Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announced today, Aug. 11, that the Friday, Aug. 13, concert with Mat Kearney has been postponed until Sept. 8 due to a positive test for COVID-19 by the singer.
And while Kearney is full vaccinated, and is in good health, he is exercising caution.
Mat Kearney. (Supplied)
“Despite my best efforts, I have tested positive for COVID-19. I’m thankfully vaccinated, and just feeling a bit under the weather,” Kearney said in supplied material. “For the health and safety of the band, crew and fans, we will be rescheduling Friday’s show … I’m so bummed. I’ve only missed one show in my life, and can’t wait to see you all again.”
(He also asked for “Your binge-worthy tv recommendations,” and we respectively suggest “Queen’s Gambit”, if not already on his board.)
Tickets purchased for the Aug.13 concert will be honored on Sept. 8, according to the Meijer Gardens statement. But for those who cannot attend the Sept. 8, refunds will be available through Etix through Aug. 20. Please note, according to the statement, ticket fees are non-refundable. To request a refund, please click visit bit.ly/KearneyRefundRequest.
Any returned tickets for the sold-out show will be available for purchase beginning on Aug. 21 via Etix.com.
It is fitting, for many reasons, that Ani Di Franco’s just released album is titled “Revolutionary Love” — one reason being the fact that the musician and social activist has a long history of writing songs as reflections of not only her personal life but also society at large.
It is also fitting, as the audience will see Aug. 23 when Di Franco hits the stage at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, that the new release is on her Righteous Babe Records label.
Ani Di Franco. (Daymon Gardner)
With the current divisions and strife in our world, Di Franco states that “Revolutionary Love” is necessary now, for her and for the message she wants to bring.
“It’s about carrying the energy of love and compassion into the center of our social movements and making it the driving force,” Di Franco said in supplied material. “It’s about finding it within ourselves to stay curious about our opponents instead of shutting down.”
Tickets for the Meijer Gardens show are still available. Visit more information visit meijergardens.org.
Di Franco wrote many of the new tracks on the road prior to returning home to New Orleans in February 2020 — just days before the touring music businesses shut down.
While the country soon encountered COVID and solitary lives, Di Franco felt the urgent need to collaborate creatively and record the new music. After being off the road due to the pandemic, Di Franco is back on tour beginning Aug. 19, and her stop at the Fifth Third Banks Summer Concerts series will be one of her first shows. Elizabeth Moen is expected to open.
“My songs have always reflected an acute connection between my personal life and the life of my society,” Di Franco said in supplied material. “As I started to come out of dealing with years of personal hardship, I saw that my entire country was struggling with the same problems: the same themes of how much damage we do to each other and how much pain we’re carrying, and the same question of how to keep going when we’re so broken.”
Inspiration for new music came from another activist
With its exploration of so many complex emotional states — forgiveness, shame, empathy, resilience — “Revolutionary Love” opens on its title track, a “profoundly resolute” piece inspired by Sikh-American activist/filmmaker/lawyer/author Valarie Kaur.
Album cover of Ani DiFranco’s “Revolutionary Love”. (Supplied)
“A lot of the language in that song comes from Kaur’s book ‘See No Stranger’,” saidDiFranco, who connected with Kaur after watching a talk she’d given in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election.
Throughout “Revolutionary Love — the song and the collection — DiFranco hits a potent balance of determination and dreamy reflection, a dynamic that echoes one of the central lessons of Kaur’s teachings: “If we don’t push, we will die. If we don’t breathe, we will die.”
“I wanted to have these moments where, after you acknowledge all the insanity and the strife, we step back and shake off that anxiety and fear,” DiFranco said. “We all need that quiet space to reconnect with ourselves and our hope.”
A little history, a little video
While sometimes considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner Ani Di Franco is the mother of the DIY recording movement, being one of the first artists to create her own record label in 1990. While she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica and even more distant sounds.
Her collaborators have included everyone from Utah Phillips to legendary R&B saxophonist Maceo Parker to Prince. She has shared stages with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Kris Kristofferson, Greg Brown, Billy Bragg, Michael Franti, Chuck D. and many more.
