![]() ![]() After the concert, unknown was the last word that could be used to describe Costello. And the latter disc was actually 11 days away from its official release when Costello performed in Toronto. Costello was still pretty much an unknown quantity to most people, with only two (superb) albums, My Aim is True and This Year’s Model, to his credit. Remember, though he had been on Saturday Night Live in late 1977, where he pissed off the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels by performing the anti-media song "Radio, Radio," against Michael’s wishes. ![]() As with that show, you can only wish you’d been there when you listen to it. Live at the El Mocambo, all 49 minutes of it (not including the encores which were not broadcast or recorded), is one of the best live shows ever put to disc, right up there with the 1971 Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East. ![]() To say he exceeded them was an understatement. People began lining up almost half a day before the 11:30 pm show, in the generally vain hope of scoring one of the 300 tickets available (minus those going to industry and record folk, of course).īy the time Costello hit the stage, expectations were remarkably high. The concert was to be broadcast live on radio when news got out, the city erupted into a frenzy. What a difference three months makes! The two recorded 1978 Elvis Costello shows – Live at the El Mocambo and Live at Hollywood High – are completely different from each other in tone, attitude and musicianship but, more importantly, they mark the coming of age and the maturation of Costello as a significant presence on the musical scene.Ĭostello, coming off a derided show in New York, landed in Toronto for a late night set, scheduled for March 6 at the city’s fabled El Mocambo club. ![]()
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