Elvis Costello and the Imposters - Club Date - Live in Memphis

Starring:Elvis Costello & the Imposters
Studio: Eagle Vision USA
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Elvis Costello and his band pull off a deft bit of alchemy with Club Date - Live in Memphis, a 2004 show that mixes some of his oldest songs with some of his newest. That's quite a range, as Costello has been at it since the mid-'70s (as have drummer Pete Thomas and keyboardist Steve Nieve, who were once Attractions and are now Imposters); performing for a lucky few hundred souls at the Hi Tone Cafe, he dusts off several chestnuts from the early days, including "Mystery Dance," "Pump It Up," "Alison," and "Radio Radio," all of which sound great. In fact, although Costello is decades past the angry young man period that spawned those classics, the guy still knows how to rock, with a raunchy sound dominated by his own elementary but effective guitar playing and Thomas' tireless pounding. The quartet (bass player Davey Faragher is the fourth member) also draws heavily on The Delivery Man, performing no less than ten tunes from the CD that was his most recent at the time of this gig. Meanwhile, Emmylou Harris turns up for three duets (plus one bonus track) with Elvis, among which are Gram Parsons' "Wheels" and Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone;" the pair sound good, albeit a little too quavery for some tastes. A nearly hour-long documentary in which Costello and Thomas visit some Memphis landmarks (as well as Oxford, Mississippi, where The Delivery Man was recorded) rounds out a great-looking (in High Definition), great-sounding disc sure to satisfy the faithful--and many others as well. --Sam Graham
Description
The old saying goes, "You can never go home again." Elvis Costello has made a career of doing what "can't" or "never should" be done, and Club Date: Live In Memphis is no exception. Costello returns to his musical roots, leaving the cozy comfort of theater-sized venues and stages for a tiny, sweaty club in Memphis, Tennessee for a set that rolls through his best songs from his 27-year career. Club Date: Live In Memphis, recorded in late 2004, was shot in High-Definition and features Stereo, 5.1 Surround and DTS audio to give the viewer that intimate setting from their own home.

Description

Recorded in autumn 2004, this concert is the first in our Club Date series. It features songs from across Elvis CostelloÂ's glittering career, from Waiting For The End Of The World from his debut album, through The Delivery Man, the title track of his most recent. It includes hits such as Radio Radio, Alison, Peace, Love And Understanding and Pump It Up alongside classic album tracks and new songs. Highlights include three duets with the great Emmylou Harris on I Still Miss Someone, Wheels and Heart Shaped Bruise.

Tracklisting:
1. Waiting for the End of the World 2. Radio Radio 3. Mystery Dance 4. Blue Chair 5. Bedlam 6. Country Darkness 7. Blame it on Cain 8. Either Side of the Same Town 9. High Fidelity 10. The Judgement 11. Monkey to Man 12. The Monkey 13. I Still Miss Someone (with Emmylou Harris) 14. Heart Shaped Bruise (with Emmylou Harris) 15. Wheels (with Emmylou Harris) 16. The Delivery Man 17. Hidden Charms 18. Alison / Suspicious Minds 19. Peace, Love and Understanding 20. Pump It Up

Amazon.com

Elvis Costello and his band pull off a deft bit of alchemy with Club Date - Live in Memphis, a 2004 show that mixes some of his oldest songs with some of his newest. That's quite a range, as Costello has been at it since the mid-'70s (as have drummer Pete Thomas and keyboardist Steve Nieve, who were once Attractions and are now Imposters); performing for a lucky few hundred souls at the Hi Tone Cafe, he dusts off several chestnuts from the early days, including "Mystery Dance," "Pump It Up," "Alison," and "Radio Radio," all of which sound great. In fact, although Costello is decades past the angry young man period that spawned those classics, the guy still knows how to rock, with a raunchy sound dominated by his own elementary but effective guitar playing and Thomas' tireless pounding. The quartet (bass player Davey Faragher is the fourth member) also draws heavily on The Delivery Man, performing no less than ten tunes from the CD that was his most recent at the time of this gig. Meanwhile, Emmylou Harris turns up for three duets (plus one bonus track) with Elvis, among which are Gram Parsons' "Wheels" and Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone;" the pair sound good, albeit a little too quavery for some tastes. A nearly hour-long documentary in which Costello and Thomas visit some Memphis landmarks (as well as Oxford, Mississippi, where The Delivery Man was recorded) rounds out a great-looking (in High Definition), great-sounding disc sure to satisfy the faithful--and many others as well. --Sam Graham

