I scored tickets to a closed taping of Elvis Costello's Spectacle this evening in Toronto. I am a big Elvis fan, and like the show, though it is only on the Sundance Channel in the US.

The last time they did a closed taping was in September, when Bono and the Edge were the guests. They filmed it in Toronto, as U2 were playing there that week. Most of the shows are filmed at the Apollo Theatre in NYC.

They are being very tight-lipped about who the guest is for tonite's taping. It's odd that they would move the show to Toronto for a week. Rumor has it the guest is possibly Paul McCartney. Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities. No one of substance is playing Toronto this week, so all I can guess is someone is flying in for the taping....or maybe in Toronto on business. Maybe the Stones meeting with their usual promoter?

sounds like fun

Sweet, have fun and let us know!

This is killing me... Looking forward to the update.

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Ah, Gazza, your legendary - and, frankly, enviable - encyclopedic knowledge fails you for once. They DO have a connection. Elvis had a two year affair with Bebe Buell (groupie extraordinaire - "Party Girl" and chunks of "Imperial Bedroom" were about her), who had a bit of "backstage lurve" from Jagger. Maybe they can do a duet of "Star @#$%&".

My money's on Macca.

I don't get what's happened to the other Elvis. He's turned into a kind of mumsy, uglier version of Ellen.

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Elvis sat right in front of me at the first Shine a Light show at the Beacon.

wouldn't bet on a mick or keith appearance, but not sure why their lack of connectivity to EC should have anything to do with it...most of his guests don't, my what i've seen....

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fiftyamp

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Elvis sat right in front of me at the first Shine a Light show at the Beacon.

No doubt he's a fan but I havent seen any indication to suggest the admiration is reciprocal.

Sounds like a cool party. Have fun and let us know please

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Keep On Rolling

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Gazza

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fiftyamp

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Elvis sat right in front of me at the first Shine a Light show at the Beacon.

No doubt he's a fan but I havent seen any indication to suggest the admiration is reciprocal.

but that's probably true for many other artists/acts...i have no idea whom these guys admire, but i'm sure they admire many of the same acts that many of us do. i'd be surprised if both mick and keith weren't closet costello admirers...

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Nikolai

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Ah, Gazza, your legendary - and, frankly, enviable - encyclopedic knowledge fails you for once. They DO have a connection. Elvis had a two year affair with Bebe Buell (groupie extraordinaire - "Party Girl" and chunks of "Imperial Bedroom" were about her), who had a bit of "backstage lurve" from Jagger. Maybe they can do a duet of "Star @#$%&".

LMAO. They also both recorded live albums at the El Mocambo, but your connection is even more tenuous!

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Nikolai
I don't get what's happened to the other Elvis. He's turned into a kind of mumsy, uglier version of Ellen.

Delicious wife, though.

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T&A

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Gazza

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fiftyamp

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Elvis sat right in front of me at the first Shine a Light show at the Beacon.

No doubt he's a fan but I havent seen any indication to suggest the admiration is reciprocal.

but that's probably true for many other artists/acts...i have no idea whom these guys admire, but i'm sure they admire many of the same acts that many of us do. i'd be surprised if both mick and keith weren't closet costello admirers...

Nah. Elvis is white, under 75 and still breathing. Keith wouldnt be interested.

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Gazza

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T&A

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Gazza

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fiftyamp

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Elvis sat right in front of me at the first Shine a Light show at the Beacon.

No doubt he's a fan but I havent seen any indication to suggest the admiration is reciprocal.

but that's probably true for many other artists/acts...i have no idea whom these guys admire, but i'm sure they admire many of the same acts that many of us do. i'd be surprised if both mick and keith weren't closet costello admirers...

Nah. Elvis is white, under 75 and still breathing. Keith wouldnt be interested.

that's just keith on the outside...he's different on the inside....

A bit off topic...but werent you supposed to be making a trip over here around now? Did it go tits up?

tits up for me - my buddy is flying out tonite to belfast - i had to postpone for a number of reasons - looking at next year, though.

Elvis and The Attractions had Aftermath on heavy rotation for their first US Tour, which influenced the sound and songwriting of EC's 2nd album, This Year's Model...Just listen to This Year's Girl - very Aftermath-y.

