Following a nearly month-long stint of shows, Elvis Costello & The Imposters and Blondie have officially wrapped their 2019 summer co-headlining tour. The two New Wave pioneers hit the road back in July and have been traveling across the United States ever since. As expected, this legendary bill created a tour to remember as fans flocked to all thirteen dates to catch a glimpse of the much-anticipated show.
Both acts rose to the top of the music world back in the late 70s, becoming heavy influencers in the rising New Wave and punk scenes of the time. Making a point to stake their presence in entertainment, both Elvis Costello and Blondie have continued to release new music over the past forty years. Combined, Costello and Blondie have created over thirty-five studio albums, with a few having competed against each other on the charts at the same time.
Logically, with such history under their belts, it made perfect sense to bring these acts together, and it sure paid off as they brought back their classic sound around the nation.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and this tour did just that in Seattle, Washington this past weekend. And while it’s sad to imagine their final summer performances, it’s exciting to look back at the tour in its entirety and reminisce on the historic bill that just swept the nation.
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Unlike their tour counterpart, Blondie stuck to a relatively consistent setlist throughout much of the U.S. trek. With a hefty fourteen to seventeen-song setlist each night, Blondie was sure to please the crowd, performing countless hits alongside a couple of popular covers. Check out their final setlist from Seattle here!
Opening with their most performed song live, Blondie kicked off each night with “One Way or Another” before diving into even more hits like “Call Me,” “Sunday Girl,” and “Rapture.” But what really elicited a crowd reaction throughout the tour was their surprising cover of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” Talk about an unexpected perfect fit!
To end off each night, they closed their first set with “Atomic” and the famous “Heart of Glass” before heading back to stage for a three-song encore featuring Matt Monro’s “From Russia With Love,” Debbie Harry’s own “You’re Too Hot,” and Blondie’s unforgettable hit, “Dreaming.”
Taking the stage after Blondie, Elvis Costello & The Imposters had a lot to live up to all tour long. Known for changing their setlist from night-to-night, Costello stuck to that trend throughout the majority of the tour. However, even with nightly tweaks, the setlist remained relatively consistent as the band was sure to touch on the hits every night.
Often sporting his famous not-so-cowboy hat, Costello opened every night with “Pump It Up,” his most performed song live. He continued each show playing songs that crossed over different Costello eras. From Elvis Costello & The Attractions to solo Elvis Costello credits, the band consistently performed hits like “Clubland,” “Beyond Belief,” “Alison” and “Accidents Will Happen” to die-hard crowds across the country.
Closing the show, Elvis Costello & The Imposters returned to stage at the request of the audience every night, performing an ever-changing encore that always culminated with their original cover of Brinsley Schwarz’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.”
With a simple production behind them, both Elvis Costello and Blondie took advantage of their never-ending hits as they graced the same stage across the United States this past month. Finishing off with a spark in Seattle, the two legends officially wrapped their tour for 2019, but don't fret just yet.
If you didn’t get a chance to catch the show, Elvis Costello & The Imposters are set to hit the road once again on their own U.S. tour starting in October. Check out all of those upcoming dates below and don’t forget to grab tickets at LiveNation!
Also, make sure to check out photos from their date at Concord Pavillion in Concord, California on August 8th. Blondies photos are in the head while Costello's are below!
10/23 – Charlottesville, VA @ Sprint Pavilion
10/24 – Hershey, PA @ The Hershey Theatre
10/26 – Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
10/27 – Burlington, VT @ Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
10/29 – Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theatre
10/30 – Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theatre
11/01 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
11/02 – Greensboro, NC @ Piedmont Hall
11/04 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
11/05 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
11/07 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Broward Center for Performing Arts
11/08 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre
11/10 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Mahaffey Theater
11/11 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
11/13 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
11/15 – Memphis, TN @ Graceland Soundstage
11/16 – Carmel, IN @ Center for Performing Arts
11/17 – Louisville, KY @ The Palace Theatre
11/19 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
11/20 – Ann Arbor, MI @ Michigan Theatre
11/22 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
11/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
11/24 – Madison, WI @ The Orpheum Theater
11/26 – Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre
