WARREN, Ohio – Elvis Costello and the Imposters will come to Packard Music Hall on Sept. 15, with special guest Charlie Sexton performing with the band.
The show is part of Costello’s “Radio Soul!” concert tour, which features music from the artist’s music from 1977 to 1986 – the early heyday of his career.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com and the Packard box office. An online-only presale will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday; use the password ELVIS.
Costello – whose long career has catapulted him to legend status – was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
The Imposters, Costello’s backing band since 2002, includes original members Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas, with Davey Faragher and Sexton on guitar.
The Warren show is just one of six new North American dates added to the tour, which will be in Europe for most of the summer.
The concert will draw upon songs ranging from the albums “My Aim Is True” to “Blood & Chocolate.” This nine-year segment saw the arrival of some of the artist’s most renowned songs, from “Watching the Detectives” to “I Want You.
The concert will also include later songs by the artist, including “Alison,” “Man Out of Time” and “Brilliant Mistake.”
Costello explained the surprising theme of the tour, and its title, in a news release.
“For any songwriter, it has to be a compliment if people want to hear songs written up to 50 years ago,” he said. “Among them, “Radio Soul,” the first draft of what eventually became “Radio Radio.”
Costello said his decision to focus the concert on a specific period of time will be strengthened by his band members.
“You can expect the unexpected and the faithful in equal measure,” he said. “Don’t forget this show is performed by Elvis Costello and the Imposters, an ensemble which includes three people who first recorded this music and two more who bring something entirely new. They are nobody’s tribute band. The Imposters are a living, breathing, swooning, kicking and screaming rock and roll band who can turn their hands to a pretty ballad when the opportunity arises.”
Despite the historical approach, Costello said he is not interested in merely reliving the past.
“I want to bring these songs into the present day, one more time, in the event they are ever pushed out of the way by the next number that I write,” he said. “You could say time is running out, but only time will tell.”
The tour follows Costello’s recent appearance on the vinyl episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where he was part of the ensemble accompanying Paul McCartney for his closing performance of “Hello Goodbye.”
Pictured at top: Elvis Costello. (Photo by Ray Di Pietro)