The Philadelphia Inquirer reviews VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live" tribute to Elvis Costello, taped Friday at the "half-full, lousy-sounding Mark G. Etess Arena" in Atlantic City. The event featured Death Cab For Cutie, Fiona Apple, and Billie Joe Armstrong performing for and with Elvis.
The show was smartly conceived, the material well-chosen. Death Cab's Ben Gibbard came off like a dweeb by asking to restart a song because "I dropped my pick." That won't make the final cut. A forceful version of Costello's "Kinder Murder" and strummy duet on his own "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" will, deservedly so.
Death Cab represents the mild influence of Costello's verbally rich rock. Apple covers the dark side. Looking like a pint-sized Morticia Adams in a purple dress, she nearly stole the show from the gracious host she so obviously adores.
Costello made her gloriously good "I Know" his own. The two paired off on his "Shabby Doll" and her "Tymps (The Sick in the Head Song)," assisted by Imposters keyboard whiz Steve Nieve. The evening's highlight was Apple's hellacious interpretation of Costello's "I Want You," a song about obsessive, vindictive love. She knocked it out of the park.
Armstrong brought the crowd to its feet, joining with Costello on "No Action," an acoustic "Alison," and bruising "Pump It Up," as well as on the Green Day hits "Wake Me Up When September Ends," and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)."
As with all the other guests, Armstrong's affection for Costello seemed genuine, and the admiration mutual. All the younguns came back for an encore of enduring songs none of them wrote: Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got a Hold on Me" and Nick Lowe's "(What So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?"
Stereogum reader Steve was there and writes us that "It should have been Billie Joe Armstrong featuring everyone else based on the crowd reactions. I don't know how all of the teenage girls could afford the $85.00 ticket price."
Anyway, sounds like something I would watch! And something I would pay to download. URGE, get on that. Until then, some Brutal Youth:
Elvis Costello - "Kinder Murder" (MP3 Link Expired)
