Elton John at Covelli Centre

"Elton John at Covelli Centre"

Sir Elton makes memories for a packed downtown house

http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/may/02/sir-elton-makes-memories-packed-downtown-house/

Published: Sun, May 2, 2010 @ 12:01 a.m.By ED RUNYAN
runyan@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
Sir Elton John, the man who made so many memories during his 40-year career with his chart-topping music and showmanship, made unforgettable memories Saturday night for 7,000 area fans packed into the Covelli Centre downtown.
With hits like “Rocket Man,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Levon,” and “Philadelphia Freedom,” the English performer lit up the stage with his five-member band for his Greatest Hits Live show.

John is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, behind only Elvis and the Beatles, according to Billboard.
He drew fans from as far away as Atlanta at costs ranging from $39 to nearly $200 for a ticket purchased on eBay or from a broker.

In the hours leading up to the 8 p.m. show, downtown was brimming with couples, sisters and friends, many of them accompanied by a daughter or son who learned to appreciate John’s music second-hand.
The majority of concert-goers were in their 40s or 50s — old enough to remember his energetic early days.
Sixteen members of the Fackelman and Luther families of Girard prepared for the show at Buffalo Wild Wings on Wick Avenue several hours beforehand, explaining that John’s music has been passed from generation to generation.
“I’ve wanted to see Elton John for a long time — since I was young,” Michelle Luther said.
“My 16-year-old daughter Emily loves him. I think she was born in the wrong era,” she said. “She learned the words to “Tiny Dancer” when she was 2 years old — word for word.”
“I just love his songs,” Emily agreed. “I’ve been listening to them since I was born.”
Michelle Luther’s brother-in-law, Steve Fackelman, said he and his wife, Carol, were persistent the morning the tickets went on sale and worked their computers, succeeding in getting six tickets each. All the tickets were sold in 30 minutes, but after seven minutes, only single tickets were left, Fackelman said.
Ed and Nancy Baran of Boardman didn’t score any of the $39, $89 or $139 Ticketmaster tickets online, but got two tickets behind the stage from a broker for $111 apiece.
“We are so excited. It’s probably my fourth or fifth time,” Nancy said of John concerts, dating back to her high school days in the 1970s.

“He was just different — Liberace outfits — but his music was incredible. Everybody was listening to him,” Ed Baran said.

Dortheann Metzinger of suburban Atlanta came back to her hometown of Canfield this weekend with her boyfriend, Alex Hutchins, to stay with her parents, Robert and Ann Metzinger, and attend the concert.

Her friend from St. Charles School in Boardman, Cris McFerren, called her on the phone when she learned that Elton John was coming to Youngstown.
“I called her up and said ‘You won’t believe it,’” McFerren said. “Dorothe introduced me to Elton when we were kids” around 1976, McFerren said.

“I’ve been a fan since about age 10,” said Dortheann, a 1982 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney graduate. “It’s one of my lifetime list of people to see.”
One of her fondest memories of those days is a particular pair of Captain Fantastic socks she wore with her Catholic school uniform.
The socks showed John as Captain Fantastic from the 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Dirt Brown Cowboy. They depicted John wearing big glasses and hat, and the socks showed a colorful keyboard.

“It was our only form of expression,” Metzinger said of being allowed to wear any kind of socks they wanted.
This is the first time Metzinger has attended an Elton John concert, even though John has a home in Atlanta and has played concerts there.
“I know I’d never get to see him in Atlanta,” she said, explaining that with 4 million people in the Atlanta area, tickets are hard to get.
John Klimko of Poland said the concert helps put Youngstown on the map.
“To have someone that well-known in our town. This is good for the town,” he said. “I think we need more of this kind of thing. People will come from Akron and Cleveland. People will come.”

Sandy Durbin of Willowick, a Cleveland suburb, said she has seen Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and Pat Benatar in recent years.
“I think it’s important to see the music icons while we still have them, and we’re going to see them in a 7,000-seat arena. It’ll be intimate. It’ll be good,” she said.

“I saw the tickets come up on Ticketmaster for Youngstown, and I was thinking THE Elton John?”
Sheryl Carabbia of Struthers, who was with about five coworkers and friends, said, “There’s a few things you just want to go out and do, and this is one of them.”

Paul Handza, 22, of Pittsburgh, came to the show with several relatives, including his mother, Lynn Handza of Ridgway, Pa., which is near the Allegheny National Forest.

“I’m surprised. It’s really pretty here,” Lynn Handza said as she sat at a table on the sidewalk in front of Rosetta Stone on Federal Street before the concert.
“I’m very interested in architecture, and there is some really nice architecture here,” Paul Handza said.

How Covelli landed the Rocket Man

http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/apr/30/by-david-skolnick/

Published: Fri, April 30, 2010 @ 12:10 a.m.

