Costello delivers the old and new

By Steve Kennedy, The Evening Chronicle, Sep 6 2002

The waistbands are thicker, the hair a little thinner, but the enthusiasm is as undimmed as ever.

But enough about the crowd who packed Newcastle's City Hall last night to watch the everlasting attractions of Elvis Costello.

Age clearly hasn't dimmed the punk attitude of Costello, and he set about his crowd-pleasing work with a blistering two hour-plus show.

New album When I Was Cruel has been hailed as a return to form for the man who has been churning out instant classics for more than 25 years.

And while he relied on openers like Watching the Detectives to get things going, his fans were also happy with more unfamiliar recent material.

But it was the spirit of the Queen's Silver Jubilee rather than this year's which captured this 70s-hungry crowd.

And as Oliver's Army and Peace and Understanding crashed around the hall, even the most aged of fans were up and dancing in the aisles.

Thanks to John Foyle