06.14.2017
ELVIS COSTELLO IMPERIAL BEDROOM REVIEW – A FULL EXPERIENCE
Splash Magazines: Keith Gerbosi: June 13th 2017.
There is newish trend of artists from the 1970’s and 1980’s going on tour to play classic albums in concert (see U2’s Joshua Tree tour). It’s not a huge surprise that Elvis Costello has joined that club, but what is somewhat surprising is the album he picked: 1982’s Imperial Bedroom. It’s not an obvious choice to base a tour on as it doesn’t have any of Costello’s biggest hits. It didn’t place a single on the Billboard Hot 100, it’s not the 40th anniversary (although 35 is a nice neat year).
So why did he pick it?
Costello never comes out and truly explains the choice. And didn’t even open with a song from the album on Monday night at Huntington Bank Pavilion, preferring to open with “On Your Way Down” before getting into the source material. Costello is too unique to go up there and play the songs from Imperial Bedroom in order, preferring to sprinkle in other songs from the era.