Elton John to Rock Chichen Itza
March 3rd
2010
by
Becky Youman
closeAuthor: Becky Youman Name: Becky Youman
Email: byouman@...
Site: http://About: Becky lived and worked in Mexico and South America for almost a decade before moving to Arizona. Her books on Latin America include Liquid Mexico – Festive Spirits, Tequila Culture & the Infamous Worm, a travelogue that explores the locales and history related to Mexico’s most famous libations; Open Road’s Chile Guide; and Open Road’s Ecuador & Galapagos Guide. She is also the author of Open Road’s Best of Arizona, as well as a frequent contributor to Alaska and Horizon Airlines’s in-flight magazines. When she’s not out traveling, she can be found mountain biking and hiking in Scottsdale’s Sonoran Desert and Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks.See Authors Posts (114)
The ancient Maya ruins of
Chichen Itza are one of the top attractions for travelers on Riviera Maya or
Cancun vacations. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chichen Itza is home to
El Castillo, The Castle, one of the best preserved and restored pyramids of the Maya world, along with many other impressive structures. It’s a place of profound spiritual significance for the Maya people, especially during the vernal and autumnal
equinox, when the rising sun casts a shadow in the shape of a feathered serpent that crawls down the steps of
El Castillo.
This impressive archeological site has also become an occasional venue for the hottest concerts on the Yucatan Peninsula. The latest artist to announce a concert there is the Rocket Man himself, Elton John.
Riviera Maya hotels are filling fast with fans who want to take part in the special evening concert.
Sir Elton John will perform on April 3 on a stage set up at the foot of
El Castillo.
Tickets are still available for the show on
Ticketmaster, but many vacationers will probably end up buying the tickets as part of a package. Hotels and tour operators are all trying to create unique Elton John concert experiences. Most of the packages include concert tickets and transportation, but one hotel, the
Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya has gone a step further to create the ultimate Elton John concert experience.
The Mandarin Oriental’s Elton John Chichen Izta package starts with four nights at a beachfront casita. The casita comes with its own private infinity pool of course. The package also includes a preshow party at the hotel’s cocktail lounge, private transfers to and from the concert, as well as two VIP concert tickets. Knowing that you will be worn out after a night of concert revelry, the package also comes with a personal butler, spa treatments, dinner for two at the resort’s Ambar restaurant, and a bottle of French champagne with Beluga caviar. All this could be yours for a mere $13,000 for two.
If that’s a little too steep for your wallet, there are tickets available for roughly US$80, $160, $240, and $400 each depending on the seating. There won’t be caviar included, but you might get to experience a little “
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” just as it is doing exactly that.
John’s famous song “
Crocodile Rock” will most likely be part of the playlist given the abundance of that particular reptile in the Yucatan region, but if not, you can always stop by the Riviera’s Maya’s
Crococun Zoo for your own hopping and a bopping.
http://www.americanegypt.com/blog/?p=816
March 3rd, 2010 by ejalbright
The association representing hundreds of vendors who flood into Chichen Itza every day to sell crafts and trinkets to tourists has vowed to begin blockading Chichen Itza over the next month in protest of the forthcoming Elton John concert April 3.
While the vendor association maintains that the Elton John concert is illegal, of greater concern is the current ownership situation of Chichen Itza. The land under many of the most significant monuments is owned by Hans Thies Barbachano, who the association is claiming discriminates against them.
In retaliation for actions by Thies Barbachano and the Elton John concert, the vendors are threatening to protest and set up blockades to prevent tourists from seeing Chichen Itza. In a statement, Viveldo Pech Moo, representing the vendors, demanded that a dialogue be opened with Yucatan states Patronato Cultur and the federal Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), which co-manage Chichen Itza, and with Thies Barbachano, so that the indigenous Maya “are taken into account when it comes to tasteless performances,” referring, presumably, to Elton John.
The purpose of the protests and blockades will be to bring attention to the plight of the Maya, who desire to be able to sell their wares at Chichen Itza without interference and, at least according to the news source La Jornada, to be able to see the concert for free, if they so desire.
Meanwhile, INAH has released a statement in response to a declaration by three members of its staff representing hundreds of workers that holding concerts at Chichen Itza is illegal. According to INAH spokesman Julio Castrejon, steps will be taken to insure installation of the concert stage and audience platforms will not affect the archaeological remains of Chichen Itza. “We will protect all archaeological remains.”
Organizers of the concert have also argued that a portion of the proceeds from the Elton John concert and previous concerts held there (Placido Domingo, Sarah Brightman) go to the communities affected and to augment research efforts at Chichen Itza.
Elton John set for Oscars bash
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Sir Elton John is hosting his annual Oscars bash
Sir Elton John has invited the Olympic gold medal winners to his Oscar-viewing party this year.
Construction of the massive marquee, home to one of the biggest parties in Hollywood, has begun in the grounds of the city's Pacific Design Center for what looks set to be another massive fundraising event for the singer's charity.
Scott Campbell, the director of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said this year's guest list promises to be pretty impressive.
"It's a great list and it brings together a diverse group of people, including this year's three Olympic medal winners," he said.
"We have a very loyal group of core friends - everyday people and people in the media and entertainment world who come together."
Following tradition, after the stars finish watching who wins this year's Academy Awards, Elton will take to the stage to perform a special set with a musical guest. This year he'll be performing with Grace Jones.