Di Franco also recently released “Revolutionary Love: Live at Big Blue”, a 95-minute concert documentary film from herself, Terence Higgins and special guest Ivan Neville, and is available for download and on CD via the Righteous Babe store and Bandcamp.
But, heck, see the Righteous Babe live if you can.
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again.”
James Earl Jones … Can you guess the movie? (See bottom of this story)
WKTV DreamWheels red carpet show (circa. 2013-15/WKTV)
Dust off those classic cars this weekend
The 28th Street Metro Cruise will be back in full swing this August. And, to start the celebration of cars, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the return of the “dust off” event on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Wyoming Moose Lodge #763, at 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW, in Wyoming. Go here for the story.
A probably sold-out crowd at Meijer Gardens Summer Concert series evening. (Supplied Meijer Gardens/Tony Norkus)
Meijer Gardens outdoor concerts to return
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts — including three special Grand Rapids Symphony dates — as well as its Tuesday Evening Music Club and the new Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings are tentatively planned to return this summer and into the fall. Go here for the story.
The West Michigan Whitecaps will soon begin play at the newly named LMCU Ballpark. (Supplied/West Michigan Whitecaps)
Opening day for the West Michigan Whitecaps
With opening day on May 4 and first home game May 11, the West Michigan Whitecaps are gearing up for a season that is bound to be unlike any they have had in the past due to the pandemic. But the fan experience will still be fun for Whitecaps fans at the now-named LMCU (Lake Michigan Credit Union) Ballpark. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
‘Field of Dreams’ forever
Field of Dreams is a 1989 American film written and directed by Phil Alden Anderson, adapting W. P. Kinsella’s 1982 novel Shoeless Joe. The cast includes Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster in his final film role. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. Source.
A probably sold-out crowd at a pre-pandemic Meijer Gardens Summer Concert series evening. Crowd sizes may be limited this season. (Supplied Meijer Gardens/Tony Norkus)
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announced today that the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts — including three special Grand Rapids Symphony dates — as well as its Tuesday Evening Music Club and the new Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings, also featuring musicians from the Grand Rapids Symphony, are tentatively planned to return this summer and into the fall.
All scheduled dates, performers and concert information are subject to changed based on COVID-19 restrictions, according to the announcement, and “under current restrictions, capacity will be restricted to 1,000 people. If rules allow, capacity will be increased.”
The Decemberists in concert in 2018. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
But the news that there might actually be musicians on stage and concertgoers on the grass of the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater stage is sweet sounds for West Michigan music lovers.
“We look forward to the return of music at Meijer Gardens and are pleased to be able to continue our support of Meijer Gardens and the popular summer concert series which now includes the Grand Rapids Symphony,” Tom Welch, Fifth Third Bank regional president, said in supplied material. “We are delighted that two Grand Rapids treasured cultural organizations are teaming up to further the arts in our community.”
While most local concertgoers will be looking forward to a complete lineup and ticket details of the featured Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts series — including the great St. Paul & The Broken Bones returning to town — two free-with-admission concert series, one new and one well established, will also bring much need musical relief to local audiences.
Tuesday night and Sunday days
The Tuesday Evening Music Club, with local and regional musicians, will be on stage in July and August starting at 7 p.m.
Ralston Bowles in concert. (By Jamie Geysbeek/Supplied)
This year’s lineup includes Welcome Back Tuesday with Ralston Bowles & Very Special Guests on July 6 — with Bowles in encore as Ralston & Friends on Aug. 24 — as well as Franklin Park on July 13, Political Lizard with Molly on July 20, Via Mardot with Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish on July 27, Samuel Nalangira with The Moxie Strings on Aug. 3, Cameron Blake with Patty PerShayla on Aug. 10, Pajamas with Charlie Millard Band on Aug. 17), and the return of a special Grand Rapids Ballet show on Aug. 31.
The Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings series expands on an idea that was trialed during the summer of 2020, according to the announcement. “Led by violinist Haijin Choi, these chamber music performances happen throughout the Gardens & Sculpture Park and will feature combinations of violin, harp, marimba, mandolin, cello and more.”
