Elton John Live at BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms 2010 DVD

• By Jamie McCarthy, WireImage
• 4/14/2011

Elton John entertains attendees at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's Hot Pink Party.

Elton John - Live at BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms 2010 (DVD5/Proshot Broadcast)

 

Elton John - Live at BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms 2010

Setlist:
1.Intro
2.Burn Down The Mission
3.Tiny Dancer
4.A Song for You
5.Monkey Suit
6.When Love Is Dying
7.Sad Songs Say So Much
8.This Masquerade
9.Gone To Shiloh
10.A Dream Come True
11.Your Song
12.The Bitch is Back
13.Hey Ahab

DVD authoring By Deer5001
DVD5 Size : 2.37 GB
Media : Proshot Broadcast
Menu/Chapters : Yes/Yes
Duration : 01h05mn45s

Video Format : NTSC/16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels

Audio Format : AC3
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channels (s) : 2 Channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 Khz

DVD Cover Front/CD High Quality included

links Download,FileSonic & FileFactory 12 Part

(Part1-11=200 MB,Part12=27.3 MB)

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.filefactory.com/f/2647fec8929dd834/

or

http://www.filesonic.com/folder/3743241

 

David Furnish and Elton John coordinate

Elton John and husband David Furnish wear matching suits as they leave their New York hotel

April 15, 2011

Elton John and Sting Sing For Charity in New York

Sir Elton John and Sting took to the stage in New York on Thursday night (14Apr11) to raise money for a breast cancer charity.

The British superstars both performed at the annual Hot Pink Party at The Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan in aid of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

During the show, which was attended by stars including Elizabeth Hurley, model Carolyn Murphy and young actress Abigail Breslin, Sting thrilled ladies in the crowd by inviting them up onto the stage to dance with him.

The event raised more than $4 million for charity.

Festival d'été de Québec : La participation d'Elton John est confirmée

http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/arts_et_spectacles/2011/04/14/006-elton-john-confirme.shtml

Mise à jour le vendredi 15 avril 2011 à 8 h 48

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Photo: La Presse Canadienne /AP Photo/Joel Ryan Elton John en spectacle à Londres, en janvier 2011

C'est confirmé : Elton John se produira sur les plaines d'Abraham le 9 juillet prochain, dans le cadre du Festival d'été de Québec.
Les organisateurs en ont fait l'annonce jeudi, après avoir tergiversé durant 24 heures. L'information avait été divulguée sur le fil de nouvelles du festival, avant d'être retirée. Il semble que l'agent d'Elton John ait pris plus de temps que prévu avant d'approuver le communiqué.
L'auteur-compositeur-interprète et pianiste de 64 ans fera un aller-retour en Amérique pour se produire à Québec, puisqu'il sera en tournée européenne cet été.
Sir John, à qui l'on doit notamment Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Rocket Man et Candle in the Wind et Nikita, ne s'est pas arrêté dans la capitale nationale depuis une décennie. En 2001, il avait attiré près de 10 000 admirateurs au Colisée.
« Tout le monde a en tête une chanson d'Elton John. Et plusieurs ont des souvenirs qui s'y rattachent. Il ne fait pas de doute dans notre esprit que ce concert sera un des grands moments du festival », a affirmé la directrice de la programmation, Dominique Goulet, par communiqué.
Le nom d'Elton John s'ajoute à la mince liste des vedettes dont la participation est déjà confirmée au Festival d'été de Québec. Black Keys, Cage The Elephant et Girl Talk se produiront sur les plaines le 10 juillet. Le chanteur français Thomas Fersen sera à la Place d'Youville, le 17.
La programmation complète du Festival d'été de Québec sera dévoilée le 27 avril prochain. L'évènement se déroulera du 7 au 17 juillet.

A BARBARA WALTERS EXCLUSIVE: ELTON JOHN AND DAVID FURNISH

http://blogs.abcnews.com/pressroom/2011/04/-a-barbara-walters-exclusive-elton-john-and-david-furnish-.html

April 15, 2011 4:22 PM

Proud Fathers Sit Down Exclusively With Barbara Walters In Their First Major US Television Appearance Since Son Was Born, Airing on “20/20,” Friday, April 22, 10 pm on ABC
Elton John and his partner David Furnish will sit down with Barbara Walters for their first major US Television interview since the birth of their son Zachary this past Christmas. In the interview, John and Furnish will discuss why they wanted a child, how they kept the baby a huge secret until he was born and how fatherhood has changed them both. They will also introduce Walters to Zachary, their four and a half month old son. John will also reveal details of his latest project. The exclusive interview will air on “20/20,” FRIDAY, APRIL 22 (10:00 – 11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Britney claims a record only held by Elton and Elvis!!!!
http://forums.gametrailers.com/thread/britney-claims-a-record-only-h/1197884

Posted: Wed Apr 6, 2011 11:32 pm

Britney's latest album, Femme Fatale, debuted at #1 in the U.S. Billboard!

Femme Fatale is Britney's 6th #1 album before turning 30. A record that was only held by the legends: Elton John and Elvis Presley.

The album itself is not good, not even decent. It's the most horrible album I have ever purchased in my life! The tracks in the album are twice and some are three times as repetitive as Ke$ha's Tik Tok...I'm OK with repetitive POP, but Britney's songwriters just didn't do it for me.

Britney's latest album, Femme Fatale, debuted at #1 in the U.S. Billboard! Femme Fatale is Britney's 6th #1 album before turning 30. A record that was only held by the legends: Elton John and Elvis Presley. The album itself is not good, not even decent. It's the most horrible album I have ever purchased in my life! The tracks in the album are twice and some are three times as repetitive as Ke$ha's Tik Tok...I'm OK with repetitive POP, but Britney's songwriters just didn't do it for me.

ELTON JOHN come and get it

Sir Elton versionando dos clasicos ,el tema de Paul del 69 que badfinger llevo a lo alto de las listas y Lady D´arbanville de Cat Stevens .

DOWNLOAD
http://www.4shared.com/file/NoDXStSY/elton_come_and_get_it.html

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Elton John to play on the Plains of Abraham

http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/scene/article/832931--elton-john-to-play-on-the-plains-of-abraham

QUEBEC - Elton John is about to become the next musical superstar to strut his stuff on the Plains of Abraham.

The 64-year-old John will appear at the Quebec City landmark July 9 as part of the city's annual summer festival.

The Rocket Man's show comes three years after Paul McCartney and Celine Dion gave separate shows on the Plains to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.

