What a concert!!
It was the same great set list he did in Reading, but he opened with Bitch. He was animated and in great form. His piano playing was amazing. He was having fun tinkling the keys and put a lot of extra intricacies and improvisations inside a lot of the material. His voice was great and he took time to walk the stage and interact with the audience. The sound wasn't bad for this arena. It was better last night than the last time I saw him there. This arena has a tendency to be too boomy in the bass register, but not last night, though I did have better seats than last time. Last night I was on the floor, ten rows in front of EJ.
I got to see the show quite well. My wife (who's tiny) had no trouble seeing. She, by the way, is convinced that Elton has had Botox on his forehead -- she knows from experience. Guy Babylon's sound was a bit too loud and over shadowed most of the band at first, but after a while, it settled down to a nice mix. He was amazing in FFAF. Bob, Davey, John & Nigel had great backing vocals. They also played superbly. As Noreen knows, I'm a big Davey fan and he didn't disappoint. He played right on the mark and included some extemporaneous fills in the music, just like EJ. Also for Noreen, this was also the first concert I attended where I got to see Nigel play live. He blew me away! I'd seen him in videos and heard him on records/CD's and was impressed by his talent, but to see him live was inspiring!! He's an incredible performer. As for EJ's stage-clothing...... it looked like he was wearing a frocked coat over a long red (silk?) under shirt - not tucked in. Oh, and white shoes. The other band members looked like they were wearing print shirts and "blue jean colored", but not denim slacks. Can anyone tell me the designer/manufacturer of those (the band) shirts/stage gear?
This was the best EJ show I've seen. If anyone has pics, or audio, contact me off list.
Dan
Note, the clothes for the tour were all designed by Yohji Yamamoto.
I am back again from the most AMAZING Elton weekend that one person could ever have.
After I posted back to Laura about having fun at the Amherst show, I got ready to go back to bed and lay down for awhile when I saw a very familiar phone number come up on my caller ID that I just couldn't believe I was seeing! It was Laura on the phone telling me that they had 1st and 2nd row seats and wanted me to come to Amherst to see Elton. As I had posted on Saturday, I had 2 hours total sleep and my body was starting to say that it was time to go to bed, but I was seriously entertaining this idea! God only knew how I was going to get there in time. While I was taking a shower, Mike called Southwest and booked a one way flight to Hartford where we hoped with precision timing that Laura and Shira would be able to pick me right up and then we would all go to Amherst. I was scared to death that they wouldn't make it, but hey, this is 2nd ROW! I threw a few clothes into a bag, grabbed my camera and made my way to BWI, which luckily is 10 minutes from my house. I was questioned why I was buying a one way seat and I told the agent that I was going to see ELTON in Amherst, MA and I think she was more excited than I was! I told her that I had just seen him in Reading the night before and she said "Oh My GOD, you travel to see him?" LOL!
At any rate, flights always seem to be eventful for me and this one was no exception. Remember, this is timed to what WE think is going to work.... Laura is working her way driving to Hartford like a wild woman to pick me up in time and I am going to make it there just in time for them to pick me up in Hartford. Funny things happen. My flight had to go back to the gate because of an ELECTRICAL PROBLEM and we all have to get off the plane so that they can fix it. I am not feeling real good now and thinking this might be an omen. They get the problem fixed, turns out to be just a warning light and we board and off we go, about 30 minutes late. I decide to just pray and rest on the way up. This hour of rest is the only that I will see for the next 12 hours. I get to Hartford and my cell phone beeps. Message from my husband and all I can think is WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG NOW!!!! I call him and he tells me that Laura is looking for me and where the heck am I. So I give him the spiel and tell him that I am going to call Laura. Turns out, she and Shira have only been waiting about 20 minutes for me to arrive. How is THAT for timing! We run to the car and away we go! God, I mean, I just can't believe that I am actually going to see Elton again and I planned it in just a few minutes.
We get to the venue which was another intimate setting. Not as intimate as Reading, but very nice. Venue was not sold out. Seats are great...right in front of the piano. I am certainly not complaining. The ticket fairy is hard at work this night. Several college students are right in front of the piano and one in particular stands out to us.