Five planned Sunday performances will take place on June 6, June 20, July 18, Aug. 29 and September 12. The Sunday, July 18 performance will include a special opportunity for audience participation within the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden (with more information to be announced closer to the date).
“We love both Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the Grand Rapids Symphony and couldn’t think of a better way to help bring these wonderful assets of our community together for a formal series,” the Prestons said in supplied material. “We were thrilled at the diversity of the audience for last summer’s events and look forward to this series growing!”
Tuesday Evening Music Club and Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings performances are free for members and included in admission for other guests.
Headline concerts include symphony shows
As part of the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts, Meijer Gardens and the Grand Rapids Symphony will partner for three ticketed shows including a solo Grand Rapids Symphony performance conducted by Bob Bernhardt, Principal Pops Conductor, as well as the Grand Rapids Symphony playing with Pink Martini, and another show yet to be announced.
“We are very excited to bring the Grand Rapids Symphony back to Meijer Gardens for these special concerts,” Mary Tuuk Kuras, symphony president & CEO, said in supplied material. “Our shared mission of promoting the arts and bringing our community together makes this partnership a wonderful fit.”
The Grand Rapids Symphony will be in concert at Meijer Gardens later this year. (Supplied/Grand Rapids Symphony)
The three symphony shows are part of the officially titled 2021 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens concert series, scheduled to take place in July, August and September — “if regulations allow” — and featuring an initial lineup including The Verve Pipe, O.A.R., Kansas and Black Violin + Blind Boys of Alabama.
“The complete lineup of 30 shows and ticket on sale dates will be announced as soon as possible,” according to the announcement.
Members of Meijer Gardens will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2021 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens series during a two-week members-only pre-sale, with dates to be announced. During the pre-sale, members also receive a $5 discount per ticket. To become a member or renew a membership, visit MeijerGardens.org/Membership.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public immediately following the members-only pre-sale, with information on prices and purchasing locations available following the release of the full lineup.
For more information on all concert plans for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, visit meijergardens.org.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park may have had to cancel its July 2 Tuesday Eventing Music Club’s show featuring Roosevelt Diggs and Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish due to pending storms, but the club will be back at it Tuesday, July 9, with Big Sherb and Paddlebots to begin a run of eight straight Tuesdays of concerts.
(We are told that Roosevelt Diggs and Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish show will be rescheduled for next summer.)
The Tuesday Evening Music Club brings local and regional musicians to the Amphitheater stage starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings throughout July and August.
The concerts are free to Meijer Gardens members and included with gardens regular admission, and they will feature with a diverse schedule of live bands and programming ranging from jazz to indie, rock to folk, and even ballet.
And, if you haven’t bee there yet, there is more to like off the stage as well.
The amphitheater has undergone significant expansion and improvement over the past two seasons, while maintaining the intimacy of the 1,900-seat venue. But a new concessions building has been added this season, with increased capacity for quicker food and beverage service, an improved point-of-sale system with quick chip technology to speed up purchases, as well as new restrooms.
The 2019 Tuesday Evening Music Club lineup includes:
Big Sherb and Paddlebots, July 9 at 7 p.m.
Matt Gabriel and Kari Lynch Band, July 16 at 7 p.m.
Boy From School and Manhattan, July 23 at 7 p.m.
Franklin Park and 6-Pak, July 30 at 7 p.m.
The Hip Pocket and Soul Syndicate, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.
The River Rogues Jazz Band and Sam’s Swing Band, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.
Grand Rapids Ballet, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. This program will employ a full company of dancers performing works by some of today’s most in-demand choreographers. A mix of classical and contemporary ballets, including Trey McIntyre’s Wild Sweet Love, featuring the music of Queen, Lou Reed, Felix Mendelssohn and many more.
Ralston & Friends, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. Local favorite Ralston Bowles shares the stage with friends and collaborators from the community and beyond.
For more information on concerts at Meijer Gardens, visit meijergardens.org.
The Decemberists’ June 4 visit to the Meijer Gardens concert series will likely be on the list of “hot” concerts this season. (Supplied photo by Holly Andres)
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, in announcing their 2018 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens series of 31 concerts, use words like “eclectic” and “diverse” to describe the spectrum of artists coming to town.