By GUY D’ASTOLFO
dastolfo@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN

Covelli Centre Executive Director Eric Ryan

Sir Elton John

• Photogallery: Elton John at the Covelli Centre
• Vindy Story: Sir Elton makes memories for a packed downtown house
• Vindy Story: How Covelli landed the Rocket Man
• Map: Covelli Centre
• Website: eltonjohn.com
• AP Story: Elton John: Ryan White inspired me

How did little old Covelli Centre, with its 7,000-seat capacity, manage to land an Elton John concert?
It was a combination of business connections, the arena’s reputation ... and being in the right place at the right time.
Talk of bringing Elton to Youngstown actually began more than two years ago, said Eric Ryan, center director.
“I had been working on it since right about the time I got the job here [November 2007], or at least discussing it,” Ryan said. He first met with John’s representatives at a concert convention in California two years ago.
But it was only a few months ago that Saturday’s concert changed from a some-day goal to a distinct possibility.
“I was on a conference call with SMG and [representatives from] some other buildings and they were discussing the Elton John-Billy Joel tour that was then going on,” Ryan said. “They were saying Elton was going to take some dates on his own and play some secondary markets to leave the major markets still in play. Now that being said, we still didn’t meet the criteria. But I got on the horn and made some calls and we put together a plan with SMG and some other SMG buildings.” Covelli Centre is co-managed by SMG, an international arena-management company, and JAC Management, which is owned by Ryan. The city of Youngstown owns the facility.
Covelli Centre has the lowest capacity of the SMG-managed arenas that got Elton, but other factors worked in its favor.
“Thank goodness Elton loved the idea of playing a more intimate place,” Ryan said. “Elton doesn’t need to play Youngstown, but it was up to him and his management to say they’d play here. It went back and forth. I wanted it to happen, but I was afraid we didn’t have enough seats. But we worked out a deal and then [concert promoter] Live Nation got involved, and we finished it.”
In addition to the relationship with SMG, the arena’s history with major concerts played a role in landing the Elton John show. “[Covelli Centre] has a track record. We can say we put butts in the seats. We sold out Journey and Carrie Underwood and people are starting to notice.”
Ryan said he felt certain the Youngstown market would support an Elton John concert, even with its high ticket prices ($39, $89 and $139), and he was right.
When tickets went on sale March 12, ticket-selling Web sites got 13,000 hits in the first three minutes for the show — and each buyer could have bought up to six tickets. Buyers were mainly from the Northeast Ohio-Western Pennsylvania region, said Ryan.
“We are so fortunate; it’s unbelievable,” said Ryan. “I wake up every morning and ask my wife, ‘Is Elton still coming?’”

1 Avril 2010 -  Culture | Musique

Folie des grandeurs

http://www.lejdd.fr/Culture/Musique/Images/Avril-2010/Elton-John-concert-Chichen-Itza-Mexique-183876/


Elton John donnait un concert au Mexique, face aux pyramides Chichen Itza. L'événement a provoqué la colères des mayas.
Reuters

Elton John concert banned in Egypt for comments on gay

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Elton-John-concert-banned-in-Egypt/H1-Article1-538482.aspx
Egypt's musician's union on Sunday rejected plans for British singer Elton John to perform a private concert scheduled for May 18, because of his "controversial remarks attacking religions".
"How do we allow a gay, who wants to ban religions, claimed that the prophet Eissa (Jesus) was gay and calls for Middle Eastern countries to allow gays to have sexual freedom," head of the Egyptian Musician Union, Mounir al-Wasimi told DPA.
The pop superstar, 63, stirred controversy after his remarks to US celebrity news magazine Parade in February, where he said "Try being a gay woman in the Middle East - you're as good as dead", after saying he believed Jesus was "gay".
Al-Wasimi said that he has begun coordinating with security bodies to ban John's concert, saying that the union is the only body "authorised to allow performances by foreign singers in Egypt".
In 2008, Elton John performed in the United Arab Emirates to a crowd of more than 13,000 fans.
Although some human rights activists claim homosexuality is spreading in Egypt, the topic is a taboo in the country. In 2008, a lesbian scene in an Egyptian film set in Cairo's slums caused uproar.
In 2001, police raided a "gay" floating disco in Cairo. Around 20 of the 52 arrested were jailed for "habitual debauchery" and "obscene behaviour".

Elton John Jams for Thousands at Final US Tour Stop

http://www.spinner.com/2010/05/02/elton-john-jams-for-thousands-at-final-us-tour-stop/

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Sir Elton John has the energy to do more in a day than most people past the ripe age of 63. In fact, he does more than most touring musicians 40 years his junior: he plays a three-hour live show. At the final U.S. date of his 2010 Greatest Hits Live tour Saturday night in Youngstown, OH, the Rocket Man even had the energy to dance atop his piano.

Elton John's most recent string of tour dates focused primarily on arenas and stadiums in smaller American cities, such as Youngstown's Covelli Centre. The tour featured the famed English pianist with full band in tow, playing his biggest hits to crowds hovering around 7,000, a modest amount for a performer of John's notoriety. Not only were there no opening acts, but on Saturday, John and band kicked off their set one minute early, starting with the song 'Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,' the opener off 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,' before ripping into 24 others and a brief encore.

