Elvis Costello is putting his country-style show on the road at last... and a special concert at London's Royal Albert Hall will feature the 86-piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
But first the singer — shooting up the charts with his "Good Year For The Roses" single — plays two dates at Guildford Civic Centre on December 21 and the London Rainbow 23.
Those dates will feature "normal" sets with the Attractions, although they will feature many of his new country songs.
On January 7 comes his Albert Hall epic. The show will be divided into two sets. The first is a country show with the Attractions and renowned country guitarist John McFee on pedal steel guitar.
After the interval, he plays with the RPO behind him, wrapping up the first rock concert the venue has seen for a year.
Costello also releases his country album Almost Blue this week … and for the first time he has written none of the songs.
Recorded in the country music mecca of Nashville, the album features 12 songs written by artists like Gram Parsons and Hank Williams, as well as the single — penned by Jerry Chestnut.
The album also features pedal steel man McFee, who worked with Costello on the classic "Alison" ballad.
And fans will have a chance to see how the album was made in an hour-long documentary shot in Nashville which will be shown on ITV's South Bank Show on November 8. It will also include footage from his one-off country concert in Aberdeen which Record Mirror, revealed last month.
■ How to book: All Guildford tickets cost £4 and are available from the Civic Hall box office.
Rainbow tickets are priced at £5.50 and £5 and are available now by post from The Rainbow, 232 Seven Sisters Road, London N4. Personal applications start on Saturday (October 24).
Royal Albert Hall tickets are also available now by post and cost £9.50, £8.50, £7.50, £5.50, £4.50, £3.50 and £2.50. Applications should be sent to the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7. Personal applications open on November 9.
There are also inclusive tickets available for the British dates and a concert in Paris on January 10. Details are available from Elvis Costello Tickets, PO Box 281, London, N15 5LW.
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