Elvis Costello and the Imposters Live in Memphis RED Distribution DVD (2005) $19.98 Available at Amazon.

Reputation? Bad show? I beg your pardon?

Could he possibly be talking about the man who, on the legendary Live at El Mocambo set, seemed to be channeling pure musicianship and pure anger into a white-hot arrow of brilliance? The man who, along with that human "Dancing Queen" piano line Steve Nieve, reimagined many of those songs as stripped-down, acoustic/piano ballads? The band that, when I first saw them in person, fully channeled the fiery youths who first recorded those blistering, stunning songs, and at the same time quickly and easily changed the tone and feel of any song they were playing? Reputation for putting on a bad live show? What the fuck was he talking about? Thankfully, any lingering questions about Costello and the Imposters' (that's the Attractions with a different bass player, for those of you keeping score at home) ability to burn up a stage should be nicely put to rest by this DVD.

The brilliant concept here was to record the man and his band in a far smaller venue than they would usually play. This may or may not have been a deliberate attempt to recreate Mocambo's feel, but it's a brilliant move, regardless: any edge these guys may have lost to age and comfort is sheared away by the size and proximity of the audience. Elvis's prodigious sweat is unquestionably spattering the first few rows, and Pete Thomas could probably toss a drumstick and hit the back door of the club.

From the moment they hit the stage, these consummate pros have the audience in their hands. They open with the My Aim Is True album cut "Waiting For The End Of The World", a clever way of proving to the hard-core faithful who undoubtedly did whatever was necessary to score tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime show that the band knew to whom they were playing. "Radio Radio" follows, of course, sporting a truly raw sound from Costello's guitar that brings back memories of the legendary and controversial SNL performance of long ago. By the time "Mystery Dance" roils in, on a wave of Benny Goodman drum rolls and Steve Nieve-cum-Jerry Lee Lewis piano seizures, there's no question that this joint is jumping.

The remainder of the DVD's running order alternates nicely between classics like "Blame It On Cain" and "Mystery Dance", and a sizable number of tracks from the band's latest opus, The Delivery Man. It's a testament to the quality of these newer tracks that they hold their own with the classics. And, as if there wasn't enough musical talent already on stage, the legendary Emmylou Harris joins the group to sing a couple of her old standards ("Wheels" and "I Still Miss Someone"), along with one of Costello's latest, "Heart-Shaped Bruise". While EC and EH aren't necessarily the most natural vocal pairing that comes to mind, they make some sweet music here. The show closes with a touching "Alison", a rave-up "What's So Funny (About Peace, Love, and Understanding)" and a truly enormous "Pump It Up". It must have been one hell of a show.

The extras, while not overwhelming, are significant. The DVD includes four "bonus tracks"; these were clearly culled from the same performance, or series of performances, from which the show proper was drawn, so it's a bit strange that they're separated from the main running order. Regardless of the rather odd placement, they're solid enough, and include two more Emmylou Harris duets.

There's also a documentary, entitled "Off The Beaten Path". It's priceless, at least for the hardcore Elvis Costello fan. It centers on Mr. McManus and Attractions/Imposters drummer Bruce Thomas as they travel around Memphis, taking in the sights. Their driver is an American musical historian, or some such, and the Memphis setting, the UK accents from the back seat, and the American accents from the front, all combine to make Spinal Tap comparisons inevitable. Eventually, though, the awkwardness that fuels that impression fades, and everyone settles into the gentle artificiality of the experience. There's absolutely no reason to watch the doc unless you're interested in hearing these guys shoot the random shit, but for me and those like me, it's a must-have. There are a few moments that aren't completely fan-service: Costello ruminates on the lack of deep grooves in many popularized forms of rock/blues/R&B, and cogently notes that the difference between The Attractions and The Imposters (which in reality differ by exactly one member each, bassists Bruce Thomas and former Cracker bassist Davey Farragher, respectively) is that the latter has a true rhythm section, while in the former the rhythm duties fell to the drums and the guitar, and the bass and keyboard parts largely consisted of carefully integrated solos. There are, of course, a couple of inevitable jam sessions, in this case including a bit at the studio where they recently recorded The Delivery Man, and it's all good fun.

Overall, Live In Memphis is an excellent purchase for the Elvis Costello fanatic in your life -- a well-assembled chronicle of a band in the sunset of their career, proving that they can still rock a house the way they could twenty-five years ago.

-- Brett McCallon