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Only two concerts are coming up this week, and each is representative of a completely separate generation of English rock 'n' roll. Tonight's program at Memorial Hall marks the second appearance of the most popular — or at least the most written about — new character around these days, Elvis Costello.
The 23-year-old Costello (he was 10 when the Beatles arrived in the States) is a perfect example of rock 'n' roll today. The music is being labeled punk or new wave by the press, for lack of any better way to explain it. What has happened is that a new generation of rockers has literally sprung full-blown on us, and it has different heroes and standards.
Costello tries to explain it in one of the songs on his latest album, This Year's Model when he says, "Nothing's changed /Just the beat." What Costello and others are saying is that over the years since the recording industry changed in the mid-'60s, rock 'n' roll branched out, finally becoming a bland, formulated thing — as Costello puts it in his anti-radio diatribe, "Radio, Radio," it tries to anesthetize your mind.
Whether you agree with Costello and others like him, their music is indeed something to be reckoned with. Put simply, when was the last time you saw a concert with three groups who don't do any songs over five minutes in concert, and without the almost obligatory long solos? Tonight it's just going to be good old rock 'n' roll songs.
Appearing with Costello is Nick Lowe, who is fast becoming the most sought-after producer in England, doing work with Costello and Graham Parker as well as putting his first solo album on the English charts. This tour (in which Lowe features Dave Edmunds and Rockpile as his back-up band) should put Lowe's name here in the States as well. Look for catchy tunes like "Marie Prevost" and "They Called It Rock."
An added surprise is Mink DeVille, a new American group which on its first album has successfully brought back the sound of Phil Spector and other great singles producers, stepped up into the streets of New York circa 1978. And with leader Willy DeVille, one of the more charismatic performers around, this group could surprise everyone in attendance, especially with songs like "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl" and "She's So Tough."
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