The weekend of John's show promises to be a huge one for music fans in Quebec. Irish rockers U2 will be playing at the Montreal Hippodrome on both July 8 and 9.

William Shatner Announces Track List For Space-Themed Heavy Metal Album!

http://perezhilton.com/2011-04-15-track-list-announced-for-upcoming-william-shatner-space-themed-heavy-metal-album

Filed under: Music Minute > Elton John > William Shatner
Last month, we were very excited to hear about William Shatner's upcoming space-themed heavy metal album Searching For Major Tom.
Now, the track list has been released, and we're pret-ty impressed with his selection of covers.
Some of the highlights include covers of Elton John's Rocket Man, David Bowie's Space Oddity, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, and Black Sabbath's Iron Man.
Check out the full list of tracks from Shatner's new album AFTER THE JUMP!
[Image via WENN.]

Space Trucking Originally By Deep Purple - Deep Purple Drummer Ian Paice Has Performed The Drum Part. Johnny Winter Is On Guest Guitar.
She Blinded Me With Science Originally By Thomas Dolby - Bootsy Collins Is On As The Guest Bassist. Patrick Moraz (Ex Yes And Moody Blues) Is Guesting On Keyboards/Synth.
In A Little While Originally By U2 - Manuel Gottsching From Ash Ra Tempel Has Added Guitar.
Empty Glass Originally By The Tea Party - Michael Schenker (UFO/Scorpions) Has Added Guest Guitar.
Lost In The Stars As Done By Frank Sinatra - Jazz Legend Ernie Watts Is On Guest Saxophone.
Twilight Zone Originally By Golden Earring - Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule/Allman Brothers) Is On Guest Guitar.
Space Cowboy Originally By Steve Miller - Country Artist Brad Paisley Has Added Guitar And Vocals.
Rocket Man Originally By Elton John - Guitarist Steve Hillage (Ex Gong Member And Current Member Of Techno Rock Duo System 7) Has Added Guest Guitar
Space Oddity Originally By David Bowie - Ritchie Blackmore (Ex-Deep Purple) Has Added Guest Guitar. Alan Parsons Is Adding Guest Keyboards.
Spirit In The Sky Originally By Norman Greenbaum - Peter Frampton Has Played Guitar On This Track.
Bohemian Rhapsody Originally By Queen - John Wetton From Asia Has Played Bass And Done A Vocal.
Silver Machine Originally By Hawkwind - Wayne Kramer From The MC5 Is Adding Guitar And Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge/Rod Stewart) Is Adding A Guest Drum Part.
Major Tom Originally By Peter Shilling - Nick Valensi, The Guitarist From The Strokes Has Added Guest Guitar To This This Track. Also Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) And Mike Inez (Alice In Chains)Have Contributed To This Track.
Learning To Fly Originally By Pink Floyd - Edgar Froese From Tangerine Dream Has Played Guitar And Keyboards On This Track.
Mr. Spaceman Originally By The Byrds - Dave Davies From The Kinks Has Added Guest Guitar On This Track.
Iron Man Originally By Black Sabbath - Zakk Wylde (Ex Ozzy Guitarist) Played Guitar And Did A Vocal On This Track.
Planet Earth Originally By Duran Duran - Steve Howe, Guitarist With Yes, Played Guitar On This Track.
Walking On The Moon Originally By The Police - Toots Of Toots & The Maytals Has Added A Guest Vocal.
Mrs. Major Tom - Female Singer To Add A Track - To Be Announced

This new Chopard Elton John Watch simply looks

http://www.webbot.us/new-chopard-elton-john-watch-simply-looks.aspx
Chopard is displaying another luxurious timepiece from their Chopard Elton John Watch Collection. Just like the previews watch that they have presented, this new version will also attract many watch enthusiasts especially those who have taste for luxuriousness.This new Chopard Elton John Watch simply looks like the previous version that we have ladies cerix featured here except for the theme and materials that they’ve used. The case of this watch is made of an elegant 18 carat white gold material which they decorated with diamond embellishments. The bezel of this timepiece is also made with the same material but instead of including simple diamonds, they have used black diamond setting which gives it a very stunning look.This timepiece is also made with a mother of the pearl dial highlighted in green and gray and is accented with small sized black diamond embellishments for a more luxurious look. Aside from its luxurious design, this watch is also functional with its small seconds counter, and 12- hour and 60 -minute counters.This new Chopard Elton John Watch is a luxurious timepiece that will be available in limited edition of 2000 pieces. This watch will also include Elton John’s signature on the case back.
We all know that Seiko is not known for being luxurious but for the past days or weeks, they have also shown that they can compete with the other brands’ luxurious watches through their new Seiko Premier Collection.Seiko has been making stylish and functional timepieces that were loved by many watch enthusiasts but this new Seiko Premier Collection will definitely ladies watch givenchy be loved more because of the luxuriousness that it brings. An example of this is the Seiko Premier Women’s watch shown on the above image.This timepiece is crafted from a polished stainless steel material and matched with a black leather strap for that classy look. What make this watch luxurious are the diamond settings that are found on its bezel which also gives it a very irresistible look. Aside from the bezel, these diamond settings can also be found on its white dial serving as hour markers.If you are looking for a classy, stylish, and luxurious timepieces, this Seiko Premier Women’s Watch is definitely made just for you so grab it now.

Most expensive luxury watches chopard elton john watches

In honor of 10 years’ anniversary of Chopard’s support of the the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele in collaboration with Sir Elton John created a new luxury watches collection. New most expensive watch collection joins together the finest of the jewelry and watchmaking crafts and perfectly describes singer’s personality. “It’s wonderful to be producing another Chopard watch edition with a royalty from each sale going to support the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation”, commented Sir Elton John, known also as watch and jewelry collector.

Chopard-Elton John watches are featuring black, brown or pink crocodile leather straps, studded with a myriad of the precious gems - yellow, pink or black diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. The dial comes either in a tone matching the gems set around it or in a white or grey-rosé mother-of-pearl version. The case also comes in plain white or rose gold variations. Luxury watches have a limited edition of 2000 pieces. Back case is engraved with Elton John signature. Some proceeds from the sale of Elton John watch collection will be donated to the fight against AIDS.
Tags: most expensive luxury watches, luxury goods
Via:  chopard/worldtempus 



http://watches.infoniac.com/new-chopard-elton-john-watch-collection-moscow.html


On December 8th, Chopard unveiled their new Elton John watch collection. The event took place in luxurious Barvikha Luxury Village in Moscow.

