On This Day 08/06/1989 Elvis Costello

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On this day, 8 June 1989, singer/songwriting legend Elvis Costello played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. Support was provided by Nick Lowe.

Costello had just released his 12th studio album Spike, his first since My Aim Is True without the Attractions. The album peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. It also reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 thanks to the single and his most notable American hit, "Veronica", which reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the US Modern Rock chart.

Costello had just released his 12th studio album Spike, his first since My Aim Is True without the Attractions. The album peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. It also reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 thanks to the single and his most notable American hit, "Veronica", which reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the US Modern Rock chart.

Review - Glamorgan Gazette

In 1987, Costello began writing with Paul McCartney for the latter's Flowers in the Dirt album. They composed a dozen songs together, which showed up on multiple albums by McCartney and Costello. Two of those songs appear on this album, "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the hit single "Veronica".

Review South Wales Argus

As his first album for a new label Warner Bros, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie", and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them. He brought back his foil from King of America, T Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southlake Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London. Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Elvis Costello and Declan MacManus, Costello's birth name.

Setlist

01. Accidents Will Happen

02. Brilliant Mistake

03. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror

04. Watching The Detectives

05. So Like Candy

06. Veronica

07. God's Comic - including Last Train To Clarksville and Love And Marriage

08. New Amsterdam / You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

09. American Without Tears

10. That Day Is Done - on piano

11. Pads, Paws And Claws

12. Leave My Kitten Alone

13. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said

14. Indoor Fireworks - with Nick Lowe

15. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - with Nick Lowe

Encore 1

16. Alison

17. Days

Encore 2

18. Let Him Dangle

19. Pump It Up - with beatbox - including I Feel Pretty instrumental

Encore 3

20. Shipbuilding - on piano

21. Pills And Soap - on piano

22. Tramp The Dirt Down

On This Day 08/06/1989 Elvis Costello/Nick Lowe

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On this day, 8 June 1989, Singer/Songwriter legend Elvis Costello played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall with support provided by Nick Lowe. Costello had earlier in the released his 12th studio album Spike.

As his first album for a new label, Warner Bros, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie", and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them.

He brought back his foil from King of America, T-Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southlake Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London. Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Elvis Costello and Declan MacManus, Costello's birth name.

Review - South Wales Echo

The single "Veronica" peaked at No. 31 on the UK singles chart and at No. 19 in America, his best showing ever on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 1 on the US Modern Rock chart. "This Town" was also released as a single but missed both of the main singles chart in both nations. An extended play single was also released for "Baby Plays Around", peaking at No. 65 in the UK.

The second track, "Let Him Dangle", is a protest song opposing capital punishment, recounting the 1953 conviction and execution of Derek Bentley.

Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe

The seventh track, "Tramp the Dirt Down", is a fiery lament, depicting Costello's anger at the Thatcher government and its effect on Britain's society. In the song, Costello expresses his desire to live long enough to see Margaret Thatcher die and vows, "I'll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down."

"I wish I'd written 'Tramp the Dirt Down'," said singer Natalie Merchant.[14] The song reached No. 79 on the iTunes chart following Thatcher's death in April 2013. In addition, he played this song at Glastonbury 2013 having previously performed it there on the Pyramid Stage in 1987.

On This Day 08/06/1989 Elvis Costello

On this day, 8 June 1989, Singer/Songwriter Elvis Costello, played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall with support provided by Nick Lowe.

Costello had just released his 12th studio album Spike, his first since My Aim Is True without the Attractions. The album peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. It also reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 thanks to the single and his most notable American hit, "Veronica", which reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the US Modern Rock chart.

In 1987, Costello began writing with Paul McCartney for the latter's Flowers in the Dirt album. They composed a dozen songs together, which showed up on multiple albums by McCartney and Costello. Two of those songs appear on this album, "Pads, Paws and Claws" and the hit single "Veronica".

