, Robert Wyatt, Anne Sofie von Otter, Solomon Burke and Darlene Love.  

During his career, Costello has received numerous prestigious honours, including two Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting, a BAFTA for the music written with Richard Harvey for Alan Bleasdale’s television drama series “G.B.H.” and a Grammy for “I Still Have That Other Girl” from his 1998 collaboration with Burt Bacharach, Painted From Memory. In January 2020, Costello received the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for his 2018 studio record,  Look Now .  Elvis Costello and The Attractions were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. The same year, Costello was awarded ASCAP’s prestigious Founder’s Award.  In 2016 Elvis Costello was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in the company of Chip Taylor and Tom Petty.

Fresh off their most recent album, this year’s  The Boy Named If , Elvis Costello and The Imposters – essentially the Attractions plus bassist Davey Faragher – have been touring an electrifying two-hour set with the combustible energy of men a third their age, drawing heavily on a beloved back catalogue that runs from early, stone-cold classics like records My Aim is True, This Year’s Model and Armed Forces to their latest work.

Whether you’re a diehard fan or a Costello newcomer, this is one show you won’t want to miss.

Sydney Opera House Presents

Other information

Venue information.

Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer.

The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see  their website  for details.

Please check the  Transport NSW website  for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six min walk to the Opera House. 

The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We remind our audiences and visitors to please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.

The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. While face masks are no longer required, we ask all our patrons and visitors to practise good hygiene. Please stay home if you feel unwell and read more about our flexible ticket options .

The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive. 

If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval. 

Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our  General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.

In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.

The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.

Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our  General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.

Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.

Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.

The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.

Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.

The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy . 

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

Neil Gaiman and FourPlay String Quartet

Making their long-awaited return to the Opera House bearing the fruits of over a decades-long collaboration that started at the Graphic Festival, legendary writer Neil Gaiman and renowned string quartet FourPlay present the World Premiere of their ARIA-nominated debut album, Signs of Life.

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

Following on from their acclaimed Vivid LIVE 2023 performances, avant-garde hypnotists and Sydney Opera House favourites, The Necks return for two uniquely improvised performances in the Playhouse Theatre.

elvis costello and the imposters tour setlist

Lonnie Holley, Moor Mother & Irreversible Entanglements

A liberating night of Afrofuturist free jazz, transcendent vision and resonant hope with prophets and poets Lonnie Holley, Moor Mother and Irreversible Entanglements.

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American Songwriter

Artist’s Remorse: Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ ‘Goodbye Cruel World’

“Congratulations! You’ve just purchased our worst album.”

In case there was any doubt about how Elvis Costello felt about his 1984 album Goodbye Cruel World in the aftermath of its release, this was how he began his liner notes for the 1995 reissued version. Goodbye Cruel World was only a minor commercial letdown for Costello and his band The Attractions as it charted slightly lower than its predecessor, Punch the Clock . Similarly, the critical response to the album was lukewarm but not devastating. Costello pulled no punches in his own assessment, though, as he thought the album fell short of its potential on several of its tracks.

Should Costello Have made the Album with Nick Lowe?

Costello carried over the production team of Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley from Punch the Clock . That album was Costello’s successful experiment in trying to consciously write good pop songs that could be singles. The problem with working with Langer and Winstanley on Goodbye Cruel World was that Costello no longer wanted to write pop songs, but the producers wanted to make another pop-oriented album.

Both Costello and his producers cited conflict around the direction of Goodbye Cruel World as a source of problems that plagued the final product. In his liner notes for the 2004 reissue, Costello said Langer and Winstanley were “probably ill-equipped for dealing with someone of my temperament at that time. A nurse with a large sedative syringe might have been more appropriate.”

While Costello was making Goodbye Cruel World , his marriage to Mary Burgoyne was falling apart, and by the time the album was released, they were separated. These were unhappy times for Costello, so he wanted to create a downbeat album. Langer and Winstanley were looking to make another album in the mold of the cheerier Punch the Clock .

Retrospectively, Langer realized that he and Winstanley were not the right producers for the job. He said that Costello “would have been better off going back to Nick Lowe,” who produced or co-produced each of his first five albums.

Unhappy with the Album’s Singles

For the most part, Costello got to make the sad album he wanted. He also saw the value of creating some continuity between Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World . Accordingly, Costello gave Langer and Winstanley freer reign on their productions of two of the album’s tracks, “The Only Flame in Town” and “I Wanna Be Loved,” the latter being a cover of a 1973 song by Teacher’s Edition. These tracks wound up being the two singles released from the album.