Description

The old saying goes, "You can never go home again." Elvis Costello has made a career of doing what "can't" or "never should" be done, and Club Date: Live In Memphis is no exception. Costello returns to his musical roots, leaving the cozy comfort of theater-sized venues and stages for a tiny, sweaty club in Memphis, Tennessee for a set that rolls through his best songs from his 27-year career. Club Date: Live In Memphis, recorded in late 2004, was shot in High-Definition and features Stereo, 5.1 Surround and DTS audio to give the viewer that intimate setting from their own home.

Customer Reviews:

An Elvis Sampling.......2006-12-17

The reviews on this disc have ranged from 3 to 5 stars which seems about right. If you are an EC fan, you'll like this DVD but you probably have memories of him that are better than what you'll see here.

In my case, I saw this show (sans Emmylou Harris) in St Louis and the band seemed more pumped than they were at this show in Memphis. I also remember the first time I saw him in 1979 when the Attractions ripped through a 60 minute set and Elvis left the stage in a huff because he was po'd at the radio station that sponsored the concert. No one could claim he wasn't pumped up that night.

His career has been so prolific over the last 30 years there is no way one concert could cover all his major works and this Dvd is no exception. I liked the Alison/Suspicious Minds number and has there ever been a bad version of Peace Love & Understanding?

If you are a Costello fan you will like this show but probably want more. If you are new to him, this is a pretty good place to start but not to end.

I wanna PUMP IT UP!!!.......2006-04-16

A few reviewers have given this DVD indifferent ratings. I'd like to change this.

The disc is great on many different levels. Elvis rocks his heart out on stage, and he takes us on a long tour of the Southern locales that have inspired him throughout his career. His vocal and instrumental chops are first-rate, whether he is performing solo or with the band, acoustic or electric, before stomping, hooting crowds, or alone with a piano in a small studio. He meets performers and fans and really seems to enjoy talking to them.

(I saw Elvis in a one-man show in Seattle in 2005, and he has never been better. At the peak of his form, and with just a guitar and an empty stage, he put on a long, ebullient, and amazingly rich performance, filling a stadium with thousands of his fans who stood in rapt attention when they weren't cheering and singing along, playing hit after hit from the length and breadth of his oeuvre.)

Get this DVD to understand the power of Elvis live!

Elvis Still Rocks.......2005-10-01

I found the club date DVD a great bargain and a wonderful show. While there are some glitches in the performance, it shows what goes into a live performance and how the artist interacts with the audience.

As for the live performance and quality, this is superb. Elvis still sings in the original key, which is something not many performers his age can still do. (I know this because he still plays the songs in the original key. I played guitar along with the DVD.) There are plenty of closeups since this was a small venue, and it's easy to see the audience reaction. (I haven't seen the PoGo dance for quite some time.)

I suggest you pick this up. If you're a die hard fan or are new to his music, I believe you'll be in for a treat.

An interesting video of a great tour.......2005-09-29

This DVD is pretty good. I saw a show from this tour in St. Louis and it was GREAT! The DVD is not high quality as far as camera views go, and the sound is just "OK"...passable. But as a remembrance of a great tour is makes the grade. Nice to have just for the cool drums on Mystery Dance. That's mainly why I bought it, so our band could do that version.

Brilliant - Elvis keeps getting better!.......2005-09-13

Firstly, don't let the DVD Region 1 status put you off - I am in Australia and this disc played perfectly on my PC, DVD Player and even the PS2! It's wonderful to finally see an intimate performance by Elvis Costello on DVD! It brought so many memories of his tour in 2004 back to me. Elvis Fans will love this DVD featuring his latest music, along with many oldies, it is very rare to get up close and personal with this man! Elvis gives 100% of himself on stage! A must for your music DVD collection.

Average customer rating:

Club Date-Live in Memphis
Starring: Elvis Costello & the Imposters
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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