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It wasn't rock and it wasn't roll heard at Chrysler Hall, when Elvis Costello came to town. It wasn't punk in its raw form either. It was a guy standing on stage in a yellow dinner jacket with a vintage Fender Jaguar slung around his neck, singing songs that bring Bruce Springsteen to mind.
Costello was... interesting. His approach to music is valid in a backsliding sort of way.
His performance was rapid fire and his stage presence was all business. He had something to say to his fans (he has fans) and he said it.
His band moved quickly from song to song with little if any audience contact. They came to listen, not to be heard.
Costello's songs are filled with a rage that is easily communicated through his lyrics. His backup band stands way in the background. There is a star lurking beneath those glasses and that sneer.
The keyboard player was flailing away at his Farfisa (an organ that was popular with groups in the early Sixties and had, up to recently, thankfully faded from view), it's squeaky notes bringing back memories of Sam The Sham and Question Mark And The Mysterians. His bassist and drummer worked well together and have probably cut their teeth playing a wide variety of styles. That leaves Costello.
As a guitarist, Costello makes a better bread cutter. As s songwriter he gets his message across. I was relatively unfamiliar with his material and, after seeing him in concert, I can honestly say that I still am. But I did get caught up by the show on a gut level. The haunting quality of My Aim Is True and "Allyson" brought my head around.
"I'm Not Angry" was a favorite with the crowd. Elvis would scream the "I'm not..." and the assemblage would hurl back the "angry." For a moment I thought I was hearing, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." Could Costello be the type of character outlined in the movie Network? Anything is possible.
By the end of the night I was willing to forget about his lousy guitar playing and the whining of the organ. I wanted to hear more of the lyrics.
Costello did take time out to demand that the audience tell their friends about the show. "The next time I come here I want to see the place filled!"
Maybe the next time (if there is a next time) the crowd will be larger. I'm sure there will be some talk about Mink DeVille, the second-billed support act, whose antics and rehashing of early Sixties styles brought a chuckle to all there. Mink DeVille is one of the acts to spring out of CBGB's Bowery, punk club in the Big Apple. They were mistakenly billed as punk. They were not.
Aside from a fine singer and a powerhouse drummer the boys could have stayed in New York. With a few quick changes in personnel I could see something happening for the Minks. For Costello it will be a hard climb for recognition. He has chosen his path. Now let him lie down on it (or something). We'll keep an eye on him.
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