Both tracks were heavy on synths and featured guest stars providing backing vocals. Daryl Hall’s harmonies are clearly audible on the chorus on “The Only Flame in Town,” while Green Gartside of Scritti Politti sang on “I Wanna Be Loved.” Costello didn’t care for the arrangement for either song. In the 2004 liner notes, he explained why “The Only Flame in Town” didn’t hold up over time, at least to his ears. He wrote the song ”makes excessive use of the new DX7 synthesizer, the tone of which might as well date-stamp the album to an exact week in 1984.” Costello added, “Our labored attempt to record a band rendition with just such arcane arrangement … goes a long way in justifying the modern R&B treatment to which it was finally subjugated.” In the same set of liner notes, he called “I Wanna Be Loved” “a rather plastic sounding record.”

The Deeper Cuts Suffered, Too

Costello’s discontent went beyond the two singles. Regarding “The Deportees Club,” he wrote “the music of this recording was crude and uninspired.” About “Sour Milk Cow Blues,” he opined “the recording [lacked] much wit, grit, or charm.” In the 1995 liner notes, Costello said that “Home Truth” was “the saddest song I had ever written,” but its impact was minimized by “the clipped and sterile studio sound.”

While he blamed much of his dissatisfaction with Goodbye Cruel World on its production, Costello held himself responsible for the shortcomings of at least one track. On “The Comedians,” Costello chronicles his disillusionment with a group of friends with whom he lacks a heart connection. He wrote that he “trivialized the drama” of the song by arranging it in 5/4 time.

After Goodbye Cruel World

Not surprisingly, Costello went in a markedly different direction for his next album. On King of America , Costello opted for a more organic sound and recruited T Bone Burnett as his co-producer. He also worked with an almost entirely different set of musicians, including Burnett and ex-members of Elvis Presley’s band. The Attractions were relegated to just one track on the album.

Costello reunited with The Attractions for the following album, Blood & Chocolate . He also brought Lowe back as a co-producer—perhaps two albums too late. Costello would not feature The Attractions on any of his next four albums. They would return for his 1994 album Brutal Youth , though the record would be solely credited to Costello.

While Costello has been clear that Goodbye Cruel World does not stand up to his best work, he has tempered his disdain for the album as time has passed. In the 2004 liner notes, Costello emphasized there were good songs on the album, writing, “it is probably the worst record I could have made of a decent bunch of songs.” Still, he hasn’t elevated the tunes to the degree of the ones he plays most often in concert. According to setlist.fm , only “Love Field” ranks among his 40 most-played songs live.

When you’ve made as many great albums as Costello has, one of them still has to come in last place. Costello is also far from the only esteemed artist to succumb to the production trends of the ‘80s, many of which have not aged well. In the case of Goodbye Cruel World , Costello knew at the time that some of the recording choices were a mistake. While he and many others consider the album to be a low point in his career, it’s fair to say that it didn’t tarnish the legacy of his massive discography.

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Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

The post Artist’s Remorse: Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ ‘Goodbye Cruel World’ appeared first on American Songwriter .

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Artist’s Remorse: Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ ‘Goodbye Cruel World’

  • Life & Culture
  • Music Reviews

Bob Dylan’s intimate Clearwater concert got ‘rough and rowdy’

  • Gabrielle Calise Times staff

CLEARWATER — There was no opener on Tuesday night. No lengthy stage banter. No frills. This was a Bob Dylan show, after all — the fact that the singer was breathing the same air as his 2,000 or so fans in Ruth Eckerd Hall was magic enough.

The curtain rose inside the theater promptly at 8 p.m., and there was living legend Dylan behind his piano. This is where he stayed for the duration of his roughly 100-minute set, plunking away on the keys as our gravel-voiced troubadour.

If your seat was close enough, you could appreciate the funky details on Dylan’s sparkly black jacket. Otherwise, no such luck. There wasn’t a big screen to show Dylan’s slick outfit, his tousled fluff of hair or his facial expressions as he played. Guests had to lock their phones inside pouches before entering the venue, so there was no hope of zooming in for a better view. Even binoculars were verboten.

When sharing space with an icon, you want to get as close as possible. But Dylan, enigmatic as ever, barely addressed his crowd. He let his lyrics do the talking instead.

Sorry to fans of “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Blowin’ In The Wind.” This was not a greatest hits celebration. Dylan, at 82, is still making some of his best music, and he had plenty to share.

Since this was the “Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour,” Dylan devoted much of the setlist to the 2020 record with the same name — his 39th studio album. The delightful new songs, bluesy and rich, took us on a journey “Crossing the Rubicon,” then dipping down to the southern tip of Florida.

“Key West is the place to go, down by the Gulf of Mexico,” Dylan warbled. “Beyond the sea, beyond the shifting sand, Key West is the gateway key to innocence and purity.”

As he croaked and crooned, his audience absorbed the fresh material with reverence. Some nodded along. Others wiped away tears. It was a diverse group, from women who spoke about seeing him perform before he changed his name from Robert Zimmerman to younger dudes with Bob-like curls and wide-brimmed hats of their own. The crowd offered warm applause, frequently standing to cheer before plopping right back down. They howled halfway through the show when Dylan finally leaned in and trilled on his harmonica.

