Another scorching slab of live performances from Elvis Costello & the amazing Attractions, these from 1978.Again, all of these are worth your while, it's all great stuff.
First off, we have a set from St. Louis, January 31 1978....nothing out of the usual here, but still a solid set, the version of "Welcome to the Working Week" is, unfortunately incomplete.
The next day, 2/1/78 they appeared at Pogo's in Kansas City...on this one the versions of "Red Shoes" as well as "Less Than Zero" are faded in/faded out, but the rarely performed "Night Rally" is here, as is the always welcome "(I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea"
Next, we have a set from Milwaukee, 2/15/78....The version of "Less Than Zero" here is listed as the "Dallas Version", as it contains an alternate set of lyrics......quite good too. The "Radio, Radio"/"Pump it Up" encore is stellar as well.
The next one I have is from 2/28/78, Washington DC, and is entitled for whatever reason "Elvis Goes to Washington and Dave Edmunds and Rockpile Don't"....."Chemistry Class" is here as a rarely performed live closer, and, again, always good to hear "Chelsea", otherwise a quite solid set on which they perform a good bit of "This Year's Model".
Last one for today finds the band back in the UK, with a December 19 set at Dominion Theater. By now, nearly half the set is "Armed Forces" stuff, and "Girls Talk" is a welcome addition. Next time we will lead off with another show from this same venue, 4 days later, with a very different set list.
I have just ONE more set of these boots, I'll get them up in the next day or two.....don't miss these, as I said before, these are really spectacular, Elvis Costello is one performer we can never accuse of not puttting out onstage.
ST LOUIS 1//31/78-01 Welcome to the Working Week/02 Red Shoes/03 Waiting For the End of the World/04 No Action/05 The Beat/06 Less Than Zero/07 Lip Service/08 Stranger in the House/09 Radio, Radio/10 You Belong To Me/11 Miracle Man/12 Lipstick Vogue/13 Watching the Detectives/14 Pump It Up
MILWAUKEE 2/15/78-01 Mystery Dance/02 Waiting For the End of the World/03 Less Than Zero (Dallas Version)/04 The Beat/05 Big Tears/06 No Action/07 (I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea/08 (The Angels Want To Wear My) Red Shoes/09 Little Triggers/10 Lipstick Vogue/11 Watching the Detectives/12 Radio Radio/13 Pump it Up
KANSAS CITY 2/1/78-01 (The Angels Want To Wear My) red Shoes/02 Waiting For the End of the World/03 No Action/04 Night Rally/05 The Beat/06 Roadette Song/07 Lips Service/08 (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea/09 Radio, Radio/10 Less Than Zero (Fades Out)
WASHINGTON DC 2/28/78-01 Pump It Up/02 Waiting For the End of the World/03 No Action/04 Less Than Zero/05 The Beat/06 (The Angels Want To Wear My) Red Shoes/07 (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea/08 Hand In Hand/09 Little Triggers/10 Radio Radio/11 You Belong To Me/12 Lipstick Vogue/13 Watching the Detectives/14 Mystery Dance/15 Miracle Man/16 Blame it On CainSAN FRANCISCO 6/7/78-01 Mystery Dance/02 Lip Service/03 (The Angels Want To Wear My) Red Shoes/04 Goon Squad/05 Less Than Zero/06 Blame It On Cain/07 The Beat/08 This Year's Girl/09 I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea/10 Pump It Up/11 Radio Radio/12 Lipstick Vogue/13 Watching the Detectives/14 Party Girl/15 You Belong To Me/16 I'm Not angry
DOMINION THEATER 01 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes/02 Girls Talk/03 Goon Squad/04 Stranger In the House/05 Accidents Will Happen/06 The Beat/07 Oliver's Army/08 (What's So Funny 'bout) Peace Love and Understanding?/09 Moods For Moderns/10 Watching the Detectives/11 Hand In Hand/12 Tiny Steps/13 Party Girl/14 (I Don't Want To Got To) Chelsea/15 Lipstick Vogue/16 This Year's Girl/17 Big Boys/18 You Belong to me/19 Pump it UpOther than maybe Nirvana, of the bands that I never got to see, I'd rank Elvis & the Attractions, right around this period, at the top of my "Wish I Could Have" list......these are the next best thing to being there, and once again, HIGHLY, VERY HIGHLY recommended by myself.