Costello Kicks Off Live Archive Series

First installment to be the legendary, oft-bootlegged El Mocambo show from '78.

By Blurt Staff 

The first edition in the The Costello Show live performance series of complete concerts featuring Elvis Costello finds one of the most eclectic and acclaimed artists at the fiery start of his career.  Live At The El Mocambo (Hip-O/UM^e), to be released September 29 marks Volume 1 of his Elvis Costello -The Costello Show series of albums.  During the next year or so, the The Costello Show series will continue with the album releases of significant classic Costello concerts including a performance at Hollywood High in California and other shows to be announced.

Recorded March 6, 1978, at the sold-out El Mocambo in Toronto, Canada, and broadcast live by CHUM-FM, this Elvis Costello and The Attractions concert was released the same year on about 300-500 pressings of a Canadian promotional album that became highly collectible-and heavily bootlegged.  In fact, it may have been the most bootlegged of all Costello albums.  The album was officially released in 1993 as a bonus disc in the four-CD box set 2 1/2 Years, and was also made available to those who bought the other three CDs separately.

At the time of the concert, the band was touring North America in support of My Aim Is True, Costello's 1977 debut disc, and just days before the release of This Year's Model, the first album with The Attractions: keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas.  The raw, energetic live performance in the midst of the late ‘70s punk/new wave movement captured a band and an artist at their most impassioned.  The concert included My Aim Is True's "Watching The Detectives," "Less Than Zero" (with new lyrics Costello penned for American listeners), "Mystery Dance," "Waiting For The End Of The World," "Welcome To The Working Week" and "Miracle Man," and This Year's Model's anthemic "Pump It Up," "The Beat," "Lip Service," "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" (only on the original U.K. album), "Little Triggers," "Radio Radio" (only on the U.S. edition), "Lipstick Vogue" and "You Belong To Me."