So our concert was the Monday before Christmas, not the best day for a concert, but we managed. Vince and I hit the road and had a great trip down thankfully. We met Kathy at our fave French restaurant, La Guillotine and had a delicious meal before wandering over to the new ICC for the concert. A short walk on a balmy night.
Leading into the centre was a yellow brick road, which was a lovely touch. We had seats in the middle section of the centre towards the back. The centre is nothing special but the seating is great in that every seat gives a great view and the sound and lighting was spectacular. The stage itself was tailor made for Elton with an interesting yellow brick road backdrop and gold edging with loads of Elton references carved within.
There was a grand piano, natch, left of stage, and beyond that a steep section with cutout bits for the band. Ray Cooper took over the top section with his infectious percussioning. Drums and keyboards the bottom section. Bass and Guitar on stage with Elton. It was fun sitting there (once my vertigo settled, oh vey, we were up high!) watching the crowd come in, such a range of ages. Elton's music really is timeless.
And so it began, with those heady, thumping piano chords of Benny and The Jets. The crowd went wild.
I loved the concert, it was wildly entertaining but it lacked a lot. Not enough to be disappointing, but nowhere near enough to place it in the realms of the joy I experienced seeing Paul McCartney or Fleetwood Mac.
The setlist as you will see below was hit after hit and a few less popular songs, nothing obscure. I was expecting the set pretty much as it was and that was ok. But the thing is, he has been playing - pretty much - the same set for months. I knew something wasn't sticking but found it hard to articulate what. Vince said it was too bombastic and Vegasy, and lacked light and shade. Yes, I thought it perfunctionary in parts, like he was sticking to a script and just dialing it in. So many of those songs bring me to tears but that just didn't happen, I didn't feel a connect to him on the stage.
Each song, especially at the beginning was loud and yeah, bombastic, and initially felt rushed. Musically they were great, he sounded great, the piano playing exquisite, the band tight. But they lacked heart and soul, and those songs are heart and soul. You'd expect Benny and the Jets to be played like that but not Candle in the Wind (definitely the worst played song of the night) and I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues to be played in a similar manner, but they were. Things got better as the night progressed, by the time they got to Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me he'd settled somewhat and played it perfectly, thankfully as that is my favourite song. And yet, still no tears.
Highlights were Border Song, Tiny Dancer, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Levon, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, and Your Song. And of all things, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, I finally teared up during that. That song was my real introduction to Elton, in music class at school, we sang that a lot! It took me back, that is what good music is meant to do.
He didn't have a lot to say, and when he did, whilst it sounded heartfelt, it felt scripted, like he'd said the same thing at the same time each night. He also didn't move well on stage, it looked like he had back issues, so maybe he was in pain.
There were loads of videos to back up the songs, some really enhanced the songs, others overshadowed and were irritating. The piano moved across the stage electronically at times, which was rather amusing. He had 2 costume changes, the last being a spectacular dressing gown.
The band, mostly late 60s and older, and played with Elton for decades, were amazing, they sounded great and tight. Ray Cooper, 72, was wild and entertaining, wow he can really play. The drummer, Nigel, was as cheeky as ever and a superb drummer for 70 years young, playing with Elton for 50 years. The keyboards and guitars great, Davey Johnson formidable in his playing.
I know it sounds like I was not impressed, far from it. It just didn't have the warmth I would have liked to see, I wasn't moved. I should have been. But it was still fabulous and I am so glad and consider myself very lucky to have seen it. It was the last one before a few weeks break, maybe he was tired.
He left the stage in the most bizarre way, but I shall keep that to myself, no spoilers. What I really loved was the crowd participation, and as we were all leaving they played Don't Go Breaking My Heart, and everyone was slowly walking out and singing and dancing, what fun!
Setlist
1. Benny and The Jets
2. All the Girls Love Alice
3. I Guess that's why they call it the blues
4. Border Song
5. Tiny Dancer
6. Philadelphia Freedom
7. Indian Sunset
8. Rocket Man
9. Take Me to the Pilot
10. Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
11. Someone Saved My Life Tonight
12. Levon
13. Candle in the Wind
14. Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
15. Burn Down the Mission
16. Daniel
17. Sad Songs
18. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
19. The Bitch is Back
20. I'm Still Standing
21. Crocodile Rock
22. Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Encore
23. Your Song
24. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
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