It’s not many tours that take a complete left turn from the style, content and tone of how they started with just a few dates left on the itinerary before everyone heads home,according to Variety.
That’s exactly what happened with the final six shows on Elvis Costello & the Imposters’ “We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday Tour,” where no one who saw any of the first 17 gigs on the outing would have much recognized how things transpired in the final half-dozen. It was all due to the transformative presence of a three-man horn section, which the advertising had accurately promised would only be showing up for the tour coda.
As a result of this severe tinkering, Costello’s sold-out show Wednesday at New York City’s Beacon Theater (the first of two nights there) was one of the most intricate and exciting we’ve seen him do with the Imposters since he formed that band in the wake of the Attractions a couple of decades ago, with a temporarily expanded lineup that could be described as Imposters+. It was a dream show.
Setlist for the Beacon Theater, July 12, 2023:
Pills and Soap
Possession
Newspaper Pane
Like Licorice on Your Tongue
Alison/I’m Gonna Make You Love Me
Toledo
Almost Blue
We Are All Cowards Now
Shut Him Down
I Do (Zula’s Song)
The Comedians
Someone Took the Words Away
I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down (excerpt)
High Fidelity
Mr. & Mrs. Hush
Shipbuilding
Cinco Minutos Con Vos
Watching the Detectives
(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea
Accidents Will Happen
Blood & Hot Sauce
Poisoned Rose
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (with Nick Lowe)
