Spectacle: Elvis Costello with … (2008-2010)
Did you know that Elvis Costello once hosted a talk show?
Me neither! But it’s true.
For 21 episodes across two seasons from 2008 to 2010, his show Spectacle played on the Sundance Channel and, if you can find them, they are very entertaining.
Executive produced – and I expect driven – by Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, these shows were intended to give Elvis an opportunity to talk to fellow musicians about their influences and then play some of that music to a studio audience.
The content below was originally paywalled.
Sir Elton was the first guest and Elvis’s band The Imposters was augmented by James Burton (Elvis Presley’s guitarist) and New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint on piano.
Guests across the series include Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, Costello’s wife Diana Krall, and the opera singer Renée Fleming.
An early highlight is a rare interview with Lou Reed – a smiling and charming Lou Reed – where the pair bond over doo-wop influences, challenge each other over ‘secret chords’ and Reed’s best friend, artist Julian Schnabel, arrives on stage drunk to tell them both how much he loves them.
It’s like a Manhattan version of Jools Holland’s Lately, but Costello is more humble and more knowledgable.
The performances are variable in quality – sometimes improvisational is just a synonym for unrehearsed – but the series as a whole is a joy.
Where to find Spectacle
You can find extracts on YouTube. I’m not sure how legitimate the source is, and the Lou Reed show for example is curtailed, but there’s some gold there for sure.
The whole of season one is on DVD from Aro Street or Alice in Videoland.
I’m very grateful to the person who bought me the box set and I’m glad I have it in the house.
