Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment
“The most prodigious writer of fine songs in British history.” That is the title given to veteran performer Elvis Costello last year by a writer with the British newspaper The Independent following Costello’s 2015 tour. It is quite the title considering the number of outstanding acts that have come from Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Those acts include the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Richard Thompson, and so many others. And that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Regardless of whether or not audiences agree with the honor bestowed upon Costello by that writer, one thing on which audiences can agree about Costello is that he is quite the accomplished musician and showman. Now thanks to the people at Eagle Rock Entertainment audiences that haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Costello perform live will get to see just what makes him such a prolific performer and musician in his new live recording Detour: Live at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Featuring Larkin Poe. The recording presents one of the performances included in Costello’s 2015 “Detour Tour.” Costello’s performance here is in itself proof of why he is one of the most prodigious performers in the industry today. It will be discussed shortly. The concert’s extensive set list also shows what makes him so respected. It features a total of twenty-seven songs composed over the course of his more than four decades of making music. The show’s production values help to show what makes Costello such a prolific performer and his shows fan favorites. Each element is important in its own right in showing what makes Elvis Costello such a respected musician and performer. They also serve to show here what makes his live shows so impressive. Altogether they make this snapshot of Elvis Costello’s live shows a welcome addition to any of his fans’ music libraries.
Detour: Live at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall featuring Larkin Poe is a welcome addition to any of his fans’ personal music libraries. That is because whether or not fans have had the pleasure of seeing him live, it serves as a good snapshot of what makes the veteran musician and performer one of the industry’s most prodigious and respected figures. That is shown primarily through his stage presence throughout the concert. For the most part audiences get in this concert Costello performing by himself. There are no other guitars, drums or anything. It is just him, his guitar, and the audience. Throughout the course of the concert there is a certain sense of intimacy for lack of better wording because of that one-on-one approach. He takes time not only to sing a number of his most well-known hits but also to share some stories and jokes with the audience along the way. He also shares the stage with fellow musician Larkin Poe on a handful of songs. Some of the songs in question were pieces on which the pair collaborated for the “New Basement Tapes” 2014 project Lost on the River. Those performances are just as organic and real as those by Costello by himself. The pair shows that the chemistry developed in the recording of that album was very real and was also still very much there in their performance here. It’s the kind of performance overall that will put a smile on any viewer’s face as said audiences tap their toes in time. His time on stage with Poe along with his own time on stage alone shows why he is such a prolific performer and why that performance makes this recording in whole so impressive for Costello’s fans. It is just one of the ways in which both are exhibited here. The concert’s set list does just as much in that respect.
Elvis Costello’s performance both by himself and with Larkin Poe in his new recording collectively show in their own clear way why he is such a prolific performer. They also serve to show just one way in which his ability to entertain audiences makes the recording in whole so impressive for his fans. Of course there is more to note here than just his stage presence. The show’s extensive set list also serves to show what makes him such a prolific artist/performer and in turn another way in which the recording in whole exhibits this. The set list consists of twenty-seven total songs. And not all of those songs featured in this concert are taken from his own works. As already noted, Larkin Poe makes a special appearance to perform some of the songs that the pair collaborated on for the Bob Dylan “tribute” album Lost on the River. She also shares time on stage with him on the likes of ‘Blame It On Cain,’ ‘That’s Not The Part Of Him You’re Leaving,’ and ‘A Good Year For The Roses’ just to name a few. Speaking of those songs, audiences will note that while not all of the songs featured in this performance come from Costello’s own albums, a fair share do. They include the noted compositions as well as ‘Accidents Will Happen,’ ‘Shipbuilding,’ ’45,’ ‘Red Shoes’ and a number of other classics. It would have been interesting to see Costello try to represent every one of his albums. But that would have extended his performance well past its roughly two hour mark. Of course real diehard fans would likely not complain. What is presented is worth the mention, though. He makes a valid attempt to cover as much of his career as possible with songs lifted from no fewer than a dozen of his albums. National Ransom, which he released in 2010, gets the most representation with three songs. His 1977 debut album My Aim Is True received four mentions in this concert. Get Happy (1980) and When I Was Cruel (2002) each get two nods. Also represented here are songs from Armed Forces (1979), Trust (1981), Almost Blue (1981), Punch The Clock (1983), Goodbye Cruel World (1984), King of America (1986), Spike (1989), and The Delivery Man (2004). His 2006 collaboration with Allen Toussaint The River in Reverse is represented, too in the song ‘Ascension Day.’ Again, not every one of Costello’s albums is represented in this recording. But it is safe to say that a relatively healthy offering of his albums is featured here. That being the case, the fact that he would make such a concerted effort to focus on so much of his catalogue shows yet again why he is indeed one of the industry’s most prolific performers. By connection the extensive set list serves to show why the recording in whole exemplifies what makes him so prolific.
The performance put on by Elvis Costello in his latest live recording is in itself proof of why he is one of the music industry’s most prolific performers. The set list contained in the concert recording exhibits this even more. Both also show why the recording is a good example in itself of why he is so respected. The show’s production values round out the ways in which the recording proves not only why he is so respected but why the recording is such a good example of why he is held to such a high standard. The show is a very intimate presentation. And those behind the cameras and mics do their own applause-worthy job of capturing the essence of a live Elvis Costello show and of who Costello is, too. The Philharmonic Hall isn’t the biggest venue out there. But it is large enough yet small enough at the same time to make for an intimate get together of performer and fan. The camera crew and director did an excellent job of keeping a clear and clean line in each shot that also didn’t intrude on the experience for the audiences. Thanks to the work of those behind the show’s audio both in concert and in post-production, the warmth and emotion of Costello’s vocals come through with so much power and clarity. Said individuals are to be applauded just as much as those behind the cameras. Their combined efforts result in a show that expertly captures a performer who seems like no other. He comes across as being completely genuine especially in this case. Keeping that in mind, it completes the recording and shows once more exactly why Costello is such a revered figure in the music industry and why the recording serves as such a clear example of why he is so acclaimed. Together with the show’s set list and Costello’s performance, it can be said of the recording in whole that it is one that just as with a turn on a detour, fans won’t want to miss this new live recording.
Elvis Costello’s new live recording is a presentation that none of his fans will want to miss, just as with a turn in a detour. That is because through Costello’s own performance and set list, he exhibits true professionalism and love for his fans. The work put in to recording the performance serves to expertly capture that professionalism and love for his fans. Each element is important in its own right in showing why Elvis Costello is one of the most prodigious and prolific performers not just from the UK but in the music industry in whole. Altogether, they prove this recording to be a clear example of why he deserving of such titles. They combine to make this recording a piece that none of his fans will want to miss. It is available now in stores and online. More information on this and other titles from Eagle Rock Entertainment is available online now along with all of the latest news from Eagle Rock Entertainment at:
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