From Chats:

The Daily Telegraph
Edition 1
FRI 20 JAN 2006, Page 028
Sydney Confidential - By FIONA CONNOLLY, SARAH GRANT, CHRIS BARRETT

Rusty's on a long musical journey

FROM Yamba to Los Angeles and back to Newtown in less than a week, Russell Crowe (pictured) is going to great lengths to further his musical career -- literally.

Hot off the plane from Hollywood's glittering Golden Globe Awards, Rusty pulled off a top-class gig with his band The Ordinary Fear of God on Wednesday night when he was unexpectedly joined on stage by legendary singer Elvis Costello.

Eclectic popstar Costello, who is in town for the Sydney Festival, thrilled Rusty's resident audience at Newtown venue The Vanguard when he accepted the invitation to sing a few numbers with the Hollywood star and singer.

Not a bad way to cure the post Golden Globes blues for the big guy, who missed out on the best male actor gong, which went to Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"It was a pretty big mission for him to do the show given he'd just flown in from LA, but having Elvis there perked him up considerably,'' Vanguard booker John Cass told Confidential.

Post-show, the unlikely duo headed up to the band room where they hung out sinking beers until about 2am.

Crowe heads back to The Vanguard next week before playing at Parliament House in Canberra for the Australia Day Live 06 concert. Rusty will play his first gig at annual Tamworth twang-fest, the Country Music Awards on January 28.