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Elvis Costello Is a Legendary Wry Man at the Ryman in Nashville
When Elvis Costello emerged as a force to be reckoned with in 1977, he was on the leading edge of a punk rock/new wave movement where he stood out from the pack for his dry wit, wry sense of humor, biting lyrics, melodic sensibility and musical superiority. So, when his new tour "Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello" was announced longtime fans knew they were in for a treat and the ones who attended the stop at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on Saturday, July 05, 2025, most certainly were.
Elvis Costello played his "early songs" for the Ryman faithful in Nashville. As most of you know Elvis Costello is an award-winning musician and author who has sold millions of records over a career that spans four decades. He may have first come into prominence as a punk artist but over the years he has excelled and explored other genres including classical and jazz. Yet as billed - Saturday's show featured tracks from My Aim Is True (1977) to Blood & Chocolate (1986). That span of albums have produced some of Costello's most renowned compositions such as "Watching The Detectives" to "I Want You" - along with tracks that have remained in The Imposters' live repertoire over the last 20 or more years, including "Alison", "Man Out Of Time" and "Brilliant Mistake".
Elvis Costello and longtime foil Steve Nieve delighted at the Mother Church. The Imposters are Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher. Thus, with three-fourths of the Attractions along with guitarist Charlie Sexton it was no wonder that the rafters at the Ryman were packed. Steve Nieve surrounded by various ivories and portable instruments added plenty of punch to Elvis' prose. In fact, the whole band enhanced the notes and nuances of Costello's classic catalogue. Costello and Company received a warm welcome as the drum rolled into "Mystery Dance" that flowed into a winning "Watching the Detectives" and fans clapped along to a colorful "Green Shirt". Elvis greeted the faithful. Between songs there was some comical commentary but for much of the night the music did the talking. The audience was appreciative of it all.
Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Charlie Sexton at the Ryman in July. Elvis advised fans that they had put great care into crafting a setlist for this quick month-long tour before adding that numbers like "Beyond Belief" and "Waiting for the End of the World" would not be aired because they perhaps hit too close to the mark in these turbulent days. He also alluded to the fact that that some of these early songs that we were all enjoying may have been performed in our city for the very last time. Adding that in a pre-tour interview, "I don't want to go back, I want to bring these songs into the present day, once more, in the event they are ever pushed out of the way by the next number that I write." Elvis' most political moment of the night came when he played "Deportee" with a spoken introduction about how some workers in Nashville where recently picked up during the recently controversial I.C.E. sweeps on Broadway. Folks were hanging on his every word, Next was "Living in Paradise" flowing into an innovative take on Van Morrison's "Domino".
Elvis played several noteworthy and notable licks throughout the performance. Asked about the surprising theme of this tour, Costello has said that, "For any songwriter, it has to be a compliment if people want to hear songs written up to fifty years ago. Among them, "Radio Soul", the first draft of what eventually became "Radio Radio". Other high points of this well-received show were fan favorites - "Accidents Will Happen", "Pump It Up" and more along with the expected encore of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" that ended the night on a solid and still most very relevant note. The Ryman Auditorium maybe known as the Mother Church of Country Music but the hall continues to host a wide range of artists such as Elvis Costello & The Imposters. Please check the Ryman's website for a full list of upcoming events.
The band scrunched up in tight formation for many of the mid-show selections. Related Links: For more information on ELVIS COSTELLO and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Elvis Costello | Ryman Auditorium | Elvis Costello, Billy F Gibbons and An All-Star Cast Lend a Helping Hand to Support the Musician Treatment Foundation
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