We could not agree more, or come up with better adjectives.
The series includes — to steal a line from another series of annual events held on the grounds of Meijer Gardens, weddings — something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.
Taking them out of the wedding-rhyme order, while there will be some familiar returners coming back to the Gardens, the new school and New Wave acts may be the most impressive group.
Toad the Wet Sprocket and The Verve Pipe (shown) will be at Meijer Gardens Aug. 19. (Supplied)
With the likes of alt-nation favorites the Decemberists, Fitz and Trantrums and Jason Mraz on the bill, those who think compact discs are archaic will have their day, or night. With the likes of Blondie, Joe Jackson, and the Toad the Wet Sprocket teaming with The Verve Pipe, the older-alt crowd will get their 1980s and ‘90s flashbacks.
My anticipated favorite of the new school/New Wave alt grouping will be +LIVE+, the 1990s alt-rock (post punk) powerhouse whose 1994 “Lightning Crashes” is still one of favorite songs ever, and who recently reunited and put out new music.
Lyle Lovett keeps coming back to Meijer Gardens, and we sure do appreciate it; this time with his Large Band on Aug. 27. (Supplied)
The “old school” rock and country acts on the bill include the always worth-the-money annual visit by Lyle Lovett (this time with his Large Band), Jackson Browne’s return (check out a WKTV review of his 2017 show here), Huey Lewis and the News, Styx and TOTO. And can you get any more old school than The Beach Boys?
We’ll skip the “something borrowed” category because, well, it sounded good but I got nothing. The something (sort-of) blues and soul concerts will include Gladys Knight, Seal, Patti LaBelle and — what may be my second most anticipated concert of the season — the blues kings of Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ together.
Under the somewhat undefinable but, also unmissable concerts include Alison Krauss, Herbie Hancock and the summer party provided by Lake Street Dive.
The concert series includes a special show with Alabama, the classic American country and Southern rock band, on Aug. 23 to benefit the Garden’s ongoing “Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love” capital campaign. All net proceeds from this show will be contributed to the campaign.
The complete line-up — with date, showtime, and ticket range — includes:
Tedeschi Trucks Band, May 30 at 6:30 p.m., $75 presale, $78 member, $80 public
Gladys Knight, June 3 at 7 p.m., $68 presale, $71 member, $73 public
The Decemberists, June 4 at 7 p.m., $52 presale, $55 member, $57 public
Jackson Browne, June 6 at 7 p.m., $72 presale, $75 member, $77 public
The B-52s, June 8 at 7 p.m., $57 presale, $60 member, $62 public
Fitz and the Tantrums, June 10 at 7 p.m., $47 presale, $50 member, $52 public
Brandi Carlile, June 13 at 6:30 p.m., $56 presale, $59 member, $61 public
Alison Krauss, June 17 at 7 p.m., $84 presale, $87 member, $89 public
Seal, June 20 at 7 p.m., $91 presale, $94 member, $96 public
Old Crow Medicine Show, June 25 at 7 p.m., $45 presale, $48 member, $50 public
Herbie Hancock, June 27 at 7 p.m., $57 presale, $60 member, $62 public
Blondie, June 29 at 7 p.m., $82 presale, $85 member, $87 public
Huey Lewis and the News, July 8 at 7 p.m., $90 presale, $93 member, $95 public
Patti LaBelle, July 13 at 7 p.m., $75 presale, $78 member, $80 public
The Temptations & The Four Tops, July 15 at 6:30 p.m., $58 presale, $61 member, $63 public
Joe Jackson, July 20 at 7 p.m., $45 presale, $48 member, $50 public
Dispatch with special guests Nahko and Medicine for the People, July 23 at 5:45 p.m., $55 presale, $58 member, $60 public
Jason Mraz with special guest Brett Dennen, July 25 at 6:30 p.m., $83 presale, $86 member, $88 public
The Beach Boys, July 26 at 7 p.m., $64 presale, $67 member, $69 public
Air Supply, July 29 at 7 p.m., $50 presale, $53 member, $55 public
Styx, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m., $72 presale, $75 member, $77 public
Vince Gill, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m., $62 presale, $65 member, $67 public
TajMo: The Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ Band, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m., $59 presale, $62 member, $64 public
Toad the Wet Sprocket & The Verve Pipe, Aug. 19 at 6:30 p.m., $44 presale, $47 member, $49 public
Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown featuring Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Galactic, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, New Breed Brass Band and special guests, Aug. 22 at 6 p.m., $75 presale, $78 member, $80 public
