Elvis Costello tours the Philharmonie

“On this tour we will be playing several places called Philharmonics, that’s new for us, isn’t it?” In the middle of the concert he gave on Friday September 22nd at the Philharmonie du Luxembourg, Elvis Costello turned to his accomplice, the pianist Steve Nieve.

The two musicians, who have been playing together since 1978 (“Steve was 17, I was 22» specifies Costello) have been performing together for several months, which seems like an overview of a long-term career: 32 studio albums since 1977.

At 69 years old, Elvis Costello returns to certain cities where he has not performed for many years, such as Paris: his last concert in our capital took place in October 2014! It is thanks to the collaboration between the Paris and Luxembourg Philharmonics and other European venues that this small tour can take place today, as private promoters are reluctant to produce a “cult” artist like this critical darling, who has never reached greatness Audience success in our regions.

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Partnership between ten cinemas in continental Europe

Taking a TGV from Paris, accompanied by a tour manager and a sound engineer, Costello and Steve Nieve arrived in Luxembourg on the afternoon of Friday the 22nd. Luxembourg, where he had only performed once, had pulled out all the stops to welcome him. The concert took place in the Grand Auditorium of this magnificent venue, which was inaugurated in June 2005.

The majestic building, designed by French architect Christian de Portzamparc, benefited from the expertise of renowned acoustician Albert Xu. Designed around 823 white columns depicting a forest, this impressive facility houses three rooms: the Grand Auditorium (1,400 seats), a room for chamber music and jazz (333 seats) and an open space mainly dedicated to children’s projects. With more than 400 performances per year, the Philharmonic is a lively place in the heart of Europe, in a city of 170 different nationalities and 3 official languages ​​(German, French, English), just 25 kilometers from the French border.

Under the direction of Stephan Gehmacher, the Philharmonic offers 70% classical music, but also jazz, pop and song. Francisco Sassetti, programmer, explains that the presence of Elvis Costello within its walls is the result of a partnership between ten cinemas in continental Europe.

A moment that is as rare as it is spontaneous

On stage, the English rocker and his pianist alter ego offer a moment that is as rare as it is spontaneous, with optimal listening comfort. The complicity between the two musicians becomes clear from the first notes. On guitar, whether acoustic, classical or electric, Elvis Costello draws on the sides of a repertoire with whom he has collaborated in all stripes, from Paul McCartney to Burt Bacharach and his wife Diana Krall.

The voice is sometimes worn and struggles to reach the high notes, but the performer’s presence and humor are intact. The emotion embraces when he interprets shipbuildinghis most beautiful composition, or symbol What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?where the exceptional Steve Nieve supports him as a singer.

The Englishman, who has lived in Paris for 30 years, has some surprises in store for the audience of the French capital for this Sunday evening’s concert, which will take place in another philharmonic hall, this time in Paris.