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On the Beat: David Menconi on music

News & Observer music critic David Menconi's random (and we do mean random) musings about all things related to music and culture of the "popular" variety.

Change partners: Elvis Costello and...Clay Aiken?

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One of the most delightful surprises on television recently was last month's "30 Rock" season finale, featuring an all-star sing-along on a faux-anthem called "Kidney Now." Elvis Costello served as ringleader, opposite Mary J. Blige and even Raleigh "American Idol" star Clay Aiken. Costello will bring an acoustic band to Cary's Booth Amphitheater for a show on Sunday; and if Aiken were to turn up wanting to crash the party, Costello would probably just roll with it -- the man is used to unusual collaborations, after all.

"Maybe your local boy might want to sing some country?" Costello asked with a laugh during a recent interview. "He can hop on up and do some harmonies with us; maybe some gospel. You never know what might happen!"

Well, probably not. But as to what might really happen at Sunday's show, complete with lots of talk about Costello's new album, check out the interview in Friday's paper.

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About the blogger

David Menconi has been the News & Observer's music critic since 1991. Before that, he spent five years at the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colo.; and before that, he earned a journalism masters degree from the University of Texas (on top of an English degree from Southwestern University). You can find more of his writing here.

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