To celebrate the introduction of the colorful watch collection, Sir Elton John gave an exclusive private concert. The singer and Chopard co-president Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele are united by a long-time friendship based on their remarkable artistic creativity and mutual desire to support charity causes.

Barvikha Luxury village, one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods of the Moscow city, welcomed the guests by an elegant setting, reflecting an English Tea Party theme along with rose bouquets, small English cakes, and canapés. The small village welcomes its visitors to luxury hotels, boutiques, restaurants, and a concert hall for 750 guests, furnished with top quality technical equipment.

Before the concert, the VIP guests and celebrities were invited to a chic candlelit cocktail party, with every detail carefully thought over to match the singer’s taste and style. All the guests witnessed the new interpretation of the Chopard watch collection.

Sir Elton John’s concert lasted for two hours and the singer performed his best hits. The artist was wearing Chopard diamonds and the new luxurious Chopard Elton John Chronograph set with baguette diamonds. The timepiece was presented to Sir Elton John by Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele. It is not a secret that the singer is a big fan of the true king of gems, so he immediately fell in love with the new timepiece.

The new Chopard Elton John watch collection reveals a range of highly original chronograph watches crafted in 18-K gold. The timepieces are richly set with diamonds and a variety of other precious stones.

Every new Chopard Elton John watch collection has enjoyed outstanding success. The new chronograph is characterized by clear-cut, modern and powerful lines, a symbol of Sir Elton John’s generous personality, his innate taste and style.

A part from the proceeds of every timepiece sold will be given to support the charitable work carried out by the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Industry News - Elton John & Chopard Celebrate 10th Anniversary

http://www.timezone.com/library/news/news631926746019062500




For the fifth consecutive year, Sir Elton John opened his beautiful Windsor estate for London`s party of the year, the now world famous White Tie & Tiara Ball, sponsored by luxury Swiss jeweler Chopard.



Proceeds from the gala benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Amongst the guests present were Donna Summer and Barry Manilow who delighted the guests with their music.

Rapper Biz Markie cover Benny and the Jets

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biz_Markie

Marcel Theo Hall (born April 8, 1964,^[1] Savage, Maryland) better known by his stage name Biz Markie, is an American rapper, DJ, comedian, actor, reality television personality and commercial spokesperson, best known for the single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989. In 2008, "Just a Friend" made #100 on Vh1's 100 Greatest hip hop songs of all time.
He is often known as the Clown Prince of Hip Hop

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biz_Markie
Marcel Theo Hall (Savage, 8 de abril de 1964), mais conhecido pelo seu nome artístico Biz Markie, é um rapper, beatboxer, DJ, humorista, ator e participante de reality shows estadunidense.[1] Ele é reconhecido pelo seu single "Just a Friend", que alcançou o Top 10 da Billboard Hot 100 em 1989.

New Billy Elliot Ryan Collinson

British singer Elton John performs on Nov. 3, 2010. He'll play on the Plains of Abraham this July. (Chris Pizzello/Associated Press)

Elton John to play Plains of Abraham

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2011/04/14/elton-john-quebec.html

The Canadian Press

Posted: Apr 14, 2011 4:45 PM ET

Last Updated: Apr 14, 2011 4:45 PM ET

Elton John is about to become the next musical superstar to strut his stuff on the Plains of Abraham.
The 64-year-old John will appear at the Quebec City landmark July 9 as part of the city's annual summer festival.
The Rocket Man's show comes three years after Paul McCartney and Céline Dion gave separate shows on the Plains to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.
McCartney's appearance riled some Quebec nationalists, who said a Brit shouldn't be part of the city's festivities.
The weekend of John's show promises to be a huge one for music fans in Quebec. Irish rockers U2 will be playing at the Montreal Hippodrome on both July 8 and 9.

Elton John, fresh off an appearance on Saturday Night Live, comes to Louisville on Friday.

Image 1 of 1

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/04/14/1707803/elton-john-brings-his-formidable.html#ixzz1JXOujGU2

Charles Sykes ASSOCIATED PRESS

Elton John, fresh off an appearance on Saturday Night Live, comes to Louisville on Friday.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/04/14/1707803/elton-john-brings-his-formidable.html#ixzz1JXOno0fM

Elton John brings his formidable song list to KFC Yum Center

Elton John brings his formidable song list to Yum Center on Friday night

By Walter Tunis Contributing Music Writer

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/04/14/1707803/elton-john-brings-his-formidable.html#ixzz1JXOk9BtF

Elton John
8 p.m. April 15 at KFC Yum Center in Louisville. $19.50-$139. 1-800-745-3000.
After 40-plus years in the pop arena and a catalogue of recordings that has taken him from ball parks to Broadway, Elton John managed another career milestone recently. He proved himself a good sport.
As guest host two weekends ago of Saturday Night Live, the veteran piano man appeared as himself in a flat-out hilarious sketch (yes, SNL still manages one every so often) about the upcoming royal wedding. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were portrayed by cast members Fred Armisen and Bill Nader as foul-mouthed, Cockney-accented guttersnipes who ridiculed the singer's career.
"Are you going to change the words to Candle in the Wind again?" the mock Queen asked.
Sir Elton got the best laugh, though, when referring to his baby son Zachary in the show's opening monologue ("10 fingers, 10 toes and $400 million").
As John heads to Kentucky for the first time in nearly a decade, we can add another equally impressive accolade to his mantle of accomplishments. For much of the past year, he has crusaded on behalf of one of his foremost musical heroes, Leon Russell. He cut an album with the longstanding, multigenre pop pianist (The Union), which stands as the finest recording that either artist has released in nearly two decades, gave the induction speech for Russell's entrance into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March and hit the road with his mentoring inspiration for a series of arena shows this year.
There is no word on whether Russell will be part of John's concert Friday night at Louisville's KFC Yum Center. But the two did perform an eight-song segment from The Union at John's March 26 concert in Baltimore.
Even if John goes it alone, there will be no scarcity of familiar material. Now 64, John flaunts the obvious onstage. The most recent items in his set lists of late have been a pair of early-'80s hits (Sad Songs and I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues). The rest of the repertoire belongs to material composed from 1970 to 1975. Of particular interest is a three song selection (Levon, Tiny Dancer and the title tune) from what stands, from a personal standpoint, as John's greatest album: 1971's Madman Across the Water.
And, yes, Candle in the Wind is in the current repertoire, too — the original 1973 version, that is. No doubt Her Majesty will be pleased. Or vexed.

