Elvis Costello is currently touring North America with his band The Imposters on the Radio Soul! tour, performing songs from his early catalog. The six-date run begins September 10, 2026 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and concludes September 18 in Muskegon, Michigan .
The Radio Soul! Tour
The tour is officially billed as “Radio Soul!: The Songs of Elvis Costello From The Early Days to the Late Hours.” It focuses on material spanning his 1977 debut album My Aim Is True through 1986’s Blood & Chocolate, a remarkably productive period that yielded eleven albums in nine years . Costello has described the shows as featuring both familiar favorites and songs audiences may never have heard him perform live before .
Tour Dates and Locations
The newly added North American dates are the only scheduled appearances with an electric band in the region. The run begins at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on September 10. The tour then crosses into Canada for a September 12 show at the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario .
Following the Canadian stop, Costello and the band return to the United States for performances at the Agora Theatre in Cleveland on September 13 and the Packard Music Hall in Warren, Ohio on September 15 . The tour continues at the Royal Oak Music Theatre in Royal Oak, Michigan on September 16 before concluding at the Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon, Michigan on September 18 .
The Band
Costello performs with his longtime backing band The Imposters, which includes Steve Nieve on keyboards and Pete Thomas on drums, both original members of his seminal band The Attractions. Davey Faragher completes the rhythm section on bass . The lineup is augmented by guitarist Charlie Sexton, a Texas-based musician known for his work with Bob Dylan .
What to Expect at the Shows
Reviews from the European leg of the tour provide insight into the concert experience. The setlist typically features around 26 songs, drawing heavily from Costello’s early catalog . The band performs high-energy renditions of songs like “Pump It Up,” “Watching the Detectives,” and “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” alongside deeper cuts such as “Lipstick Vogue” and “Little Triggers” .
Midway through each show, Costello and the band shift into a stripped-back acoustic segment. This portion explores the country-leaning material from albums like Almost Blue and King of America, with arrangements featuring stand-up bass and brushed drums . Songs like “A Good Year for the Roses” and “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down” are reworked into slower, soulful interpretations during this section .Elvis Costello Quick Bio
Note on age: Born August 25, 1954, Costello is currently 71 years old. Some sources cite a 1955 birth year, but his official memoir and BBC profiles confirm 1954 .
Critical Reception
Reviews of the Radio Soul! tour have been mixed regarding Costello’s vocal performance. The Telegraph noted that the show “veered between punchy garage-rock blasts” and “offbeat rearrangements” that occasionally exceeded the singer’s current vocal range . The Independent observed that while Costello’s songwriting genius was evident, his voice showed “the unavoidable frays of time,” and some lyrical nuances were difficult to discern .
Other critics were more enthusiastic. Contactmusic praised the Royal Albert Hall performance as “a masterclass in post-punk vigor and soulful reinvention,” highlighting a gospel-tinged version of “I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down” that transformed the venue into a “sweaty, high-energy Stax revival tent” . UNCUT described the Brighton show as “an unexpectedly subtle masterclass,” noting that the songs of an angry young man now carried the weight of a 71-year-old’s perspective .
Costello’s Perspective on the Tour
Costello has been candid about his approach to revisiting early material. In an interview with the Yorkshire Post, he explained that he is “neither nostalgic” nor attempting to “deny or defy time” . “I am happy and proud to play songs that people have embraced over time,” he said. “They used to call such enduring songs ‘Standards’ but I am the only one singing these songs, so I must sing them and play them as we feel them” .
The singer also addressed his creative restlessness, noting that he regularly alters lyrics and arrangements to keep the material vital. “I figured if I’d billed it the songs of the late Elvis Costello, maybe people wouldn’t come,” he joked. “So I wanted to make sure that people knew that they’re going to hear some things they may have always wanted to hear and I’ve never heard before” .
Ticket Information
Tickets for the North American dates are available through standard ticketing platforms. According to Vivid Seats, prices for Elvis Costello concerts currently start at approximately $286**, with an average ticket price of **$485 including fees . Availability and pricing vary by venue and demand.
Background on the Artist
Elvis Costello, born Declan MacManus in London, emerged as a defining voice of the New Wave scene with his 1977 debut My Aim Is True . He was the first artist signed to the legendary Stiff Records label in 1976, a home to punk-adjacent acts including Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, and Nick Lowe . Over his career, he has scored fourteen top ten albums and won two Grammy Awards, while collaborating with artists such as Paul McCartney, Allen Toussaint, and Burt Bacharach .
The Radio Soul! tour represents a focused return to the era that established Costello as one of Britain’s most distinctive songwriters. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, the North American dates offer a rare opportunity to hear these foundational songs performed with the same band that has backed him for decades, filtered through the perspective of nearly fifty years of artistic evolution.
What is the Elvis Costello Radio Soul tour?
The Radio Soul! tour is Elvis Costello’s 2026 concert run with his band The Imposters and guitarist Charlie Sexton, featuring songs from his early catalog recorded between 1977 and 1986 . The North American leg spans six dates in September 2026, traveling from Pennsylvania to Michigan .
When and where are the North American tour dates?
The six-date run begins September 10, 2026 at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and concludes September 18 at the Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon, Michigan . Stops include Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Warren, and Royal Oak . According to Costello’s official site, these are currently the only scheduled North American appearances with an electric band .
Which songs does Elvis Costello perform on the Radio Soul tour?
The setlist draws from albums released between 1977’s My Aim Is True and 1986’s Blood & Chocolate, a nine-year period that produced enduring compositions like “Watching The Detectives,” “Alison,” and “Man Out Of Time” . Live recordings confirm performances of “Pump It Up,” “Radio Radio,” “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” and “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” . Costello has also incorporated covers including Sam & Dave’s “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down” and George Jones’s “A Good Year for the Roses” .
Who performs with Elvis Costello on this tour?
Costello is backed by The Imposters, featuring Steve Nieve on keyboards, Pete Thomas on drums, and Davey Faragher on bass . Charlie Sexton, known for his work with Bob Dylan, joins on guitar . Nieve and Thomas were both members of The Attractions, Costello’s seminal backing band from the late 1970s .
How can fans get tickets for the Elvis Costello tour?
Tickets are available through standard platforms including Live Nation and resale marketplaces . According to Vivid Seats, prices for Elvis Costello concerts start at approximately $286**, with an average ticket price of **$485 including fees . Costello’s official website advises checking directly for the most current availability and any additional dates .