As his first album for a new label Warner Bros, in his own words Costello had the budget of "a small independent movie", and having in mind the blueprint for five different albums, decided to make all of them. He brought back his foil from King of America, T Bone Burnett, to facilitate the sessions and produce the album. Studio time was booked in four different locations: Ocean Way in Hollywood; Southlake Studios in New Orleans; Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin; and AIR Studios in London. Four different groups of musicians were assembled in each location. Writing credits on the album are given to both Elvis Costello and Declan MacManus, Costello's birth name.

Setlist

01. Accidents Will Happen

02. Brilliant Mistake

03. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror

04. Watching The Detectives

05. So Like Candy

06. Veronica

07. God's Comic - including Last Train To Clarksville and Love And Marriage

08. New Amsterdam / You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

09. American Without Tears

10. That Day Is Done - on piano

11. Pads, Paws And Claws

12. Leave My Kitten Alone

13. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said

14. Indoor Fireworks - with Nick Lowe

15. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding? - with Nick Lowe

Encore 1

16. Alison

17. Days

Encore 2

18. Let Him Dangle

19. Pump It Up - with beatbox - including I Feel Pretty instrumental

Encore 3

20. Shipbuilding - on piano

21. Pills And Soap - on piano

22. Tramp The Dirt Down

Reviews -

PEP/South Wales Echo

King of America (and Cardiff)

Mike Arnold

Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe

St David's Hall

This year's Elvis Costello is a completely new model.

Alone on stage the beloved entertainer shouted, screamed, spat and at times even sang his way through a collection of songs that represent the best in the last decade of pop music.

The one song he did not sing was "I'm Not Angry."

The scene was set at the St Davids Hall on Thursday night by Nick Lowe.

Playing like the superb busker he is, Lowe, strumming alone on a semi acoustic guitar, gave the impression that he had a five-piece backing band.

The man who Johnny Cash says taught him how to put rhythm into some of his songs disparagingly referred to himself as Elvis's "warm up act."

He was much more than that, and the capacity Cardiff audience knew it.

Costello took the stage, his face clenched, and gave a complete reworking of an encyclopaedia of songs.

Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, this was Costello cut down to the bone.

The sparse essential versions would not be to everyone's taste. But a confident and lean Costello was preaching to the converted.

He was good in spite of that.

Proving himself to be a remarkably adept guitarist his set encompassed such oldies as "Watching the Detectives" and "Alison" and songs from his new LP Spike.

The versions displayed new venom and even at times despair.

He also achieved real melody — in particular with a running together of "New Amsterdam" with the Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" and on to "American Without Tears."

In a Costello-meets-Loudon Wainwright version of "God's Comic" he gave his own vision of hell in which Esther Rantzen featured prominently.

By the time he sang Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" his roots were beginning to show.

The only fully electric song he played was a manic acid house version of "Pump It Up."

The audience loved it, and he was called back for encore after encore.

South Wales Echo, June 9, 1989

Sharp edge of Costello lost in his volume

Mick Tems

The capacity audience gave Elvis Costello a well-deserved standing ovation when he finally left the stage at St David's Hall in Cardiff last night, after his fourth set of encores.

He certainly earned every last ounce of their adulation for a packed set of songs old and new spiced even further by the appearance of the grand old fella of indie rock, Nick Lowe, as his support.

But I'd gone there hoping to convert someone to Costello — and failed completely. The reason? Costello's main strength, his biting, razor-sharp lyrics, were swallowed up and lost in his shouting, snarling delivery and the booming volume.

That's the way it was up in the tiers — and a few protesting shouts from downstairs indicated that not everyone down there was happy either.

Some say Costello's way of putting over a song is his trademark, but my companion left the hall completely unenlightened.

Still, Costello bestrode the stage like a mini-Colossus, aided only by guitar and electric piano. Classics and the latest songs blended in a set which started in fiery style with "Accidents Will Happen" and "Brilliant Mistake" — and even "Watching The Detectives" came up fresh and alert in its solo interpretation.

Songs from the new album, Spike, included the hilarious "God's Comic," which Costello built into the context of an interview between the Almighty and Esther Rantzen, and the bitter invective of "Let Him Dangle," about the hanging of Timothy Evans.

Lowe returned to share the stage for a delightful duet on "Indoor Fireworks," but Costello saved his strongest firepower for last.

