Plenty old, some new, a few borrowed, and a couple blues.  The giant wheel accompanying Elvis Costello and The Imposters on their Revolver Tour popped up with plenty of classics on Wednesday night.  A packed O2 was treated to a mammoth set clocking in at just under three hours by the magnificent entertainer that is Elvis Costello, backed on the night by a three piece incarnation of The Imposters.  Drawing on songs from every corner of his career, showcasing his influences, and engaging the crowd with wit, humour, and charm, Costello was in terrific form.

The spinning songbook idea behind the Revolver Tour worked brilliantly in the O2, a pair of beautiful assistants plucking people at random from the audience and getting them onstage to spin the giant wheel and then have a seat or dance while the band tore into their selection. With songs such as (I Don’t Want To) Go To Chelsea, Alison, Oliver’s Army, She, Watching the Detectives, Pump it Up, and Everyday I Write The Book there was plenty of dancing done by audience members onstage and in the seats. Costello’s overall showmanship was also to the fore throughout, with some great witty musings and a strong willingness to engage with his audience at all times.

Paying tribute to some of his heroes, covers of songs by Nick Lowe, The Beatles, George Jones, and Johnny Cash cropped up during the set and there was even time for three great solo acoustic blues tunes from Costello himself. A five song encore including (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding and Prince’s Purple Rain wrapped up with a blistering, extended workout on I Want You, a brilliant end to the night’s entertainment.