Laura begins to talk to him and turns out he is a 16 year old (kid to us) and that he is like SUCH A FAN of Elton! He was upgraded and he was so APPRECIATIVE to have the chance to be down front. God, this is what it is all about! The show begins. Elton comes out in another Yuckymoto outfit, but at least this one I can deal with... all except those nightshirts! He was wearing a red nightshirt with black coat that had tails and this really cool what looks to be a parrot wing on his right shoulder. Under the arms of the coat there was like a mesh so you could see the red fabric of the shirt. This is a really COOL coat! Laura likes his shoes. They look like red and white Nikes to me, but maybe she had a better description. The sound was NOT what is was on Friday night. It was hot in the venue and Elton let Dennis know that he needed a FAN. Sir asks and Sir receives...a fan to blow on him as well as black towels to wipe sweat that is pouring from him just on the first song which happens to be the highly energetic Bitch is Back.
Reading for me PERSONALLY was a stronger show. Elton was not quite as animated at this show, but he was still rather energetic and he DID take his glasses off several times... I got a look one time...YES! I would like him to do a song or two without the glasses, but for me, the glasses are just so much part of him, I think I would miss them. Before playing of Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes, he mentions the Republican party's ignorence with the AIDS epidemic, much like the night before. During Philadelphia Freedom, Laura got one of Janice's flags and gave it to our new friend Pat so that he could give it to Elton. Elton took it and waved it and put it in his ice bucket. Pat was very excited and I have a great picture that shows his enthusiasm! Janice gave Elton something that Laura overheard Elton tell Dennis that he wanted to KEEP!! How exciting!! Janice deserved it, because she suffered the night from hell. On the way to the venue, her car's transmission gave up and she got a ride from a sympathetic police officer. When he played Nikita, he said "He hadn't played this one in YEARS". I thought he played it at ONO but I guess seems like an eternity ago to Eltie. Funeral for a Friend was again one of the best renditions that I have ever heard.
I have now changed seats with another fan because I want to sit near Shira and Laura. Besides, I was being chastised for using my camera by a young lady who did not know that just because it said NO CAMERAS, that true Elton fans usually couldn't care less what a sign said. She also thought that I would not be in front of them.... wrong again! I waved to her on my way passed her as we made our move during I'm Still Standing. Her friggin' jaw dropped as I passed and smiled. Again, there we were... It just doesn't get any better than this. Pinball Wizard... there just aren't words for how great this song is!
Elton has been signing after he changes his clothing. Ticket stubs aren't happening for him guys, so if you want something signed, bring it with you!! He just ain't feeling the ticket stubs as my son would say!
After the signing, the strains of Your Song began and that sadness that you feel when it is all over was coming over me. We did have a fantastic time though, and that is ALL that mattered. We treated our new friend Patrick to dinner at Applebees and it certainly is so wonderful to have a young person's perspective and appreciation of "The ONE". Very nice kid and most certainly a big fan!
I do want to make a few observations here though. Shira had an extra 2nd row seat that she wanted to dispose of by selling for what she paid for it. When she found someone interested, she got this big spiel about why she should take less money for the seat. It may be a single guys, but with a little creativity, you and a signficant other can make the stage, which is EXACTLY what this person did. I'm sorry, but I would never ask another true fan to eat a ticket. Had this been me, I would have probably upgraded someone for free who didn't smell like they had started partying that morning in order to get ready for the show. All of us know what tickets cost. This was a pretty premium seat. Being fair is all that was being asked. Personally, I just wouldn't have the guts to do this, but then I guess some of us are just a different breed of fan.
I wanna thank all the girls for a fantastic weekend! It hit sort of a low note when I returned home with my mother who just can't understand my passion for Elton. I just got a call from Laura and the sweetest note from Janice so it went a long way to pick my spirits up:) It was so good to see Lin and Janice again! I wish we didn't live so far from one another. Laura and Shira, as usual, it was SO much fun. Remember, CAPS can be used dangerously! I wouldn't want any of us to go to jail for the misuse of one! I will hopefully be able to get some pictures up really soon so that I can share with all of you.
-- THE IslandGirl...Sharon When stars collide, like you and I... Visit My Elton page
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