Elton John will perform in Quebec City at the Festival d'ete

http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/wordsandmusic/archive/2011/04/14/elton-john-will-perform-in-quebec-city-at-the-festival-d-ete.aspx

 

By Bernard Perusse Thu, Apr 14 2011 COMMENTS(0) Words & Music

 

Filed under: Elton John

Quebec City’s Festival d’ete has added another superstar to its list of conquests. Elton John will perform on the Plains of Abraham July 9th for the festival’s 44th edition, organizers announced today.

John’s band will include longtime guitarist Davey Johnstone, Bob Birch on bass, John Mahon on percussion, Nigel Olsson on drums and Kim Bullard on keyboards. The British singer-songwriter is riding a wave of critical acclaim for last year’s collaboration with Leon Russell, The Union.

The full line-up for the festival and the price of passes will be announced April 27. And early-bird sale of flashing passes and special bracelets starts the next day.

The Festival d’ete de Quebec runs from July 7 to 17.
Hmmm ... should we be looking for Sir Elton to squeeze in a Montreal date?
Photo of Elton John performing last Nov. 5 in Ontario, California by Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Dance

Love Lies Bleeding to play in Vancouver

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/love-lies-bleeding-to-play-in-vancouver/article1985753/

Yukichi Hattori, centre, plays an Elton John fan in the spectacular Alberta Ballet production of Love Lies Bleeding.

Marsha Lederman

Vancouver— Globe and Mail Update

Published Thursday, Apr. 14, 2011 4:01PM EDT

Last updated Thursday, Apr. 14, 2011 4:04PM EDT

Love Lies Bleeding, Alberta Ballet’s 2010 work set to pop songs by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, will travel to Vancouver later this year. Love Lies Bleeding will be performed at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from October 13-15.
Ballet BC’s 2011/12 season, announced Thursday, will also include Bliss, a full program of work by Ballet BC’s resident choreographer José Navas, including a reprisal of his 2010 premiere The bliss that from their limbs all movement takes.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet will bring Svengali to Vancouver next April. The new ballet by Mark Godden will feature film projections by Guy Maddin (My Winnipeg).
The season will open September 23 with The National Ballet of Canada’s 60th anniversary tour, featuring works by William Forsythe, Jerome Robbins and Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite.
Ballet BC’s 2011/12 season will also feature new works from choreographers Robert Glumbek, Aszure Barton and Ballet BC Artistic Director Emily Molnar.

Littler: Calgary’s becoming known for theatre, dance and arts events

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/806189--calgary-s-becoming-known-for-theatre-dance-and-arts-events

A two-hour ballet inspired by the life of Elton John - Love Lies Bleeding - has its world premiere May 6 - 9 in Calgary.
Charles Hope Photo

By William Littler Music Columnist

CALGARY—Culturally speaking, Calgary’s image has long been associated with 10-gallon hats, high-heeled boots and anything oil can buy.
Reality, as is so often the case, dictates otherwise, save during a 10-day period (July 9-18 this year) when the Stampede pleads Southern Alberta’s case for incorporation into the State of Texas.
Consider what confronts visitors in the finally snow-free weeks ahead. In the field of festivals alone there are the Calgary Ukrainian Festival, the Calgary International Blues Festival, the Live Stage Urban Arts Festival, the Calgary International Children’s Festival, the Reggae Festival and Global Fest.
Dance attractions range from flamenco to folk to contemporary ballet, with one of Western Canada’s finest ensembles, Alberta Ballet, under the energetic direction of Jean Grand-Maître inspiring even Elton John to offer to collaborate on a mainstage production. The two-hour, million-dollar-plus ballet called Love Lies Bleeding, inspired by Sir Elton’s life and music, with choreography by Grand-Maitre, had its world premiere in Calgary May 6.
Edmonton, which likes to call itself Festival City and likes as well to think of itself as the culturally deeper destination, has valid historical reasons for its attitude. Today, however, Calgary is on the march, passing its northern neighbour in size, mounting even more festivals and arguably supporting more artists as well.
Having recently staged a successful production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Calgary Opera is looking forward to a future mounting—the first in Canada—of the opera our superstar tenor Ben Heppner is currently premiering in Dallas, Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick. Earlier this season the Alberta company presented the latest of a number of operas yet to be encountered in Toronto, Mark Adamo’s Little Women.
Under Roberto Minczuk’s direction the Calgary Philharmonic has rebounded from its near-bankruptcy of five years ago to enter a new period of solvent growth, housed in one of Canada’s finest musical venues, the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
And theatregoers who can’t obtain tickets to the Siminovitch Prize-winning playwright Daniel MacIvor’s Communion at the Martha Cohen Theatre these days will find plenty of alternatives at Stage West, Vertigo Theatre, Pumphouse Theatre, the Martha Bell Theatre or a number of other venues devoted to the spoken word. The city has become home to more than two dozen professional theatre companies.
With a budget of $3.75 million, Calgary Arts Development funds about 150 arts organizations annually and small wonder. A recent study put Calgary at the top among Canadian cities in per capita consumer spending on culture.
The city benefits as well from a newish provincial arts policy, Spirit of Alberta, reversing a western Canadian belt-tightening trend in provincial arts support that continues to affect the cities of neighbouring British Columbia.
Not that the avant-garde seems to be especially welcome, as yet. Strolling through the city’s art galleries a visitor finds naturalism habitually trumping abstraction. A recent director of the prestigious Glenbow Museum reportedly lost his job in part because of a declared intention to champion more adventurous contemporary artists.
And yet, there is now an identifiable cultural district in Calgary, with at least a dozen venues occupying prime downtown real estate, and at least a dozen events can be found listed daily on the Calgary Arts Development website.
Walking among the glass-sheathed skyscrapers of the downtown streets one notices, as well, the results of a civic requirement that capital projects contribute one per cent of their budget to public art. Calgary is even slated to build a bridge by the ultramodernist Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
This is, of course, a new-looking city, much of whose history has fallen to the wrecking balls of progress. Although the earliest signs of human settlement date back an impressive 12,000 years, the metropolis of the Bow River Valley became that only in recent decades.
Yes, Calgary now hosts Canada’s second-largest zoo, easily reachable by an efficiently modern light rail system, and the Saddledome plays host to many of the same attractions who appear in Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Does this make the city of the Flames and the Stampeders a destination comparable with the city of the Maple Leafs and the Argonauts? Athletically, yes. Culturally, not quite.
And yet, those hats and boots belie a place that has become well worth a visit for reasons other than bucking broncos and business deals. Canada’s foremost piano competition, the Esther Honens, takes place here. One Yellow Rabbit Theatre launched High Performance Rodeo here, reportedly the biggest such festival west of Luminato.
Back in 1887 the British parliamentarian W.S. Caine described Calgary being “as quiet as an English country village.” How times have changed.

