Went to see Elvis Costello do a free in-store at Amoeba SF at noon. He was performing there, then was to fly down to LA to do an in-store at Amoeba Hollywood in the evening. Walking to the store, we debated how crowded it would be. I figured, mid-day, on a work day, he hasn’t had a radio hit in years, it’s not gonna be that bad. “Pro-Life D” wagered otherwise, particularly in light of the fact that he’d heard it announced on (major commercial classic rock radio station) KFOG, home of the “fogheads”, baby boomers who act together as if in a giant pack of lemmings.
We arrived a half hour early to find one half of the place already packed, immediately resulting in an epic fail for the rating of my powers of prognostication. Bummer. But major bummer was the fact that we were hoping to get stuff signed, and the Amoebans that be informed us that signing action was only guaranteed to the first lucky 88 (?!) to get a number. Everyone else would have to check their shit. Keep in mind the place is huge, so we’re talking fractions of a percent here. He would have to check his vinyl copy of This Year’s Model, while I was able to sneak in my stuff.
I never get stuff signed, but am a huge Elvis Costello fan and thought maybe this would be the time to make an exception. Maybe I would even get my Jazzmaster signed. But Amoeba probably wouldn’t let me bring it in, would they? So maybe just take off the pickguard. But it’s red tortoise shell, not exactly the best visibility for signatures. Also it’s a pain to take off. Finally I arrived at the solution, and removed one of the lily white pickup covers from the (aforescribed about unique) Jazzmaster pickup. Of course, this was from a Japanese reissue and not an Elvis Costello signature model, but hey. Also brought CD sleeves from Armed Forces and Imperial Bedroom just in case.
So after going through all the effort of determining what to bring, it was frustrating to find it limited to one person per piano key. Inside, they announced others could wait in a non-guaranteed state after the first 88 were serviced, but the crowd was so massive it seemed pointless to try. So then were were left with the music.
Elvis Costello has still got it. Not sure why he can still hit all the notes, while other senior rock citizens seem to have trouble just breathing. He came out dressed in typically dapper fashion, with shades and black top hat, later removed. He was accompanied by a mandolin player (Mike Compton) on his right, and second guitarist Jim Lauderdale, who apparently has won a grammy for “Bluegrass Album of the Year”, on his left. At one point, a local accordian dude (Austin de Lone) came out to join in. Setlist:
Complicated Shadows [from All This Useless Beauty]
My All-Time Doll [with saucy couplets]
Down Among the Wines and Spirits [from the new album]
Blame It On Cain [from My Aim is True]
Condemned Man [new unreleased song!]
Red Cotton [from the new album]
The Crooked Line [from the new album]
Sulphur to Sugarcane [from the new album]
I had insisted D bring a CD of his EC-influenced band with which to gift his EC-ness, and suggested a nice and amusing touch might be for him add his John Hancock for EC’s benefit. Of course, the mob scene precluded this rad thought from becoming awesome reality. However, on the way out, D noticed the black suited secret service stand-ins standing by a black SUV, and asked them, “Are you Mr. Costello’s drivers?” Their response, “It’s possible.” Wow, I had no idea that such information regarding Mr. Costello was on such a need-to-know basis. Anyway, he gave them the CD with instructions to pass along to EC. They looked rather skeptical, but who knows, maybe the next of his varied and numerous collaborations will be with a local indie-rocker. Of course, this CD was bereft of its author’s signature, having been thwarted in his reciprocal quest.
