Elvis Costello & The Imposters. 9 & 10 April, 2023 Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
“The Imposters will make their Sydney Opera House bow 39 years after I made my solo debut at that legendary venue.”
Elvis Costello
Sydney – Wednesday 14 September, 2022. The Sydney Opera House today announced that multi-award winning singer-songwriter and rock ’n’ roll hall of famer Elvis Costello will return to the Concert Hall for the first time in 17 years. Costello first played the Opera House in 1984 with The Attractions, then returned in 1985 to play alongside T-Bone Burnett. His most recent Opera House appearance was in 2006 as part of Sydney Festival in a very special collaboration with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Now, Costello is returning to the newly-renovated Concert Hall for two career-spanning performances, with his band of twenty years, The Imposters. Audiences can expect an electrifying set from the hits and headlines of Costello’s renowned song catalogue to numbers from their latest widely-acclaimed album release, The Boy Named If.
Elvis Costello said, “There is nothing that jolts a show alive so much as stack of strong new songs but we recorded The Boy Named If while locked away in our lairs and hideaways, so bringing those songs to the stage has made the hits and highlights of the songbook ring out anew.
We are bringing guest guitarist, Charlie Sexton with us, along for all our works and wonders for two nights in Sydney, before heading to Melbourne on this long overdue but all too brief visit to Australian shores.”
Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall, says: “Elvis Costello has one of the richest, most varied and critically lauded catalogues of any musician from the last 45 years, so it’s magnificent news that he’s bringing his astonishing repertoire and powerhouse band The Imposters to the renewed Concert Hall stage. From his own searing work and incredible collaborations with artists such as The Roots to producing career-defining albums for The Pogues and The Specials amongst others, Elvis Costello’s restless energy has invigorated the cultural landscape for nearly half a century.”
2022 marked 45 years since the release of Elvis Costello’s first 45rpm record and his debut album, My Aim Is True first hit the parade.
Among his 600 published titles, Costello is perhaps best known for the songs, “Alison”, “Pump It Up”, “Everyday I Write The Book”, while a popular concert favourite is Nick Lowe’s ever-timely “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding”. He has appeared worldwide with The Attractions, first visiting Australia in 1978, then in solo performance in 1984 and with Steve Nieve in 1999. For the last twenty years he has toured and recorded with The Imposters – Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, Davey Faragher – and they will be joined on these dates by guest guitarist, Charlie Sexton.
Since the 2017 release of the GRAMMY-winning, Look Now, Costello and co-producer, Sebastian Krys have worked on seven record releases together, including The Boy Named If and The Resurrection Of Rust in 2022.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Elvis Costello & The Imposters
WHEN: 7pm, Easter Sunday 9 April and 7pm, Easter Monday 10 April, 2023
WHERE: Concert Hall
TICKETS: From $109 + booking fee // sydneyoperahouse.com // +61 2 9250 7777
Insiders Pre-sale: 9am Wednesday,14 September
What’s On/Artist/Bluestfest Pre-sale: 12pm Wednesday,14 September
GP On Sale: 9am Friday, 16 September