But fundraising is at the event's heart, explained event producer Virginia Fout.
"You have an Elton John hosted event which, as we all know, Elton wants to be beautiful elegant and nice... but you're also raising money for charity so you have folks that have paid a lot of money to sit and have dinner for a good cause."
The five-course menu includes a spring vegetable compote, risotto carnaroli with saffron liquorice, a choice of either New York steak or Wahoo with black olives and stewed lentils, and for desert a 'crispy milk chocolate bar with a bitter chocolate glaze, meringue sticks and apricot coulis'.
Read more:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/entertainment/elton-john-set-for-oscars-bash-14708630.html?r=RSS#ixzz0hEyUesAS
Elton John, Billy Joel sing to 15,000 in Wichita
By Denise Neil
The Wichita Eagle
The two stars, both now in their 60s, wound down their "Face 2 Face" tour with a stop in Wichita, where they performed more than 30 of their best-known hits.
"It's been 31 years since I last played in Wichita, back in 1979" Joel joked from the stage when it was his turn to perform solo. "I'm not really Billy Joel. I'm Billy Joel's dad. Billy's home messing with his hair."
The show started with the two stars emerging from two separate sides of the stage — first Joel, wearing a casual suit with a blue T-shirt. He stood, smiled and soaked up the applause for a few minutes before motioning to the other side of the stage as John appeared, wearing a black tux with tails, purple-hued sunglasses and a scarf printed with the words "Stardust Kiss."
Sir Elton John and Billy Joel embrace at the beginning of their concert at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
The two sat at black grand pianos facing each other and launched into cooperative performances of four hits — John's "Your Song" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and Joel's "Just the Way You Are" and "My Life."
Joel exited, and John launched into a solo set that included "Levon," "Rocket Man," "Madman Across the Water," "I'm Still Standing," "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock."
He ably kept up with his hour-plus set, standing up from the piano to dance every few songs. But his age showed on "Tiny Dancer" and "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road" when he skipped his famous high notes. On "Tiny Dancer," John purposely stayed in a lower register. And on "Road," he let the band members take the high notes.
Sir Elton John performs at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
John didn't chit-chat at all from the stage, but Joel's solo set was full of jokes and one-liners.
He opened with "Angry Young Man" and played his way through "Movin' out (Anthony's Song)," "Allentown," and crowd favorite "We Didn't Start the Fire," a song during which Joel left the piano and played the guitar in the center of the stage.
At the end of his hit "Always a Woman," the oft-married Joel joked,"... and then we got divorced."
Joel's more energetic set had the crowd on its feet dancing through other hits, such as "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" and "Only the Good Die Young."
Billy Joel performs at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
At the end of the show, the two returned to the stage and performed an encore together, collaborating on "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," "Uptown Girl," "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and the Jets" and finally "Piano Man."
Annie Sauber, who got seats in the third row after the seats she purchased were blocked by a camera, said John and Joel provided the soundtrack to much of her youth.
Sir Elton John and Billy Joel play a duet at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
She brought friend Marilee Nordhus along with her, and the two spent the concert dancing and reminiscing.
"I can remember my mom cleaning to 'Bennie and the Jets' when I was 5 or 6 years old," Sauber said. "It reminds me of the smell of Pledge every time I hear it."
Sir Elton John acknowledges the crowd at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
Sir Elton John waves to the crowd along with Billy Joel at the beginning of their concert at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
Sir Elton John plays with Billy Joel at the Intrust Bank Arena on March 3, 2010.
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Elton John
Saturday Sun Sessions
Notes: Apparently Joe Boyd arranged a recording date to showcase some new songs, including some other material from Mike Heron and John Martyn (among others). The future Linda Thompson,then known as Linda Peters, handled backing vox and then sang lead on a few more songs. Possibly some people from Fairport Convention and/or Traffic were in the band.
Issued by Sound Techniques in 1994
Catalog Number: EJCD348
Tracks 1-11 unreleased studio tracks
Tracks 12-18 audience recorded live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, 26 September, 1979
Saturday Sun (Nick Drake)
Sweet Honesty (Beverley Martin)
Stormbringer (John Martyn)
Way to Blue (Nick Drake)
Go Out and Get It (Mike Heron)
The Day is Done (Nick Drake)
Time Has Told Me (Nick Drake)
You Get Brighter (Mike Heron) Linda Peters-vocals
This Moment (Mike Heron) Linda Peters-vocals
I Don’t Mind (Ed Carter) Linda Peters-vocals
Pied Piper (Ed Carter) Linda Peters-vocals
Katie Price joins husband Alex Reid in Los Angeles as they get ready for Elton John's Oscars bash
http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/03/04/katie-price-joins-husband-alex-reid-in-los-angeles-as-they-get-ready-for-elton-john-s-oscars-bash-115875-22084384/
By 3am's
Clemmie Moodie &
Danielle Lawler 4/03/2010
Katie Price jetted off to LA yesterday, to hook up with new hubby Alex Reid - and prepare for Sir Elton John's glitzy Oscars party.
It's an annual affair and, you may recall, the model, aka Jordan, attended it with now ex-husband Peter Andre this time last year.
Katie, 31, was snapped arriving at Heathrow's Terminal 5 with her mum Amy.
The pair got into LaLa-land mode with a spot of pampering at British Airways' First Class lounge.
Sir Elton John is working on an album with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin that will feature guest spots from Neil Young and others.
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