Over the past few decades, Elvis Costello has built quite a serious catalog. In fact, his catalog is so vast he can play multiple live shows without repeating any tracks. This is the goal Costello set out for himself during a 10-night stand at New York’s historic Gramercy Theatre, with a different set list planned for each night.
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The shows will begin on February 9 and will run through the 22nd. Tickets are on sale now, HERE.
Costello first debuted his plans during an appearance on The Tonight Show last month. Now, the English musician is back with more details. The first five shows at Gramercy will be Costello playing completely solo. For the next four, he will be joined by longtime keyboardist Steve Nieve. The final night will end with a bang with a line-up of special guests that have yet to be announced.
Across the ten nights, Costello plans to play 200 different songs with no repeats. Ten songs on the setlist will be announced ahead of each night while 10 more will be picked on the spot. Though he won’t repeat any songs during the main set, he might go back to a few fan favorites during the encores.
In case all of that was a bit too straightforward for your liking, Costello has also laid out the plans in the form of a poem per a press release. The poem reads:
For ten nights at the Gramercy Theatre
I’ll name ten songs to set the scene
I’ll play those ten and then ten more
Shake off the old routine
Each night will tell a different tale
So come to one or come to all
“100 Songs” is what I promise
But twice that number is quite a haul
I will start this stand alone, that’s fine
Nights One to Five, the Feast Day of St. Valentine
Steve Nieve will join me for Nights Six, Seven, Eight & Nine
But what else may happen is a secret of mine
Let’s just set up the chair or two and play
In case some friends turn up along the way
Costello has released the initial setlists for all ten shows. Find them below. In addition to the residency in New York, Costello is slated to play Austin, Texas’ Moody Theatre on December 2 for Austin City Limits Live.
Elvis Costello’s 10-Night Stand at Gramercy Theatre Setlists
Night One – 2/9:
01 “Welcome To The Working Week”
02 “Hoover Factory”
03 “Red Shoes”
04 “Stranger In The House”
05 “Poison Moon”
06 “Wave A White Flag”
07 “Radio Sweetheart”
08 “Mystery Dance”
09 “Cheap Reward”
10 “Alison”
Night Two – 2/10:
01 “Jack Of All Parades”
02 “Watch Your Step”
03 “Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head”
04 “New Amsterdam”
05 “Battered Old Bird”
06 “Last Boat Leaving”
07 “Little Palaces”
08 “Red Cotton”
09 “Sulphur To Sugarcane”
10 “Sleep Of The Just”
Night Three – 2/11
01 “Complicated Shadows”
02 “Less Than Zero”
03 “The River In Reverse”
04 “Bullets For The New-Born King”
05 “We Are All Cowards Now”
06 “She’s Pulling Out The Pin”
07 “Stations Of The Cross”
08 “Brilliant Mistake”
09 “The Scarlet Tide”
10 “That Day Is Done”
Night Four – 2/13:
01 “45”
02 “Stella Hurt”
03 “Black & White World”
04 “Ghost Train”
05 “Church Underground”
06 “God’s Comic”
07 “Suit Of Lights”
08 “Jimmie Standing In The Rain”
09 “Dr. Watson, I Presume”
10 “I Want To Vanish”
Night Five – 2/14:
01 “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
02 “Starting To Come To Me”
03 “Blue Chair”
04 “Dishonour The Stars”
05 “Toledo”
06 “High Fidelity”
07 “Stripping Paper”
08 “Riot Act”
09 “Beyond Belief”
10 “Indoor Fireworks”
Night Six – 2/16:
01 “Accidents Will Happen”
02 “Just A Memory”
03 “Suspect My Tears”
04 “The Loved Ones”
05 “Motel Matches”
06 “All Grown Up”
07 “Long Honeymoon”
08 “You Shouldn’t Look At Me That Way”
09 “Veronica”
10 “God Give Me Strength”
Night Seven – 2/17:
01 “Shot With His Own Gun”
02 “Still”
03 “When I Was Cruel No. 2”
04 “The Whirlwind”
05 “Isabelle In Tears”
06 “Town Cryer”
07 “I’ll Wear It Proudly ”
08 “The Comedians”
09 “My Dark Life”
10 “This House Is Empty Now”
Night Eight – 2/19:
01 “Talking In The Dark”
02 “London’s Brilliant Parade”
03 “I’m In The Mood Again”
04 “So Like Candy”
05 “He’s Given Me Things”
06 “Almost Blue”
07 “I Still Have That Other Girl”
08 “Favorite Hour”
09 “April 5th”
10 “The Birds Will Still Be Singing”
Night Nine – 2/20:
01 “In The Darkest Place”
02 “All This Useless Beauty”
03 “Hey Clock-face”
04 “You’ll Never Be A Man”
05 “The Last Confession Of Vivian Whip”
06 “Country Darkness”
07 “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror”
08 “Shipbuilding”
09 “All The Rage”
10 “Couldn’t Call It Unexpected No. 4”
Night Ten – 2/22:
01 “Radio Radio”
02 “Greenshirt”
03 “Hetty O’Hara Confidential”
04 “Everyday I Write The Book”
05 “The Boy Named If”
06 “Lipstick Vogue”
07 “Watching The Detectives”
08 “What If I Can’t Give You Anything But Love?”
09 “Man Out Of Time”
10 “I Want You”
Elvis Costello (Photo: Mark Seliger / Shore Fire Media
