Rock show of the year (so far):::::::Elvis Costello & The Impostors with Allen Toussaint

Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint rocked the winery last night in Woodinville, Wash. You can read the story elsewhere--like http://elviscostello.com/ --but the collaboration was brought about by Hurricane Katrina.

Allen Toussaint, the New Orleans legend, has written tunes like "Working in the Coalmine", "Brickyard Blues", "Get Out My Life Woman" and "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky". He's been covered and recorded by hundreds of people, including Devo, Jerry Garcia, Otis Redding, The Meters, and others, including dozens of samples snagged in various hip-hop songs.

The show included members of Toussaint's horn and rhythm section, along with Elvis's Impostors. The band opened with a thundering version of Nick Lowe's What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding? It included Toussaint tunes (my favorites Workin' In The Coal Mine, and his tune for the Pointer Sisters, Yes, We Can Can), collaborations from the just released Toussaint-Costello album, The River in Reverse, and lots of Costello chestnuts. Toussaint arranged nine songs from the Costello catalog, and they played many of them as well. The new arrangements of Clown Strike, Pump It Up, Clubland, Watching The Detectives, High Fidelity, and I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down were thoughtful, new, and they were sparkling and wonderful.

There were some crooners, but this was mainly a rock fest. Right before the show, I was trying to explain to my cousin Sean (whom I bumped into, along with his wife, Lori Mason Curran, a clerk I know at Tower Records, a sister- and brother-in- law, co-workers, Keelin's yoga instructor, and a Posies show buddy I've met at various venues) the difference between an Elvis crooning show and an Elvis electric show, and how I tended to avoid the croonfests. I knew this show would kick out the jams.

See them when they come to your town:

6/28/2006
O'Shaughnessy Theater
SAINT PAUL, Minnesota

6/29/2006 - 8:30 PM
Summerfest
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin

6/30/2006
Promowest Pavilion
COLUMBUS, Ohio

7/5/2006
Cape Cod Melody
HYANNIS, Massachusetts

7/10/2006 - 7/11/2006
Beacon Theater
NEW YORK, New York
(212) 496-7070

7/12/2006
Fleet Center
BOSTON, Massachusetts
(617) 624-1050

7/14/2006
Blossom Music Center
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio

7/17/2006
Chastain Park
ATLANTA, Georgia

7/18/2006
House of Blues
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana

This was probably my favorite Elvis Costello show ever. I go into some of the others here: http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com/2005/09/favorite-rock-and-jazz-shows-1966-last.html

and here: http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com/2005/09/more-shows-ive-seen-over-years.html

My one beef with a lot of rock concerts I attend these days: 1) everyone is practically clean and sober (somewhat mitigated in this instance by many bottles of very good Ste. Michelle wines. Some blanket encampments seem to have purchased actual cases), and 2) everyone is seated. Since I came up in the rock festival world, and attended numerous Grateful Dead and CBGB shows, it just doesn't seem right to sit down! You need to be able to move to enjoy a show. I don't remember ever being seated at a Posies show, or any of the great Seattle Center shows I've seen over the years, and especially at a Dead show.

Fortunately, with Elvis's well-known half hour+ encores, we got the chance to stand up and shake our bones! Finally the audience got up, or, at least moved! And it was good. In that half hour encore (they returned three times), the band performed a cover of Fortune Teller, that you may know from The Rolling Stones' or The Who's covers. Wow! As it turns out, the tune was written by Naomi Neville (mom, sister? of the Nevilles, and The Meters) along with none other than Allen Toussaint)...
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