Elvis Costello - 1981-03-04 Birmingham

<<   1981-03-04 Birmingham

Elvis Costello And The Attractions
Odeon
Birmingham, England
4 March 1981


01. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down
02. Accidents Will Happen
03. Strict Time
04. Less Than Zero
05. Radio, Radio
06. Little Goody Two Shoes
07. Luxembourg
08. Clowntime Is Over
09. Wednesday Week
10. Big Tears
11. Watch Your Step
12. I've Been Born Again - King Horse
13. Human Hands
14. The Imposter
15. New Lace Sleeves
16. Lovers Walk
17. Secondary Modern
18. Clubland
19. Temptation
20. High Fidelity
21. Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)?
22. Applause


Elvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass guitar
Pete Thomas - drums


Recorder: Unknown
Lineage: Unknown

Comments by area51GM:

40 years on ........................................

Though only a brief period between the end of the magnificent U.S. and Canada tour of January and February 1981, the contrast in quality of recordings couldn't be more marked as the U.K. "Tour To Trust" kicks off. Sadly there are no particular gems in this series of recordings though I hope to post a few low generation JEMS sourced recordings, this is a new to dime higher generation audience recording. Despite that, it's of considerable interest with three never before performed Elvis songs and two never before recorded live covers both of which were to grace the Nashville recorded "Almost Blue". Despite only having a short period between the end of the previous tour and the start of this, Elvis seems to have dashed off at least two new songs and also been delving into his country collection, no doubt searching out suitable candidates for the Billy Sherrill produced album due to be recorded in May of 1981. So it should come as no surprise to find he opens this particular concert with "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down", taken at a pace so that it wouldn't appear to be so much of a country song as to discourage the casual concert attendee! This was the most unusual start since he opened in Tulsa at Cain's Ballroom in 1978 with two Hank Williams songs! Sadly the recording doesn't allow for much of the nuance of the band's rendition to be heard and it seems a little too edgy and rushed to these ears. As has so often been the case, "Accidents Will Happen" follows and permits the Attractions to settle in a little more and there is a definite sense of the easing of tension as they progress through the song. During "Strict Time" which follows next, there is a change in audio quality whether due to a move in position of the recorder or the liberation of the microphone to a better position we have no way of knowing but either seems likely to this old taper! Two oldies follow with the audience suitably familiar and appreciative but then Bruce leads off with a riff similar to that of "Help Me" but it turns into the first known recording live of a new song "Little Goody Two Shoes". This song was only ever played live 7 times and then only in 1981 and only commercially released on the compilation L.P. "Out Of Our Idiot" in 1987 and it's a somewhat awkward song that doesn't seem to sit easily with the band or with Elvis. Apparently shelved because of the Adam Ant single, it feels more likely that it never quite made the grade and considering the Adam Ant song only appeared in May 1982, that seems more like an excuse than a good reason. After this Elvis announces the new album and then they pound to death "Luxembourg" which surely isn't a good indication of the album. Indeed only 6 songs from the album make it into this concert. The contrasts which worked so well in the U.S. don't seem as appropriate or striking here, though the slow "Clowntime Is Over" brings a measure of sanity to the proceedings. After this the only known recording live of Wednesday Week, the B-side and freebie single, but doesn't perform the "second half" of the song (the portion that starts "oh, what a let-down when the battle was finally done") but segues abruptly into "Big Tears" giving a fair indication of their timelines and origins. There is a slight cut at the end of "King Horse" but the next new song is complete "Human Hands" a particular favourite of mine and I think one of Elvis' first real tender love songs, besides Bruce's virtuoso execution in the final verse. Three "Trust" songs follow with the gentle paced "New Lace Sleeves" followed by the Bo Diddley rhythms of "Lovers Walk" and then "Clubland" dedicated to those Brummies who had attended Barbarellas back in 1978 when he played two consecutive nights in the second city.

Two "Get Happy!" songs follow with the main set apparently closing with "Why Don't You Love Me" and then a period of over 5 minutes of audience cheering and demanding encores which never follow. There's no indication of why Elvis refused to do any encores or why he felt so inclined with him not making any comments from the stage during the set or berating anyone in the audience but this seems to be all he was prepared to offer. A somewhat strange ending. I received this cassette in trade in the very early eighties and it's OK but nothing special apart from all the rare recitals.

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