Elton John OK's Love Lies Bleeding tour

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/theatre/story/2010/06/22/elton-john-alberta-ballet.html

Alberta Ballet will take new work on the road

Love Lies Bleeding will tour in 2011 after getting a go-ahead from Elton John. (CBC)
Elton John has given the thumbs-up to a tour of Love Lies Bleeding, the Alberta Ballet production based on his life and music.
The ambitious work choreographed by Alberta Ballet artistic director Jean Grand-Maître premiered May 6 in Calgary.
Although John was not able to attend the ballet because of a scheduling conflict, his friend and adviser Ray Cooper was there on opening night.
Based on Cooper's advice — and critical acclaim — John has approved a tour of the multimedia production starting in 2011, Alberta Ballet announced Tuesday.
"I am proud of what the Alberta Ballet has created and I am looking forward to seeing this ballet live on," John said in a statement.
"It is a strong, contemporary choreography that entertains and challenges dance audiences with its new esthetics and its powerful fusion of different art mediums. I hope it will attract thousands of new patrons to this wonderful art form."


Love Lies Bleeding drew critical acclaim for its mix of contemporary music, multimedia and colourful costumes. (CBC) John approached the Alberta Ballet about the project after seeing the company's well-received Fiddle and the Drum, based on the music of Joni Mitchell, in 2007. He picked the music and gave Grand-Maître carte blanche for the rest of the $1.2-million production.
Grand-Maître said the tour would make his ballet company "cultural ambassadors of our province and our country around the world."
Love Lies Bleeding is set to 14 songs composed by John and Bernie Taupin including Benny and the Jets, Crocodile Rock, I'm Going To Be A Teenage Idol and Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting).
Lead dancer Yukichi Hattori drew critical acclaim for his interpretation of John himself and the production was hailed for its use of multimedia and colourful costumes.

New Billy Elliot Ryan Collinson joins West End cast of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL

http://www.todomusicales.com/content/content_english/2923/new-billy-elliot-ryan-collinson-joins-west-end-cast-of-billy-elliot-the-musical/

13/04/2011
On 13 April 2011, twelve year old Ryan Collinson from Southport, becomes the twenty-sixth boy to play the title role in the West End production of Elton John and Lee Hall’s musical that is about to celebrate its 6th anniversary at the Victoria Palace Thea
Today, 13 April 2011, twelve year old Ryan Collinson from Southport, becomes the twenty-sixth boy to play the title role in the West End production of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL.  The internationally award-winning show, which opened a the Victoria Palace Theatre in 2005, has been seen by over 6 million people worldwide, including 3 million in the West End.  Ryan becomes the 56th boy to play Billy Elliot worldwide since Jamie Bell in the award-winning film.
Ryan Collinson said ‘Before auditioning for Billy I had done very little classical dance training but I had done gymnastics for two years and taught myself street dance in my bedroom.  I was given the film of Billy Elliot on DVD one Christmas and I wanted to be just like Billy so I started classical dance classes. I auditioned for Billy after just 8 lessons and after making it through further auditions I found out that I had got the part.  It was the best day of my life and now I am living my dream!’

Based on the Oscar nominated film, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL is an inspirational story of one boy’s dream to realise his ambitions against the odds.  Set in the North East of England against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family. 

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, and is directed by Stephen Daldry with choreography by Peter Darling. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, the associate director is Julian Webber, costume design is by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch.

As well as the current London production, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL has performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago and Seoul, South Korea, and is currently performing at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway, on tour across North America and at the Canon Theatre, Toronto.  Productions are also in the works for Japan, Germany and Holland.

Ryan Collinson joins Josh Baker (12 years old from Rochester), Dean Charles-Chapman (13 years old from Romford, Essex) and Scott McKenzie (13 years old from Dumbarton, Scotland) who alternate the role of Billy; Reece Barrett (12 years old from Exeter), Connor Kelly (12 years old from Scunthorpe), Connor Lawson (12 years old from Shotton, County Durham) and Joe Massey (11 years old from South Wirrell) who alternate the role of Billy’s best friend Michael; Francesca Mango (11 years old from Northumberland), Emily Smith (11 years old from County Durham) and Emily Williams (9 years old East Wingate, County Durham) who alternate the role of Debbie. They perform alongside Genevieve Lemon (Mrs. Wilkinson), Martin Marquez (Dad), Tom Lorcan (Tony), Diane Langton (Grandma), Chris McGlade (George), Kay Milbourne (Dead Mum), Kevin Patricks (Mr. Braithwaite), Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy) and ensemble members Ashley Andrews, David Bardsley, Romy Baskerville, Paul Basleigh, Alan Bradshaw, Spencer Cartwright, Caroline Deverill, Helen French, Tim Funnell, Sergio Giacomelli, Shaun Henson, Stevie Hutchinson, Stuart Ramsay, Derek Richards and Russell Wilcox and swings Craig Armstrong, Dawn Buckland, Lucinda Collins, Kieran Jae and Mike Scott.

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL is presented in London by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Tiger Aspect and is based on the Universal Pictures/ Studio Canal film.

Michael Hewitson, personal manager for Elton John, and percussionist Ray Cooper attended the premiere of Alberta Ballet's Love Lies Bleeding in Calgary on behalf of the British pop icon. (Margo Kelly/CBC)




Chad Batka for The New York Times Elton John performed at Madison Square Garden in March.

