Elvis Costello’s Restless Creativity Makes for Slightly Uneven Akron Concert

Elvis Costello is nothing if not unpredictable.

Even when he’s on a tour with longtime backing band The Imposters that focuses on songs from the first decade of his career, Costello isn’t content to churn out rote recitations. That tinkering can produce occasionally frustrating results, but it’s never boring, as evidenced by the singer/songwriter’s 27-song, 130-minute set Saturday night at the Akron Civic Theatre.

Yes, many of the favorites were played. They just may not have sounded like you remember them.

Costello was making his first appearance in northeast Ohio since a 2016 show with The Imposters at the same venue (which, like Saturday, was also the same night as a consequential Cleveland baseball game). Repeatedly pronouncing the city in which he was performing as “Ack-rohn,” he slyly said it was the “home of sin and mischief.

“That’s what they told me at the chamber of commerce,” he joked.

This time, he focused on material released from 1977 to 1986, when he was on a creative tear and made one rightfully acclaimed album after another that focused on punk, R&B, country, and many other genres. Opening with “Mystery Dance” from debut album “My Aim Is True,” all but one of the songs he played were from this period.

At 71 years old, Costello remains spry and a sneakily great guitarist with a voice that remains impressively intact. His piano-driven take on 1986’s “Poisoned Rose” was a perfect highlight for his range. He still can wail, growl and transition into falsetto, often in the same song.

But not unlike elder rock statesmen like Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, he likes to tweak melodies and arrangements. Whether it’s due to creative restlessness or otherwise, he does it a lot. And it sounds like some of it is done on the fly, which means he occasionally veered off-key.

Some tinkering worked better than others. It made for weird vocal lines and sluggish takes on “Accidents Will Happen” and “Radio Radio,” and an instrumentally neutered “Everyday I Write the Book” (which nevertheless featured some of Costello’s best singing of the night). They detracted from a show that, on paper, is a dream for hardcore and casual fans alike.

But other songs, like a propulsive run-through of Nick Lowe’s “Heart of the City” and a Latin-tinged acoustic take on “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” were near-perfect in their execution. In fact, a stripped-down six-song set was a highlight, and saw him loosening up a bit.

If Costello was slightly inconsistent, it wasn’t because of The Imposters, which features two members of his original backing band The Attractions, which formed in 1977. It also wasn’t the fault of guest guitarist Charlie Sexton, though he was somewhat underused until he busted out the tasteful lines of “Alison” late in the show.

Steve Nieve remains a whiz on every keyboard he touches, weaving around the other instrumental parts with ease. Bassist Davey Faragher proved his prowess on opener “Mystery Dance” and didn’t let up.

And drummer Pete Thomas, who’s the same age as Costello, can still replicate and build on parts he recorded on early records, particularly on a wild “Lipstick Vogue.”

The night was seemingly careening to the finish with a string of classics, climaxing with a definitive take on Brinsley Schwarz’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.” However, after finishing that song, Costello signaled he wasn’t done, a sentiment that appeared to surprise even those in the band.

“Alison” followed, as did an extended take on the eerie and lustful “I Want You,” which also featured snippets of The Beatles song of the same name and Aretha Franklin’s “I Say a Little Prayer.” It was a strange way to end the night (why didn’t he play these songs midway through the show?), especially after the climax of the previous run.

But whatever it was, it wasn’t expected.

Setlist:
1. Mystery Dance
2. Watching the Detectives
3. Green Shirt
4. Waiting for the End of the World
5. Less Than Zero
6. Little Triggers
7. Lovers Walk
8. King Horse
9. Opportunity
10. Accidents Will Happen
11. Lipstick Vogue
12. No Action
13. Poisoned Rose
14. Blood & Hot Sauce
15. Deportee
16. Brilliant Mistake
17. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
18. Clubland
19. Everyday I Write the Book
20. Radio Radio
21. High Fidelity
22. Heart of the City (Nick Lowe cover)
23. (I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea
24. Pump It Up
25. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)
26. Alison
27. I Want You