Elvis Costello @ Ackerman Grand Ballroom, UCLA

May 30, 2002

A couple of nights ago I hopped up on campus to see Elvis Costello and the Imposters rock their first Los Angeles dancehall show since 1978. This is essentially like seeing Elvis Costello play a high school gym, a rare opportunity at his point in Costello’s career.

I wasn’t going in expecting much. After seeing various live appearances by Costello, it really seemed like his rock days were behind him, and he was more than happy to bring his new sophistication to all his material. Man… was I ever wrong.

Backed by longtime cohorts Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve, Costello blew through a two hour set of unrelenting menace. Spanning 26 songs and 3 hours, the concert was a marathon run at a sprint’s pace. New material that seemed a bit staid on record came to life on stage, holding up well in comparison to Costello’s legendary back catalog. “Spooky Girlfriend” in carried a particularly nasty edge live, with a snarling lyric and melody constantly fighting against the laid back trip-hop groove.

While the new songs felt strong, older material was still the highlight of the show. The stabby rhythms of “Chelsea” and “Lipstick Vogue” highlight Pete Thomas’s nimble command of the drums, while Steve Nieve brought his manic keyboard solos and a soaring Stax/Volt vibe to “High Fidelity” and “Clowntime is Over.” Whether it was the faux reggae of “Watching the Detectives” or the one chord crunch of “Uncomplicated,” the Imposters were remarkably tight throughout. Closing the set was Costello doing an eerily powerful version of “I Want You,” often times filling the room with just his unmiked voice and virtually no instrumentation.

Two bands opened for Elvis at AGB. The first was a band of teenage girls named The Like. They were surprisingly good, and incredibly endearing on stage. I found out later that the drummer is the daughter of Pete Thomas, apparently inheriting his impeccable sense of rhythm. They rocked enough to cause plaster to start falling from the ceiling, which is always a good sign. The Like were followed by Autolux, who put together a competent set, but were horribly out of place. At a show that was essentially about crowding together in horrible conditions and sweating and dancing, Autolux’s spacey art rock tested the patience of the audience.

Setlist:
45
Waiting for the End of the World
Watching the Detectives
Spooky Girlfriend
Chelsea
15 Petals
Sulky Girl
When I Was Cruel No. 2
Clowntime is Over
High Fidelity
Tart
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
Beyond Belief
No Action
Uncomplicated
Dust