Alabama, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m., $150 presale, $153 member, $155 public (the special fundraising show to benefit the Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love capital campaign)
TOTO’s 40 Trips Around The Sun Tour, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m., $53 presale, $56 member, $58 public
O.A.R. with special guest Matt Nathanson, Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m., $75 presale, $78 member, $80 public
Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m., $63 presale, $66 member, $68 public
Lake Street Dive, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m., $48 presale, $51 member, $53 public
+LIVE+, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m., $60 presale, $63 member, $65 public
And, in case you were wondering, despite the ongoing renovation and expansion of the Meijer Gardens amphitheater, there will still be the same 1,900 general admission tickets available. The concert venue work is taking place over two years. Work on Phase One will conclude for the 2018 season and then resume to be completed for the 2019 season.
And now for the “getting the tickets” details/fine print:
Members may buy tickets during the members-only presale beginning at 9 a.m., April 28 through midnight, May 11. There is a limit of 8 tickets per show, per transaction. The preferred method to purchase tickets is online, but multiple options are available. For details see the Meijer Gardens websive’sa concert series page.
Sales to the public begin at 9 a.m., May 12. There is a limit of 8 tickets per show, per transaction. Also, see the website for options and details.
For more information on the concerts, and all the details on what to bring and not bring to the amphitheater, visit meijergardens.org .
Two bands familiar to the audiences at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park summer concert series will be returning to the now partially upgraded amphitheater, as well as one familiar to listeners of ’80s American New Wave if not Lower East Side (NYC) Punk, are the first three announced acts at 2018 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts series.
Just announced today, the Tedeschi Trucks Band with Charlie Parr will kick off the series on May 30, Blondie will be in town on June 29, and O.A.R.’s “Just Like Paradise Tour” with special guest Matt Nathanson will visit on Aug. 26. The complete 30-show lineup will be announced in mid-April, according to Meijer Gardens.
Blondie will be at Meijer Gardens Blondie June 29. (Supplied)
While both Tedeschi Trucks Band and O.A.R. are local fan favorites and, as with almost all of the Gardens’ concerts, usually sell-out shows, the appearance of Blondie and lead singer Debbie Harry may well be one of the must-see shows of the summer — especially if you are of a certain age and now have children you want to prove to that you had your wild side when you were their age.
“Here comes the 21st Century … it’s gonna be so much better for a girl like me,” Harry sang nearly three decades ago on her solo release Def Dumb And Blonde, the band’s website proudly repeats.
And life, and music, has been pretty good to singer-songwriter Harry, guitarist and co-writer Chris Stein, powerhouse drummer Clem Burke and their band-mates in Blondie who first burst on the scene in the late 1970s. But they have not lived in the past, as evidenced by their newest project, 2017’s Po11inator, the band’s 11th studio album and one featuring collaborations with Sia and Charli XCX.
For more information on Blondie visit blondie.net .
Not only will Blondie be new to Meijer Gardens audiences, but the 1,900-seat amphitheater will also have some changes as the venue is currently being expanded and upgraded. The work will take place over the next two years, according to Meijer Gardens, with the first year’s work to conclude for the presentation of the 2018 season, then resume, and be fully ready for the 2019 season.
While there will be some seating expansion after the second year of work, it will maintain “the intimacy of the venue”, according to Meijer Gardens. It will also increase the sponsor seating area, add new support areas for visiting artists, add a new support and concessions building (set to ready by the 2019 season).
Tedeschi Trucks and O.A.R. return with friends
Tedeschi Trucks Band with Charlie Parr will kick off the series on May 30. (Supplied)
Grammy-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band is a powerhouse, 12-piece ensemble led by the husband-and-wife team of guitarist Derek Trucks and guitarist-singer Susan Tedeschi. A touring juggernaut, the band is a jam band second to none, usually being on the road more than 200 days a year and reputed to having never played the same set list twice.
