I Can't Wait Until I Maybe

That Fatal Mailing List #70: EC Live - No Repeats, No Refunds 2023

August 18, 2022

Live Review: Elvis Costello and the Imposters • Out of Space • Evanston : Illinois Entertainer

Appearing on The Tonight Show recently to promote his record with Allan Mayes as Rusty, Elvis Costello announced a 10-night residency in New York City next February, where he’ll play a fresh 20 songs every night—200 songs in all, no repeats, from across his catalog. 

The mind reels; the mouth drools. The independently wealthy clear their calendars for the month and book a room at the Four Seasons; the rest of us watch from afar with deep, deep FOMO. 

Barring my own unexpected independent wealthiness, I won’t be able to attend any of these NYC shows. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make a suggestion or two. Or twenty. 

Here’s my dream setlist for one night of the residency. Twenty songs, but why not add a little challenge? I’ve tried to gather songs he’s never played live, surprisingly difficult for an artist with such a deep bench of quality tunes. I had to cheat a bit to get to twenty so there are a few co-writes in the mix. Also I assume he’s going to perform a few of his standard live chestnuts each night to fill out the setlist, so I took the liberty of choosing those as well (italicized in the list below). 

Let’s cast our brains together into the relatively recent future and imagine a bitingly cold night in February, where we’ve braved the frigid weather to spend an evening with Mr. Elvis Costello and the world-renowned Imposters…

“Good evening! I’m a little scared…”

  1. “Big Sister” (early version of “Big Sister’s Clothes”)

  2. “Love Went Mad”

  3. “The Miranda Syndrome” (co-written with Ruben Blades) 

  4. “Watching the Detectives”

  5. “Shatterproof”

  6. “The Stamping Ground”

  7. “Trick Out the Truth” (from 2022’s The Boy Named If)

  8. “Twenty Fine Fingers” (unfinished McCartney/McManus demo)

  9. “Running Out of Angels”

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Brass Imposters!”

  1. “I Do (Zula’s Song)” (w/horns)

  2. “She Might Be A Grenade” (w/horns)

  3. “That’s What Friends Are For” (w/horns)

  4. “TKO (Boxing Day)” (w/horns)

“We’ll be seeing more of the Brass Imposters again a little later…”

  1. “Life Shrinks” (B-side to the “It’s Time” single, 1996)

  2. “New Rhythm Method” 

  3. “Clean Money” (early version of “Love For Tender”)

  4. “You Stole My Bell” 

  5. “Everyday I Write the Book”

  6. “Seven Day Weekend”

  7. “Baby’s Got A Brand New Hairdo”

  8. “You Belong To Me”

ENCORE

  1. “Byline” (w/Steve Nieve) 

  2. “Alison”

  3. “Party Party” (w/horns) (yes, I went there)

  4. “Pump It Up” (w/horns)

  5. “Town Cryer (Fast Version)” (w/horns)

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