Live at Hollywood High: The Costello Show 2 [Live]

Elvis Costello & Attractions (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 12, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 1978
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Hip-O Records
• ASIN: B002ZTQW56
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,033 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Elvis Costello was 23 years old when he performed a sold-out concert at the auditorium of Hollywood High School. It was June 4, 1978 and he had been introduced to America with a controversial appearance on "Saturday Night Live" and two albums Rolling Stone would eventually rank among the 200 greatest of all time. Twenty-five years later, in 2003, Costello would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the following year would be ranked by Rolling Stone among its 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Now that historic 20-song concert will be issued for the first time in its entirety, including 11 previously unreleased recordings, on Live At Hollywood High (Hip-O/UMe), released January 12, 2010. This second installment in The Costello Show live performance series of complete concerts follows Live At The El Mocambo, released September 2009.

Just three months prior to the Hollywood High concert, This Year's Model had become his second album but first as Elvis Costello And The Attractions, with singer-songwriter-guitarist Costello joined by keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas. Producing the concert would be Nick Lowe, who would helm Costello's first five albums.

From Costello's 1977 debut album My Aim Is True, the show included "Alison," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "Mystery Dance," "Waiting For The End Of The World," "Miracle Man" and "Watching The Detectives." From This Year's Model, the band cranked out "Pump It Up," "The Beat," "Lip Service," "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" (only on the U.K. album), "Radio Radio" (only on the U.S. edition), "Lipstick Vogue," "No Action," "This Year's Girl," "Living In Paradise" and "You Belong To Me" plus the bonus single "Stranger In The House."

The band also previewed "Accidents Will Happen," "Party Girl" and "Goon Squad" from Armed Forces, which they would begin to record three months later. That album released in early 1979 would become Costello's highest charter (#10) and his third straight to earn gold or platinum. Included as a promotional giveaway with initial copies was a 7" single with the Hollywood High performances of "Accidents Will Happen," "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives." A 2002 reissue of Armed Forces would add a disc with those tracks and six others from Hollywood High.

Unreleased, however, would be the concert's "Lip Service," "The Beat," "Living In Paradise," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "(I Don't Wanna Go To) Chelsea," "This Year's Girl," "No Action," "Radio, Radio," "Pump It Up," "Waiting For The End Of The World" and "Miracle Man"--all of which make their debuts on Live At Hollywood High.

Upcoming releases of The Costello Show will include, among others, concerts performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Royalty Theater in London.

Product Description

First time on CD for this historic 1978 performance, the second installment in The Costello Show live performance series. Features 20 tracks, 11 of them previously unreleased. Elvis Costello was 23 years old when he performed a sold-out concert at the epicenter of the entertainment universe: the auditorium at Hollywood High School. It was June 4, 1978 and he had been introduced to America with a controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live. Just three months prior to this Hollywood High concert, This Year's Model had become his second album but first as Elvis Costello And The Attractions, with the singer/songwriter joined by keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas. Producing the concert would be Nick Lowe, who would helm Costello's first five albums.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential live performance FINALLY available with the full set list, January 21, 2010

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Live at Hollywood High: The Costello Show 2 (Audio CD)

Elvis Costello could be tempermental during the early days. There was one concert where he did the entire set, the audience wanted more. Costello took his guitar, put it against the amp and turned it up all the way creating an ear piercing feedback to make the crowd leave. Ah the salad days of youth.

Elvis Costello and the Attractions also put on some brilliant performances in their early years and some of them were recorded well. This is one of them. Elvis and the Attractions were on fire at their Hollywood High shows. We finally get all of the songs from the set nicely mastered by Dan Hersch (who also mastered the nine songs from this set that appeared on the expanded two disc "Armed Forces" that Rhino released a couple of years back).

The sound is extremely good. My only complaint is the bare bones booklet which only has the credits (in incredibly small type) for this release on it. No notes from EC telling us about the show (although he HAS done that before)and, for a change, it would have been nice to hear from the Attractions about the show, their memories (if any) of the performances.

Hip-O needs to spruce these sets up a bit with liner notes for their future sets but, aside from that, this sounds fine and it's nice to finally get this released offically with good sound and the entire set list.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely suberb, January 17, 2010

By 

M. Perry - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Live at Hollywood High: The Costello Show 2 (Audio CD)

Most fans of Elvis Costello are very well aware that almost half of these songs were available on the now out of print 2 disc Armed Forces reissue. This concert has always been among my favorites, and to hear the complete set list in this quality is just too much to ask.

While live versions of the majority of these songs are already available from different performances, (released on the deluxe editions of My Aim is True and This Year's Model), there's just something about the energy of this concert that makes it more enjoyable to this listener.

The mix is great. All four band members sound fantastic, (and the drums sound so crystal clear). Any fan of Elvis will already own this, anyone on the fence should make the leap. This is early Elvis and the Attractions at their finest.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreams do come true, even if it takes 25+ years, January 17, 2010

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Derek M. Koch (KS United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Live at Hollywood High: The Costello Show 2 (Audio CD)

Ever since the live E.P. fell out of the gate-fold sleeve of the Armed Forces L.P., I've wanted this entire show. Now its here, and I can still hear[sorta], so.. This C.D. sounds great and I wish everyone who bought Armed Forces would go out and buy this disk. Looking forward to the rest of the live series very much.