On This Day 24/06/2010 Elvis Costello

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On this day 24 June 2010, Singer and Songwriting legend Elvis Costello played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Elvis Costello

St David's Hall, Cardiff

By Tony Woolway

Two musical greats hit Cardiff this week playing vastly different venues, yet both eagerly awaited by fans to whom both have acquired a somewhat god-like status.

Pre-empting McCartney at the Millennium Stadium this evening, the equally talented and highly acclaimed Elvis Costello played the smaller and more intimate St David's Hall.

Unaccompanied and armed only with an array of fine guitars, his stripped down versions of classics from one of rock's most celebrated and extensive bodies of work was a real treat.

There are very few figures from the era that spawned punk still treading the boards today as regularly as Costello, and certainly no one nearly as creative or as productive.

It was a low-key entrance from the man.

And with no need for grand introductions, it was straight into his first number "45," followed swiftly by "Either Side Of The Same Town" and "Veronica," a number co-written by Costello with former Beatle McCartney.

It was proving to be the perfect setting which ideally suited what had become a laid-back, living room experience.

And Costello's good-natured banter and chat about his songs and experiences was certainly an added bonus in what was quickly becoming a memorable evening.

The interesting thing about an evening with Elvis is the likelihood of hearing something never heard before or hearing an oldie dusted down and re-worked.

Costello didn't disappoint, producing a manic version of "Watching The Detectives" before moving effortlessly into "Radio Sweetheart," with a touch of "Jackie Wilson Said" thrown into the mix.

The encore produced some real gems with the excellent "Sulphur To Sugarcane" followed by a bitter-sweet "Alison" and then the classic anti-war anthem "Shipbuilding" in what was a quite exceptional evening.

Setlist

01. 45

02. Either Side Of The Same Town

03. Veronica

04. Down Among The Wines And Spirits

05. Suit Of Lights

06. Condemned Man

07. Good Year For The Roses

08. Everyday I Write The Book

09. Bedlam

10. Jimmie Standing In The Rain

11. A Slow Drag With Josephine - off-mic

12. Watching The Detectives

13. Radio Sweetheart / Jackie Wilson Said

14. God's Comic

15. I Hope

16. Sulphur To Sugarcane

Encores

17. Girls Talk

18. Alison - including The Wind Cries Mary

19. All Or Nothing At All

20. Poison Moon

21. Black And White World

22. Shipbuilding

23. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?

24. One Bell Ringing

Start time: 7.52pm

End time: 9.38pm