Then we had the Falklands War song "Shipbuilding" with its sad, confused pictures of depressed people looking forward to the reopening of their shipyard.

And Costello also gave us "Tramp the Dirt Down," his personal contribution to the 10-year tenant of Number 10 — a song packed with anger and vitriol and yet so carefully crafted that it stands as one of the pinnacles of Costello's writing career.

On This Day 24/06/2010 Elvis Costello

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On this day 24 June 2010, Singer and Songwriting legend Elvis Costello played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Elvis Costello

St David's Hall, Cardiff

By Tony Woolway

Two musical greats hit Cardiff this week playing vastly different venues, yet both eagerly awaited by fans to whom both have acquired a somewhat god-like status.

Pre-empting McCartney at the Millennium Stadium this evening, the equally talented and highly acclaimed Elvis Costello played the smaller and more intimate St David's Hall.

Unaccompanied and armed only with an array of fine guitars, his stripped down versions of classics from one of rock's most celebrated and extensive bodies of work was a real treat.

There are very few figures from the era that spawned punk still treading the boards today as regularly as Costello, and certainly no one nearly as creative or as productive.

It was a low-key entrance from the man.

And with no need for grand introductions, it was straight into his first number "45," followed swiftly by "Either Side Of The Same Town" and "Veronica," a number co-written by Costello with former Beatle McCartney.

It was proving to be the perfect setting which ideally suited what had become a laid-back, living room experience.

And Costello's good-natured banter and chat about his songs and experiences was certainly an added bonus in what was quickly becoming a memorable evening.

The interesting thing about an evening with Elvis is the likelihood of hearing something never heard before or hearing an oldie dusted down and re-worked.

Costello didn't disappoint, producing a manic version of "Watching The Detectives" before moving effortlessly into "Radio Sweetheart," with a touch of "Jackie Wilson Said" thrown into the mix.

The encore produced some real gems with the excellent "Sulphur To Sugarcane" followed by a bitter-sweet "Alison" and then the classic anti-war anthem "Shipbuilding" in what was a quite exceptional evening.

Setlist

01. 45

02. Either Side Of The Same Town

03. Veronica

04. Down Among The Wines And Spirits

05. Suit Of Lights

06. Condemned Man

07. Good Year For The Roses

08. Everyday I Write The Book

09. Bedlam

10. Jimmie Standing In The Rain

11. A Slow Drag With Josephine - off-mic

12. Watching The Detectives

13. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said

14. God's Comic

15. I Hope

16. Sulphur To Sugarcane

Encores

17. Girls Talk

18. Alison - including The Wind Cries Mary

19. All Or Nothing At All

20. Poison Moon

21. Black And White World

22. Shipbuilding

23. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?

24. One Bell Ringing

Start time: 7.52pm

End time: 9.38pm

On this day 26 October 1977 "Stiffs Greatest Stiffs Live Tour"

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On this day, 26 October 1977, "Stiffs Greatest Stiffs Live Tour," a package showcasing the best of Stiff Records played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Describe in the NME Pre-tour, “a Stiff Records package tour, plays two dozen major dates around the country starting early next month. It's going out under the banner of "Stiffs Greatest Stiffs Live Tour," and the full line-up at all gigs is:

Elvis Costello, who will be appearing with the Attractions.

Ian Dury, on stage for the first time since leaving the Kilburns and performing with his new band which comprises Davey Payne (sax), Norman Watt-Roy (bass), Charley Charles (drums) and Chaz Jankel (guitar).

Nick Lowe, on the road for the first time as a soloist after finishing work as producer of the Feelgoods' new album Be Seeing You. He expects to be using a seven-piece backing band, including two drummers.

Wreckless Eric, who will be supported by Denise Roudette (bass), Ian Dury, (drums) and Davey Payne (sax).

Larry Wallis, ex-Pink Fairies and Motorhead, who is currently working on a solo album with the Hot Rods' rhythm section — though they won't be accompanying him on the tour.

The five acts will each play a 20-minute set in rotating order. The opening night at High Wycombe is been recorded and, thanks to a rush operation, the resulting live album will be available at all gigs from Bath onwards (October 7), priced £1.99.