Tribeca Film Festival to Kick Off with Free April 20 Screening of The Union Documentary About Elton John and Leon Russell

http://www.theatermania.com/new-york/news/04-2011/tribeca-film-festival-to-kick-off-with-free-april_36192.html

By: Dan Bacalzo · Apr 13, 2011  · New York

Elton John and Leon Russell in publicity image for The Union (Courtesy Tribeca Film Festival)

Additional details have been announced for the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival's kick off event, featuring a free outdoor screening of the world premiere of Cameron Crowe's documentary, The Union, at The World Financial Plaza, on Wednesday, April 20 at 8:15pm. The film chronicles the making of the 2010 album of the same name, a collaboration between pop icon and Tony Award winner Elton John and legendary rock 'n' roll keyboardist Leon Russell.
Attendees will need a TFF wristband to be seated at the event, which will be distributed to the public on a first-come, first-served basis at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, on April 20 at 4pm.
As previously reported, John will make an appearance at, and perform after, the screening.
For TheaterMania's previous story on Tribeca Film Festival entries, including works featuring stage veterans such as Orlando Bloom, Carol Channing, Toni Collette, Keira Knightley, Campbell Scott, and Kathleen Turner, click here.
For more information on the festival, click here.

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Exclusive interview Nigel Olsson my career with Elton John

Exclusive interview: Nigel Olsson - my career with Elton John

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/exclusive-interview-nigel-olsson-my-career-with-elton-john-419704

The drum legend on 40 years of hits

Joe Bosso, Mon 11 Apr 2011, 11:03 am BST

Nigel Olsson, with trademark gloves and headphones, behind his DW drum kit during an Elton John concert in Sydney, Australia, 2008. © Bob King/Corbis
"Playing live is just as exciting today as it was 40 years ago," Elton John drummer Nigel Olsson told MusicRadar. "I know Elton feels the same way, especially when we play Madison Square Garden. The Garden is always like one big party."
Of the crowds that packed the iconic New York venue for two recent sold-out shows, Olsson said, "Obviously, the audiences are different now than when we started out. We've got everybody from kids to their grandparents." Chuckling, he added: "And there's granddad on drums!"
As his longtime bandmate, guitarist Davey Johnstone, also pointed out, the Garden holds a special place in the hearts of certain members of the Elton John camp for another reason: "It's where John Lennon played his last live show, in 1974, during one of our concerts," Olsson said. "What a night. Electricity was in the air. Every time I walk out on that Garden stage, I think back to that show."
MusicRadar sat down with Olsson at Manhattan's London Hotel on the same day that we spoke with Johnstone (the two were in town, along with Elton and the rest of the band, for a Saturday Night Live appearance). The drummer and guitarist go way back, comprising half of the famed, original Elton John four-piece (which also included the late bassist Dee Murray). Olsson admitted to a fair amount of amazement that he's played with Sir Elton for over 40 years.
Not that there haven't been bumps in the road: in 1975, John let Olsson and Murray go, only to bring Olsson back in 1980 (Murray returned two years later); and then, in 1985, the mercurial superstar jettisoned his rhythm section once again – it would take 15 years, and several fits and starts, for Olsson to take his rightful place on the drummer's throne for good. (Sadly, Murray died in 1992 of a stroke, following a lengthy battle with skin cancer.)
"All in all, it's been an incredible journey playing with Elton," Olsson said. "You start out with somebody and you hope it'll last a year. Forty years and more, you never consider that."
Many drummers have talent, but it takes a certain kind of talent to propel a drummer to the level of artist. Throughout his career with John, on landmark albums such as 11-17-70, Honky Chateau, Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Olsson, an individualist with a quirky, dramatic sense of timing, has informed John's smash hits with a freshness and striking point of view.
"When people tell me that they like my style and I've influenced them, it's most flattering," Olsson said. "But really, I just tried to play what the songs needed. That's a drummer's job, and it's a job I adore."
How did you get into Elton John's band?
"In the late '60s, I was in a band called Plastic Penny. We'd had some success with a cover of a Box Tops song called Everything I Am. It actually went to number one in England, so we had to do TV and live shows. We did a few albums and some touring, but after a while we couldn't keep it going – the interest just faded. However, we were handled by Dick James' publishing company, and as it turned out, Elton and Bernie Taupin were signed to the same organization as staff writers. A nice coincidence.
"I saw Elton and Bernie around the office a lot, and eventually they asked me to play on demos. So that's how we all became friends. We'd hang out together, and it went on from there, basically."

Did Elton tell you specifically what he liked about your playing? What made him pick you of all the other drummers he could have hired?
"He just said, 'You're perfect for the music I'm writing because you don't overdo it.' During that period, drummers were mad for showing off and playing all over the breaks. Even though I valued a good fill, I knew when to pull back and let the songs breathe.
"Also, at this point, all Elton and Bernie wanted to be were songwriters. They didn't think about going on the road and making all of these albums and playing arenas and stadiums and, you know…what's happened since. Their aspirations were quite different when I joined up with them." [laughs]
You're right handed, yet your style reminds me of Ringo Starr's – who, of course, is left handed. You both seem to lead with your left hand. And when you play fills, like Ringo, you come in a tad early.
"It's just the way I play. You're right, though, I do lead with my left. I never planned it. Probably listening to people like Ringo is how it all happened. To this day, Ringo is my biggest idol. I love him. The influenced was very natural.
"I also listened to bands like Sly & The Family Stone and Redbone. Their drummers always used to hold back a little. Buddy Miles, too, he's another one. I try to play a little bit behind – it's just how I hear things. Also, when I'm playing and listening on the headphones, I'm paying attention to the low end of the piano and the vocals. All of that contributes to my style."
Like Ringo, you value taste and economy. A song like Rocket Man, for example - some drummers would've overplayed it.
"I think that comes from the fact that, on those early records, we'd all go away somewhere – Elton, Bernie, the band, along with Gus Dudgeon, our producer. Oftentimes, we'd be in the same room with Elton while he was at the piano, writing music to Bernie's words. This gave us a chance to figure out our parts. When you hear a song being created in front of you, you focus more on what's needed. It's very immediate, what's necessary and what isn't.
"On the ballads, I always knew where to put the fills in and where to leave them out. I'd think to myself, All right, going into the chorus, I need to do something interesting, so I'll do this... You're part of the storytelling process in that way. You can't go over the top on a ballad because it doesn't sound right – to me, it doesn't.
"It's so easy to play crazy and go off. People do it all the time and think it's exciting. Keith Moon could do it, but he's an exception. He was a marvelous drummer, by the way. But knowing how to do more with less, that's what I've always found challenging. A simple, well-placed pattern stands out and announces itself. Plus, it moves the music from one section to the next in a very dramatic fashion."


