Review 2008

He’s been to Chilliwack and back.

In doing so, he made a lot of gray haired ladies in the audience happy and some older gents left the Prince George Playhouse Sunday with nostalgic smiles on their faces.

During two sets of back to back Elvis tunes, top Canadian tribute artist Steve Elliott charmed the younger members of the crowd too. Just like the late King of Rock ‘n roll himself.

Indeed, by the time Elliott had left the building after a night of performing, signing autographs and CDs and posing for photos, the generation gap was closed. Everyone was a fan.

Elliott has studied the Elvis phenomenon and adapted many of the famous singer’s trademarks like giving adoring fans brightly hued silk scarves from his neck, snarling his upper lip, moving suggestively (fans would say naturally) and using the mic stand as a limbo pole.

The pace on stage was fast and furious (or dark and dramatic, depending on the song) and there were a few cameo Elvis’ signature karate moves – from the back, amid strobe lighting – circa the Las Vegas show era. Still, though Elliott has the voice of a choir boy/opera singer/rock star, he’s first and foremost true to himself.

He does it ‘his way.’

Elliott has an unassuming stage presence which befits someone doing tribute to a southern gentleman gospel singer.

He makes the audience laugh in much the same self-effacing way Elvis did. “Better turn the house lights up, so I don't kiss a man,"

he joked..

His family is a big part of his career. During the show, the Chilliwack singer dedicated a song to his wife who looks after his sound equipment and paid tribute to his “talented mother back home” who makes his scarves and costumes – and if you saw the elaborately designed white rhinestone encrusted jumpsuit, you know what he means.

Elliott’s voice was best showcased with the ballads he did, not just with the Elvis tribute tunes but with the Roy Orbison and Louis Armstrong songs he belted out that demonstrated his amazing vocal range. My favourite pick of the night was his wonderful rendition of Suspicious Minds and it was beautifully done.

He probably sang 30 or 40 Elvis songs including Jailhouse Rock, Amazing Grace, Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Swede Shoes, Little Sister, In The Ghetto (dynamite) and dedicated his last song of the night, American Trilogy, to Canadian soldiers serving overseas.

He told the audience and the Free Press after the show he will be back with a gospel show and maybe some ballads next year. Let’s hope so.

Patsy Bartholomew as Patsy Cline is charming on stage and off. She began with Sweet Dreams, her personal favorite hit, and gave the audience several more. The mother of five told me after the show she teamed up Elliott after playing a few shows with him.

“He loves this,” she said, looking over to where Elliott was signing autographs. “He just loves performing for people.”

As the baby boomers grow older and fewer of us remember the real Elvis, it will be good to have Elliott around to keep his memory alive.

Audience gets all shook up