Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve Reunite for a Special Night at Liverpool’s Olympia [Show Review]

An Elvis Costello gig is always an occasion in Liverpool. Hailing from Birkenhead, there is a sense that every visit feels like a “homecoming” despite the frequency. Tonight is no exception. The Olympia is the grandest of Liverpool’s venues and is special to Elvis as this was the last place he was photographed with his mother before her death. In addition, his father, the musician Ross MacManus, was no stranger to the place professionally. As always, legendary Liverpool playwright and Costello collaborator Alan Bleasedale is in attendance. Tonight, I have the pleasure and honour of speaking with him briefly.

Having seen Elvis in Liverpool many times over the past 35 years, I still never know what quite to expect. From the straight album to stage gigs of the 80s and 90s, with the legendary Spinning Songbook, to more experimental gigs in more recent years, both quality and structure can never be predicted. When Elvis played the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in 2022, poor sound quality led to several complaints, and although the backlash was greatly exaggerated, there was a tension in the air tonight of a repeated incident. Fortunately, this was not the case.

Scouser, Ian Prowse (Amsterdam, Pele) is supporting once more. The singer/songwriter has a strong following in Liverpool, with his standout “Does This Train Stop On Merseyside?” gaining almost cult status amongst locals. He seems a little vulnerable tonight, standing solo on the large Olympia stage with just an acoustic guitar to keep him company. He explains on “I Did It For Love” that it sounds different without its usual brass arrangement and urges the audience to fill in the gaps. With a full band, Prowse can resemble the sound of Frank Turner, but this is lost tonight in the pared-down support slot.

It’s a short set that, although enjoyable, does lack punch and, from my seat, is somewhat drowned out by folks getting their pre-Elvis drinks at the bar. Pele fans are satisfied with a faithful outing of “Fair Blows the Wind for France,” but Prowse is best enjoyed in more intimate surroundings, such as his regular spot in the famous Cavern Club.

Elvis and Steve Nieve (The Attractions) enter a moody Film Noir-esque stage and immediately set the scene with a sleazy and creeping version of “When I Was Cruel.” It’s long and unnerving as Steve hunches over the piano like The Abominable Dr Phibes, and Elvis remains seated in dark shades and his now trademark hat.

“Waiting for the Edge of the World” and “Newspaper Pane” follow similarly, and it’s not long before Elvis addresses the elephant in the room. (Real elephants were once in the room in this former indoor circus.) Elvis brings up the much-maligned Philharmonic gig from 2022. “This has got to be fucking better than last time,” and he adds that he thought he’d never play this city again. He is already forgiven, evident in the sold-out show tonight, and expected family stories between songs further sweeten the pill.

“(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” sets the tone for the rest of the evening, with its usual sonic assault replaced by fragile Spanish guitars and Steve’s melodica. Since Elvis’s 2013 album, Wise Up Ghost, a collab with The Roots, his sound has become increasingly discordant. The album mixed old classics with contemporary production, creating jagged and surprising moments that have echoed in his work ever since, and this bleeds into the live shows, too. This more experimental element makes the work more interesting but not failsafe, with some compositions not always hitting the mark.

Fortunately most of the selections tonight do work. “Clubland,” the song that Steve Nieve was born to play, merges into The Specials “Ghost Town” perfectly, and “Mystery Dance” is performed in a Honky Tonk fashion that is absolutely meant to be.

Returning to the Philharmonic incident, Elvis dedicates “The Man You Love to Hate” to himself as an opportunity for us to get our apparent disappointment out of our system. Played in a carnivalesque fashion, this adds to the Freakshow nature of tonight’s red curtain set. Mose Allison’s “Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy” gets the Hammond treatment from Steve and is fantastic. “Come the Meantimes” from Wise Up Ghost is further convoluted with a fabulous ska/jazz delivery.

Costello Classic “(I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea” is given the fragmented treatment whilst “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down” and Charles Aznavour’s “She” is delivered from a microphone placed in the middle of the stalls.

The Film Noir theme is heightened by “Watching the Detectives” and the arrival of a brass section that remains until the show’s end. The section is used well, particularly on such sinister numbers as “Pills and Soap” and the sultry “Almost Blue.”

Stone cold classic “Shipbuilding” is spot on with tonight’s brass backing, and the Bacharach collaboration “Stripping Paper” is made all the more moving.

I read a 2022 statement recently from Elvis, explaining how he would not play “Oliver’s Army” again due to the fear that audiences will misinterpret the “Less White N*****” line, (referring to a slur towards Irish Catholics during the time of the troubles, and written in 1979). So, I was surprised to hear the song near the close of tonight’s set. Almost taunting the audience who are about to sing along to the controversial line, Elvis stops and shouts, “No no no.” After a pause, he continues with a new verse, replacing the offending phrase with “Less Poor Beggar”—an intriguing if slightly uncomfortable, moment.

At this point, the audience is finally standing, and Elvis finishes with a flourish, finishing with “(What’s So Funny ‘bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.” A perfect end to a show, that whilst uneven was perfectly satisfying.

Elvis is now 70, and Steve is just four years behind. This is the sound of two long-time collaborators moving into later life, and cracks are expected. That they have embraced the fact that changing their style into this more angular and fractured approach just amplifies their genius. We can be sure of more incarnations to come.