O.A.R. (short for Of a Revolution) transformed itself from an independent college band to a Billboard chart-topper over the course of a long, varied career. The roots-and-reggae band has transcended jam band clichés to become one of the most popular live acts touring today. Joining them will be San Francisco’s Nathanson, who is rapidly gaining a reputation for his songwriting and his live performances.
Members of Meijer Gardens will be able to purchase tickets during an exclusive members-only pre-sale, April 28 through May 11. During the pre-sale, members receive a $5 discount per ticket. To join or renew before April 28 visit MeijerGardens.org/Membership .
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on May 12. More information on prices and purchasing locations will be available following the release of the full lineup in mid-April.
Elvis Costello’s appearance at Meijer Gardens this week dug deep into his late 1970s and early ’80s New Wave/Power Pop years. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
Elvis Costello and the Imposters, July 17, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Mi.
60-second Review
It is not unusual for musical artists with the long history of Elvis Costello to always trudge out a select few of their radio hits from bygone days, to play just enough of the “oldies but goodies” expected — demanded — by an audience paying dearly for the opportunity to “remember when.”
What is unusual, in the case of Costello’s appearance at Meijer Gardens this week, was that with the tight backing of his lean, mean band of Imposters, especially pianist Steve Nieve and vocalists Kitten Kuroi and Brianna Lee, Elvis dug deep into his late 1970s and early ’80s New Wave/Power Pop years, his “… and the Attractions” band years.
He embraced that place and time in his past, and that music. But that also meant he offered up songs known and relatively unknown to the audience during a 2-hour 30-minute, 31-song set.
Drawing heavily from his 1982 classic Imperial Bedroom release, such an approach to his past made the first half of the concert a little slow for an often nonchalant audience. The second half — after what seemed more a planned set break than a pause before encore — had an much different feel, leading off with a sparse, memorable version of “Alison” with Kuroi and Lee sharing his single mic proved Costello’s aim is still true.
Prior to the set break, my favorites songs were the slow, soulful “Tears Before Bedtime” and Elvis’ fine lead guitar work on “Shabby Doll” (both from Imperial Bedroom), and a surreal version of “Watching the Detectives” complete with pulp fiction video stills and vocals through a bullhorn. After the break, with the audience fully engaged, my highlights were the new “Blood and Hot Sauce”, a politically/socially-charged song written for planned staged musical “A Face in the Crowd”; my all-time favorite Costello song, “Man Out of Time”; and a rousing, set-closing run including “Radio Radio”, “Pump it Up”, and a cover of “(What’s so Funny ’bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”.
In the end, we all know Elvis has moved on from his “… Attractions” years. He mostly makes his home in New York City with wife/singer Diana Krall and family; he has explored Americana music with collaborations with Bill Frisell, Allen Toussaint and T Bone Burnett; and has recently worked with new artists the likes of Marcus Mumford (Mumford and Sons), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Rhiannon Giddens.
But in the end, a flashback to the Imperial Bedroom and other remembered rooms is probably good for him and certainly good for the Meijer Gardens audience.
May I have more, please?
Talking about revisiting the past, I could not help but revisit the urban legend of Elvis and his famous/infamous December 1977 visit to Saturday Night Life (as a late replacement for the Sex Pistols, no less). Still in his punk rock early years, Costello was reportedly forbidden by NBC and SNL’s Loren Michael from performing “Radio Radio” — which basically trashed the commercialism of music of which SNL played its part in. But after starting to play “Less Than Zero”, Costello reportedly stopped the band and kicked into “Radio Radio”.
Legend has it that he was banned from NBC and SNL for years afterword — and more than one wiki refuses to debunk the legend — and it also established his British bad-boy status in America.
And, having been born with the name Declan Patrick MacManus, and hailing from a still emerging British punk rock scene, a geekish-looking, skinny young man who renamed himself “Elvis” needed something to, as they say now, establish his “street cred”.
