Elvis Costello Ticket

One of the numerous fun aspects of the early Scorgie’s days, and the music scene in Rochester at that time, was that the whole new music trend really had not caught on yet.  There was a small dedicated group that went to the club to listen to the custom stocked juke box and drink Bass Ale on tap.  It was like a hidden secret clubhouse for a short while.  So it was not uncommon to run into celebrities there, or invite them to drop by.

One night worth mentioning was after seeing Elvis Costello perform at the Auditorium Theatre in early 1979.  A few of us knew where he was staying and stopped by the hotel lounge after the show (thanks to John Pusateri, a man in the know!).  We told him we’d love for him to stop by Scorgie’s where he would probably not even be recognized and have a drink, listen to the tunes and hang out.  So, well, he did just walk over to Scorgie’s with a small entourage, came in the door and went quickly downstairs.  They ordered drinks, sitting at a table conversing amongst themselves.  Elvis was quickly recognized and people started commenting and asking for his autograph.  He was not thrilled about this (actually somewhat annoyed by the attention) and pushed people off with a simple “f*** you.”   The people near me complained that he was being rude.  I said, “I bet you $10 I can get his autograph.”  I was dared to do it.  So I walked up to him and told him I bet someone ten bucks that I could get his autograph.  He calmly responded, “f*** them” and graciously signed my ticket stub from the show.  Then he went back to his conversation and hung out for a while longer.  I went back to my table with the autograph, got my $10 and enjoyed another drink or two.

Later that year I walked into Scorgie’s with some of the members of Devo under similar circumstances.  Of course no one recognzed them without the yellow paper suits . . .

Ticket Back with Elvis' Autograph