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CHAPEL HILL — Elvis Costello plays his concerts the way he records his albums, lots of songs packed in tight. He performed those tunes back-to-back Sunday at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, stopping only to slip in a few comments and to go through the motions of leaving the stage before the encores.
The British rock singer had been contracted to perform only for an hour, but the crowd of 5,000 called him back twice for an additional 20 minutes or so of music. This was reportedly the first occasion during this tour in which he played so long; he usually limits his appearances to a precise hour and one encore song. But Sunday night, he told the cheering crowd, "You're a good bunch," and launched into seven more songs, including a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster."
Costello had started the evening on a high energy level, and by this time, he and his band were at a fever pitch.
Unfortunately, Costello's lyrics and complex melodies suffered from the acoustics of Carmichael. Listening to music there is like listening to a stereo in a storm sewer. Many spoken comments and words to songs were completely lost. The pity of the situation was that Costello introduced several numbers from his forthcoming album, and although they sounded good musically, it was difficult to determine what their titles were or what they were about.
Poor acoustics didn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm. Its members packed the gym floor, dancing in place, moving in the only direction possible under the circumstances, up and down. Costello himself danced at times, although in a self-absorbed manner that seemed tied up in his guitar playing. Dressed in his trademark black glasses with a brown coat and tie and his black hair closely cropped (and receding at the temples), he looked like some strange businessman.
His voice seemed remarkably strong, often belting out a song with none of the restraint he displays on record. For a ballad like "Alison," he would shift into smoother tones without ever dropping the volume.
Squeeze, of Argybargy fame, opened the concert. Its music was simpler than Costello's and seemed to draw on the full range of British pop music and rock 'n' roll. But the band never settled on a sound of its own, although it performed well.
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