Much of the material on the early records dealt with Bernie Taupin's fascination with America and the Old West. Your playing suited it so well.
"I listened to a lot of American music. For many years, all we had in England were The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Not that there's anything bad about that, but if you wanted to hear something different…well, that's when you bought records from American bands. Although I really liked the drumming on American music, I didn't intentionally sit down and go, 'This is how I'm going to play.' I guess it got absorbed somehow."
You, Davey and Dee Murray contributed backing vocals that were crucial to Elton's songs. How did you three develop your harmonies?
"We loved doing the vocal sessions because there was always a lot of laughing going in the studio. The spirit was loose and fun. Basically, we'd be left alone. Elton would sing his vocals, and then he'd say, 'OK, you guys can get on with the backgrounds.' We'd come up with our harmonies and experiment a bit. If something didn't work, we'd try another approach till we nailed it.
"Because my vocal range was similar to Elton's in those days, I'd do some harmonies that were quite similar. Sometimes it sounded like he was doubling himself, when, in fact, it was really me. Like in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the [sings] 'doo-doo-doo-doo-dooo' part – I wrote that. Gus said, 'Why don't you try it?' and it worked. The magic of the music, and the fact that we were all together so much, it helped us form a very tight bond as singers as well as musicians."
Elton and the band made albums so fast in the '70s. As a drummer, was that frenetic pace exciting, or did you sometimes wish you had more time to work on arrangements?
"No, it was great. The Elton John Band sound always had energy. It sounded like a band playing a song for the first time because that's exactly what we were doing! [laughs] A song can lose its freshness if you concentrate on it too much. Daniel, Rocket Man…those were one-take tracks. Most of our stuff was done in five takes or less. Elton always liked to work fast, which was good because we were always on the go. Making records, touring, TV shows – the pace was non-stop, but it was fabulous."
You used to play a Slingerland double bass drum setup. Most people associate double bass kits with harder rock drummers.
"Yes, I supposed that's true. I began with Premier – Keith Moon put me with those guys. But I was always fascinated by Slingerland because that's what Buddy Rich played. When we first came to America, I hooked up with the people in the company in Illinois and asked them if they'd build me a custom set. I wanted oversized toms, oversized kick drums, oversized everything!" [laughs]



Nigel at his Slingerland "drum orchestra" kit in the '70s. © Neal Preston/CORBIS
"I had six kits made for me - one for recording, which had all wooden rims, and the others were for touring, and they had metal rims. The reason for the massive size of the drums was because I loved the low tones I could get. The deeper and bigger the drums, the richer and more powerful the sound. As for the double bass setup, it was mainly for the look, a bit of flash, you know? [laughs] One wanted to look impressive on stage, and a giant kit certainly helped. If you couldn't see me, you were certainly going to see my drums! [laughs] But the setup also helped because I liked big rack toms, which had to be mounted on their own stands."
Nowadays, you play DW Drums. What do you like about them so much?
"Their tones. [DW COO] John Good got me to the factory, and he said, 'You have got to hear these new shells.' He took one right off one of the factory benches, hit it with his fist, and it was just like… It made that sound that you want to hear. I was knocked out.
"John goes all around the world collecting different woods. Strangely enough, he found this wood at the bottom of a river in Holland, but the wood was from a tree in Ghana in West Africa. Now, I used to live in Ghana when I was a kid, so hearing this was unbelievable. I told John I had to have a kit made from that wood. We figured out the sizes, and I gave him a wild, wacky color scheme. It turned out beautifully. I use the Ghana kit in the studio and tune it very low."
During a tour, you have a few different rigs flown around the world at any given time.
"That's right. I have separate rigs that we take around with us. If we're doing a gig somewhere, another rig is being set up somewhere else. My drum tech is Chris Sobchak, and he's wonderful. He's got everything measured and put into a computer. Each setup is exactly the same. Chris can get my drums set up and tuned in under two hours. That's pretty fast."
Tell me about how you position yourself behind the drums. You don't sit very high, nor are you very low.
"No, I'm probably right in the middle. I used to sit high, but I've changed over the years. I like to sit where I can easily get a rim shot on the snare – that's kind of my signature."

During the Captain And The Kid tour, 2006. © Tim Mosenfelder/Corbis
Well, that and the gloves. How did you come to start wearing them?
"I started wearing them in 1970, probably. I saw a bass player playing with gloves – his were cut off at the fingers, of course – but still, I thought, What a great idea! You know, I was getting cuts and calluses, and instead of using bandages, which would always peel off, I decided to try gloves.
"I started out using driving gloves and then, later on, moved to golf gloves. I'm actually sponsored by Foot-Joy. Their gloves are made of very thin leather, and they allow me to feel the stick as if I'm wearing nothing at all on my hands. They do wear out: I can only do five or six shows before I need a new pair. But it's a small trade-off. And, yes, they are something of a signature, another thing I'm known for."
And the headphones. Are you listening to a click track, or do you wear the cans to protect your hearing?
"I loathe click tracks. Playing to a click takes all the heart out of the music. No, I use the headphones because I have a full 42-track mixing board, and I'm getting everything in stereo. I don't like having monitors pointed at me, blaring away. The phones gives me a great mix at a reasonable volume."
Let me ask you about one of my favorite albums, 11-17-70. Was it a nerve-wracking experience cutting that record?
"Incredibly nerve-wracking! It was just the three-piece band, Elton, Dee and myself – Davey hadn't joined yet. We went into a studio here in New York to do a live broadcast on WABC radio. There were maybe 50 people there to watch us. I remember [Billy Joel producer] Phil Ramone was the engineer. We just went for it. That red light came on, and it was like, 'OK, play!'
"A lot of people still comment on that record being one of their favorites, and I think it's because it was live, it was fresh, and it had a raw energy. It was a small band, a tight space, and we were caught up in a moment. People had heard of Elton in the States, but that really helped propel him and us as a performing act."

