Elvis Costello fans got a bit of a surprise at his show in Philadelphia Wednesday night.
Earlier in the day, the rocker revealed in an Instagram Story that two members of his band The Imposters were “indisposed,” so he was going to “initially take the stage alone,” adding “surprises and hilarity will ensue.”
According to setlist.fm, Costello opened the show at the The Mann Center for the Performing Arts with just his longtime collaborator Steve Nieve, explaining that Imposters band member Davey Faragher and guitarist Charlie Sexton had “fallen afoul of a bad piece of fish.”
He then treated the crowd to a set that included classics like “Pump It Up,” “Accidents Will Happen,” “A Face in the Crowd” and more, before being joined by Imposters drummer Pete Thomas, who remained for the rest of the set.
He went on to play hits like “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes,” which was dedicated to Willie Nelson, “Alison,” “Everyday I Write The Book,” “Peace Love and Understanding” and more.
Costello is currently on a co-headlining tour with Daryl Hall. They play Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Friday. A complete list of dates can be found at elviscostello.com.
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