For the most part, Dylan plowed through his performance as if he was just jamming with his buddies. He tumbled swiftly through nearly 20 songs, occasionally offering a gruff “thank you” or rising behind his baby grand when the crowd got really loud. His most animated body language was reserved for his talented five-piece band, when he frantically waved a hand or two behind his back to signal to them.

Like he did on the 2023 record “Shadow Kingdom,” Dylan shared updated versions of his older hits. “To Be Alone with You” and “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” eliciting raucous responses. The biggest treat of the night: a cinematic take on “When I Paint My Masterpiece” that would fit right into a Western thriller. It featured a haunting double bass line and violin riff over the hiss of brushes against drums.

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Dylan’s voice danced between a growl and a mischievous whisper. He was having fun.

Bob Dylan’s Clearwater setlist

1. Watching the River Flow

2. Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine

3. I Contain Multitudes

4. False Prophet

5. When I Paint My Masterpiece

6. Black Rider

7. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight

8. My Own Version of You

9. Crossing the Rubicon

10. To Be Alone With You

11. Key West (Philosopher Pirate)

12. Gotta Serve Somebody

13. I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You

14. Walking by Myself (Jimmy Rogers cover)

15. Mother of Muses

16. Goodbye Jimmy Reed (band introduction)

17. Every Grain of Sand

Gabrielle Calise is a culture reporter who covers music, nostalgia and offbeat Florida trends. Reach her at [email protected].

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IMAGES

  1. Check Out Setlist Spoilers From Elvis Costello's Summer 2019 Tour

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  2. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Kickoff Look Now and Then Tour

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  3. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Begin Just Trust Tour w/ 22 Songs

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  4. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Next Concert Setlist & tour dates 2024

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  5. Setlist Predictions: Elvis Costello & The Imposters 2020 UK Tour

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  6. Rare Spoilers For Elvis Costello & The Imposters Just Trust Tour

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COMMENTS

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  2. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Concert Setlist at Majestic Theatre, San

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  4. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Concert History

    Elvis Costello & The Imposters is British musician Elvis Costello and his other band incarnation. Since 2002, his touring band (featuring a rotating cast of musicians) has been known as The Imposters; with them Costello has released a series of albums beginning with "Cruel Smile" (2002). The band includes Steve Nieve (keyboards), Davey Faragher ...

  5. ElvisCostello.com

    Mar 29 2024. Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. 2024 Bluesfest Byron Bay. Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton. Buy Tickets. Mar 31 2024. Sydney, Australia. Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton.

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  8. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Average Setlists of year: 2022

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  13. Live Review: Elvis Costello and the Imposters

    Elvis Costello and the Imposters. Out of Space at Canal Shores Golf Course, Evanston, IL. Friday, August 5, 2022. Review by Jeff Elbel. Elvis Costello last visited Chicago in November, previewing material from 2022's The Boy Named If album. Fans who missed that concert at Chicago Theatre were given a second chance to experience the strength of the English singer's fresh material on Friday ...

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    Elvis Costello and the Imposters' 7-0-7 Tour Jan. 10 - Tallahassee, FL - FSU Opening Nights at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall Jan. 11 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall

  23. Elvis Costello & The Imposters

    31 March - 2 April 2024. In the Concert Hall. Contemporary Music. Multi-award winning singer-songwriter and rock 'n' roll hall of famer Elvis Costello returns to the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall - with his legendary band The Imposters - for the first time in 17 years. Dates and times.

  24. 𝙍𝙊𝘾𝙆 & 𝙍𝙊𝙇𝙇 𝙃𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙊𝙁 𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙀𝙍 Elvis Costello is bringing his band The

    홍홊혾홆 & 홍홊홇홇 홃혼홇홇 홊홁 홁혼홈홀홍 Elvis Costello is bringing his band The Imposters and Charlie Sexton to #TheFactorySTL for the 7-0-7 Tour for a killer...

  25. Looking for fun events? Top 5 things to do around Tallahassee

    1. Elvis Costello & The Imposters launch tour . Listen to the charms Elvis Costello has in his music book for "the enchanting realm of Tallahassee, Florida" when he brings his band The Imposters ...

  26. Artist's Remorse: Elvis Costello and The Attractions ...

    According to setlist.fm, only "Love Field" ranks among his 40 most-played songs live. When you've made as many great albums as Costello has, one of them still has to come in last place.

  27. Bob Dylan's intimate Clearwater concert got 'rough and rowdy'

    Since this was the "Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour," Dylan devoted much of the setlist to the 2020 record with the same name — his 39th studio album. ... Elvis Costello performs 'classics ...