a well-married pop statesman
Some of Elvis' concerts have been remembered in year-end comments -
Florida ( March 4 '05)
The Delivery Man unpacked a career's worth of moody gems in Miami Beach, showing the stage drive of a 20-year-old and a veteran's command of the material. The sulking new-wave loner of old is a well-married pop statesman these days, but all those thwarted love songs he's written -- and still writes -- keep him in fine, sullen shape as a performer.
Cleveland ( April 20 '05)
Some of the best live shows to come through town included ..... Elvis Costello, who continues to defy the classic-rock tag by issuing challenging material and somehow continuing to make songs like “Pump It Up” rock when he was at the House of Blues.
Sun-Sentinel , Florida
You had to be there: 2005's live shows never failed to thrill
By Sean Piccoli
Pop Music Writer
Posted December 28 2005
( extract)
Is it possible that concerts improve our attention spans? Compare the experience of spending two hours with a band to, say, MTV's truncated Live 8 coverage. The best performers to come through South Florida this year gave audiences a reason to pay attention and an experience that will outlast memories of who sang what on television. So applaud yourself next time you take in a live show: You are practicing engagement and concentration every time you do. And you're free to walk out of a lousy performance, of which there were thankfully few.
Elvis Costello (Jackie Gleason Theater, March 4). The Delivery Man unpacked a career's worth of moody gems in Miami Beach, showing the stage drive of a 20-year-old and a veteran's command of the material. The sulking new-wave loner of old is a well-married pop statesman these days, but all those thwarted love songs he's written -- and still writes -- keep him in fine, sullen shape as a performer.
The Downward Spiral : Mariah Carey and American Idols dominated a weak year for rock and pop
By Jeff Niesel
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Cleveland Free Times, OH
( extract)
Some of the best live shows to come through town included the always reliable White Stripes, who are bona fide rock stars and played like it to a capacity State Theatre crowd, soul singer Bettye LaVette, who performed to a near-empty Beachland Ballroom but has a terrific album of covers out on Anti- Records, and Elvis Costello, who continues to defy the classic-rock tag by issuing challenging material and somehow continuing to make songs like “Pump It Up” rock when he was at the House of Blues.