Hanging at the London Hotel in New York City, April 2011. © Joe Bosso
I asked Davey about this. The '70s were pretty wild times, and being in the Elton John Band allowed you access to anything and everything. Did drugs and alcohol ever become a problem?
"Well, I used to smoke marijuana and took pills sometimes. I never got into sniffing or shooting anything. And, of course, there was the groupie situation. We don't get them anymore! [laughs] Go figure. But it all did get to a point where it was slowing things down – it certainly slowed me down. I couldn't handle it, and I didn't like feeling paranoid. Eventually, I stopped all that. It's a waste of time, really. You know what's funny, though? I didn't drink back then. You know what I used to drink? Milk."
Milk? You could have been an Osmond!
[laughs] "I could have been an Osmond. It was actually in our tour rider: a gallon of milk for Nigel."
Now, that's rock 'n' roll. When Elton broke up the original band the first time, was it a huge blow, or did you see it coming?
"Oh, it was a huge blow. I didn't see it coming. At all. To this day, I don't know why he let us go. His excuse in the press was that he wanted to change the sound of the band. He tried, but I don't think he did. It was just the same songs played by different people.
"I was very bitter for a while. What was especially hard was that Elton didn't tell me – one of the lackeys from the office called and said, 'Elton isn't using you on the next record and tour. What do you think you're going to do?' I was devastated. But I pulled my boots up, made my own record and had some success with that.
"The second time I was let go, it was the same thing: someone from the office told me. After a while, though, Davey called me and asked me to sing backgrounds for the soundtrack to a Disney film Elton was doing called The Road To El Dorado. I didn't have a problem with it; I love singing backgrounds."
"They were using another drummer, a great player named Curt Bisquera. We did a promo tour for the project, but we'd slip in some hits. At one point, I think it was the song Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Curt looked at me and said, 'This is your song to play. I can't play this.' So I played on it, it felt great, and soon after Elton said to Davey, 'I think it's time to bring Nigel back.' And I've been back ever since – very happily, too.
"The touring is very different now, and as you get older, it gets a little harder. You do a gig, and then you get on a bus for 11 hours and try to sleep, which I can never do. I get to the hotel and try to grab some sleep before the show. The concerts are always great; the traveling…not so much."
Talk to me about Dee Murray. When I spoke with Davey, he said that he thought Dee never got his due as a musician.
"Dee…[pauses] No, I don't think he did get the proper respect he deserves. I think about him every single day. Brilliant bass player. Wonderful guy. Dear, dear, dear friend. A musical genius across the board.
"Bob Birch, our current bass player, idolizes Dee. And I'll tell you, there's times when we're in the studio and we'll be recording a track, and if I close my eyes, I feel as if Dee is in the room – that's how close Bob can get to Dee's sound. But you can never replace a guy like Dee. It's impossible."
The song Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding is such an epic, with so many moods and changes. How did you work out what to play on it?
"Again, we heard it as it was being written, and it was the magic of Elton, Bernie, the band, Gus and our engineer [David Hentschel] – we were all on the same wavelength. It just happened. It was so easy, and everything just flowed. We followed one another and knew where we had to go."
Can you point to specific songs and albums that you are particularly proud of from a drumming standpoint?
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Captain Fantastic and Don't Shoot Me. Although Honky Chateau was a pretty decent album, too. I call my playing 'descriptive' on those albums. I tried to do my part in bringing the lyrics to life. You can actually do that on the drums if you allow yourself to feel the music and let your imagination take over. Of course, it helps when you're playing some pretty astounding songs!" [laughs]

1. The Studio Kit (nicknamed "Ghana") is DW set featuring African Ghana wood outer-ply shells.

2. The "A" Set (nicknamed "F-1") is a custom fade between Ferrari Red and Williams F1 Yellow airbrushed "Little Blokes" on the shells (this is a stylized version of Nigel's trademark signature drawing he does with his autograph).

3. The "B" Set (nicknamed "Annette") is a custom fade between Breast Cancer Pink and Williams F1 Yellow with airbrushed "Little Blokes" on all the shells (also a stylized version of Nigel's trademark signature autograph drawing).

2x DW 18x22'' kick drums
2x DW 8x22'' woofers
DW 7x8'' rack tom
DW 8x10'' rack tom
DW 10x12'' rack tom
DW 14x16'' floor tom
DW 16x16'' floor tom
DW 5.5x14'' snare drum
All DW hardware and DW5000 pedals

Vic Firth drumsticks (signature model based on the "Rock" stick)
Remo drumheads (Clear P-3 on kick, Coated Ambassador tops and Smooth White Ambassador bottoms on the toms)
Paiste 2002 24'' ride with 24 Rivets
Paiste signature 20'' Mellow ride or Silver Mellow ride
Paiste signature 18'' Full crash
Paiste signature 14'' Power hi-hats
Special thanks to Johnny Barbis, Chris Sobchak and Steve Lehrhoff

Elton’s band partied harder than the Stones

http://rocknewsdesk.com/world-news/eltons-band-partied-harder-than-the-stones/1275/

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Guitarist Johnstone says his outfit were “twice as hardcore” but got away with it because of the music they played

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Racket man: But it's all in the past for Johnstone

Long-time Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone says his band, amongst the biggest in the world during the 1970s, were “twice as hardcore” as bands more known for their heavy lifestyles – but they got away with it because of the type of music they played.
And the man behind classic rock performances like Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting says he’s amazed the classic four-piece act survived the era intact.
Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray, who died in 1992, and drummer Nigel Olsson were the mainstay members of John’s band during his first flush of success, when they experimented with a wide range of musical forms. But the guitarist reports they also experimented with a wide range of recreational drugs.
He tells Music Radar: “Believe me, there were many ‘never again’ nights. Many ‘never again’ three-nights – 72-hour stretches where you literally never went to sleep. Then you did it again, twice as hard.
“We did as many drugs as you can imagine and drank as much alcohol as we could possibly pour down our throats. But because of the music we were never linked to the drug culture like, say, the Rolling Stones. People didn’t think we were decadent, even though we were.
“We were twice as hardcore as so many other bands, but we never got hassled. But there were some scary times, and periods none of us are particularly proud of. In recent years I’ve stopped everything and I’m very grateful that I have my health. We were very fortunate to have come through it all alive.”
He says John have him free reins with arranging the band’s songs from their very first session together, when the guitarist suggested large-scale changes and proved they could work. But his greatest moments have been on their rockier tracks like Saturday Night’s Alright – hailed by the Who as one of the best songs of all time, with Roger Daltrey having said it “should have been a Who song.”
Johnstone comments: “In those days, when a song came up I’d immediately start working on what I should do. Elton wrote so fast I had to be just as quick to keep up.
“As soon as I heard him writing Saturday Night I knew it was a total guitar-rocking track. So I wrote the intro and all the guitar parts. It was so much fun – at first Elton didn’t even want to play on it. He was just jumping around while the rest os us played. Eventually he put some piano parts on it. It was very exciting.
“What’s funny is, you listen to a track like Saturday Night and you think it’s fast, but it’s really not. It’s got the feel of a speeding train, and when you’re young you play everything fast because of the adrenaline. We play it properly now, but for years we played it way to fucking fast.”