At this stage in his career he was still a bit of a skinny little whippersnapper, having surfaced in tandem with the punk movement, but behind the image lay a big talent, and we got an instant reminder when he started the show off with "Watching The Detectives". After that the hits kept coming, "Olivers Army" - "Alison" - "Accidents Will Happen" - "Red Shoes" and on it went. This tour was to promote his "Armed Forces" album so there was plenty new material too.
He has since gone on to work with just about every musician on the planet it seems and is still touring 3 decades on.
There were 2 support acts on the night.
One was Richard Hell & the Voidoids from the USA. This was the band he formed after he left Television. Richard Hell was the guy who gave the world the "punk look" ie cropped spikey hair with ripped shirt held together with safety pins. The look was later enhanced by the Brit punks to become the more common punk fashion of the late 70's we now refer to.
Also on the bill was big haired Manchester poet John Cooper Clarke.
Urban grit with wit.
I think we got our £2.50's worth!
Thanks for this info. on this previously undocumented show. I've added it the Costello wiki page.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Concert_1979-01-14
I remember John Cooper Clarke coming on, pogoing and opening a can of beer, spraying it everywhere, a brilliant night, I still cant believe I was fortunate enough to see Richard Hell, Love comes in Spurts, but Costello wuz in brilliant form, Thankx for the memories, I wish I hung onto all the memorabilia from the concerts, but still have my Eddie and the Hotrods/Squeeze/Radio Stars program..
ReplyDeleteI remember Elvis stopping in mid track and shouting "STOP GOBBING" at the punky kids in the front, with slivers of spit hanging off his guitar, and threating to walk off unless they cut it out!!
ReplyDeleteCurt.
My brothers and I were there for are first concert ever and truly one of the best ever. So great to see this archive.
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