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fiftyamp

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Gazza

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buffalo7478
Others have mentioned Mick and/or Keith as possibilities.

If they have, they're dreaming.

The Stones have no connection at all with Costello. Can't see how anyone could even imagine it's a possibility.

Elvis sat right in front of me at the first Shine a Light show at the Beacon.

Yep - he also stood next to me at the bar there that night.

Apparently Costello was listening to Aftermath a lot before recording his classic This Year's Model album.

Well, like any rock and roller worth his or her salt, Elvis has praised the Stones publicly. He also opened for them on one of their last 2 tours (can't remember which, though I think maybe it was the Licks tour - just for one show though). Anyway, I would recommend this show to anyone. It's a great balance of basic talk show style format mixed with a heavy emphasis on musical discussion. Funnily enough, I think the guest EC seemed most awestruck to be with was Bill Clinton. He actually seemed almost intimidated (something that seems rare for him).

so who was the guest, buffalo7478?
or are you under a cone of silence?

[Tap, tap tap...] Ahem. [Looking at watch...]

Sorry for the delayed response, the show ran late, and I was honored by our border patrol with having my car pulled over at the border and thoroughy searched as I drove back from Canada at 2 am.

Great show. The guests were Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Michael Jagger. They sat with Elvis and did acoustic covers of each others songs, then a debate ensured over which band, Beatles or Stones, is having a more lasting impact on the music of today.

OK...not really. Though it would have been fun. The 'guest' was supposed to have been Sir Elton John, and he was to have turned the table on Elvis, and have Elton be the interviewer, and Elvis be the one answering the questions. Since Elton had to be hospitalized with the flu, he had to bow out at the 11th hour. In his place, the host became the actress Mary Louise Parker (award-winning stage and screen American actress). This was disclosed to the audience toward the end of the taping. We just ran with it and enjoyed all that was happening, not sure where it was going.

So while it was a bit of a letdown that there would be no Mick, Keith, Paul or even Elton as a guest, Elvis made up for it with some great conversation and impassioned performances of both hits and very deep gems, both solo and with the Imposters. They finished the taping around 9:30. They then came back and re-did two songs (Accidents Will Happen and I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea) as their were issues with the original taping.

After finishing those, and the 'crowd' (of maybe 200....I was front/center 2 meters from Elvis) going wild, Elvis just kept playing, and teh band just tried to roll with him. No setlist, just going with the flow, playing another half hour of extremely impassioned music. In the end, Elvis (who is maybe thinner than he was in 1977) was worn out, drenched in perspiration, and thanks those in attendance, and those who had worked on Spectacle, as this was the last show they would be doing.

A really special night, even without any added guests. I am sure only a small fraction of the taping will make it to the broadcast show. I sooooo wish I could get a recording of the rest. My favorite music experience of my life, so far.

Very special indeed.

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Keep On Rolling

very nice buffalo....that's awesome

buffalo: that is a good show and I have looked the past to getting tix as well, with no luck. do you mind if i ask how you did it? also, did you mean last episode taped in toronto or season or forever??? thanks.

I got them as a member of Elvis' Fan Club, which is free to join. It allows presale ticket access to virtually every show that he headlines, and has included chances for tickets to see Spectacle. This is the first time I was able to take advantage of the Spectacle offer - the shows in NYC were not going to be very convenient to get to. They email the fan club list, and the first 50 to respond get in. No free CD at Holiday time as some clubs have....but then again, no cost to join. They also made sure that people in the fan club had the very best seats, over MTV and CBC execs, advertisers etc. Very nice touch.

I was under the impression that this was the season two finale. It is how it was presented on the shows website. Elvis, and maybe he was just tired or mis-spoke, said it was his 'last show'. Definitely had the connotation that it was more than a season finale. But again, it was a few hours into it. Elvis had done a lot of talking up to that point, so maybe he mis-spoke. I certainly hope this season is not the end. It's a great show.

A cool night for sure, even without special guests. Congrats on scoring the tix!

Not to belabor the Costello-Stones discussion, but my daughter saw Elvis this summer and said he did a version of "Happy" with his latest folky band.