Despite Elton's initial punctuality, he and his band had no qualms about taking their time, transforming several hits into improvisational jam sessions, most notably 'Levon' and 'Rocket Man.' The performances were interspersed with Elton's generous thanking and gesturing to the crowd.

John also chose to play a new song, 'You're Never Too Old,' which he introduced it by asking his fans not to "run for the exits." The song premiered at a March 2010 show and will be featured on Elton's October release, which finds him working with legend Leon Russell, producer T-Bone Burnett, Neil Young and others.

John's new song was not the only surprise in store for Ohio fans Saturday night. After truly raucous renditions of 'Benny and the Jets,' 'The Bitch Is Back' -- with the word "Bitch" flashing on a jumbotron behind the stage -- and several other top hits, Elton and company left the stage. But the singer, clad in a black coat featuring jewels and an embroidery of his own likeness, returned several minutes later. He signed nearly 25 autographs for fans crowded around the stage before playing 'Your Song,' followed by 'Circle Of Life' from Disney's 'The Lion King.'

Elton let the crowd know that he does not often perform 'Circle Of Life' live. The pianist even seemed a bit emotional before playing the song, saying that working on 'The Lion King' soundtrack "changed the direction of [his] career" because he "got the opportunity to do more than just make records and tour." Fans certainly left the Covelli Centre feeling "the love tonight" rather than having any inkling Elton's so-called diva image.

Jerome Elias Saleeby, 50: Activist and board member for the Elton John AIDS Foundation

http://www.ajc.com/news/jerome-elias-saleeby-50-513571.html
By Rick Badie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eli Saleeby's  face flashed across the screen during the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, held Saturday at the Hyatt Regency.

The dinner raises money to support the mission of  HRC, a civil rights organization that advocates on behalf of lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgendered citizens. It tries to secure equal rights at the local, state and federal levels.
Mr. Saleeby deemed its causes dear. Other activists say he was the first person from Atlanta to serve on the national board of  directors for  the Human Rights Campaign, based in Washington, D.C. He also sat on its board of governors.
The North Carolina native dedicated his life to organizations and events that promoted and advocated equal rights, "but it was not just for gays and lesbians," said Clara L.Fryer, a friend of Mr. Saleeby's since the late 1980s.
"I would say Eli was about fairness for the underdog," she continued. "He cared for the underdog and worked for folks who aren't as blessed as he was."
On April 23, Jerome Elias "Eli" Saleebydied at Grady Hospital from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 50. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. May 11 at 701 Sherwood Rd., a private residence in Atlanta.
After high school, Mr. Saleeby attended East Carolina University, where he befriended Jim Bierma, also a Carolina native. They moved to Atlanta in the late 1970s to attend college. Mr. Saleeby earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Georgia State University in 1982.
After working in banking, he became a real estate agent for RE/MAX Greater Atlanta and, later, specialized in high-end sales. Also, he and business partners would buy properties, then remodel and sell them.
In the 1980s,  the AIDS epidemic and HIV-related issues spread fear and death in the city. Mr. Saleeby and Mr. Bierma saw friends get sick and die. They got involved.
"Eli ended up taking a two-pronged approach," Mr. Bierma said. "He'd try to affect change on a political level and try to get grassroots funding. He was always consistent and always talked about having dialogue. He wanted to communicate, to talk, and make sure the agenda occurred."
Mr. Saleeby was a founding member of Georgia Equality. He was a board member for the Elton John AIDS Foundation from 1992 to 2005. John Scott of Cameron, N.C., served as the foundation's executive director during the movie buff's tenure.
"Not only did he help guide the governance of the organization, but he reminded all of us of the importance to leave a message of hope," Mr. Scott said. "He was a staunch believer in encouraging hope and awareness."
Years ago,  Mr. Saleeby had served as co-chair of the committee that plans the annual dinner for the local  chapter of the Human Rights Campaign. At Saturday's dinner, a moment of silence was held to honor the crusader.
"Several folks got tears in their eyes because they did not know," said Mr. Bierma,  his friend.  "He was healthy not too long ago."
Additional survivors include his father, Elias Saleeby of Raleigh, N.C.; and a brother, James Menefee of  Richmond, Va.



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Costumes for Elton John ballet put the emphasis on outrageous fun

 

 

Alberta Ballet dancer Kelley McKinlay at the Nat Christie Centre in Calgary. He's playing Elton John in the Alberta Ballet's upcoming production, "Love Lies Bleeding".

Photograph by: Dean Bicknell, Calgary Herald

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Elton+John+ballet+costumes+emphasis+outrageous/2977107/story.html#ixzz0momVLUSX

 

By Bob Clark, Calgary HeraldMay 2, 2010

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Elton+John+ballet+costumes+emphasis+outrageous/2977107/story.html#ixzz0momHjJVk

Once the curtain goes up on Alberta Ballet's Love Lies Bleeding on Thursday, don't be surprised if the imaginatively outrageous garb worn by the dancers to convey the look and feel of the world of pop icon Sir Elton John reminds you of something straight out of Lewis Carroll-meets-Barbarella-meets-A Clockwork Orange.
Add to that the influence both of Jean Cocteau-type surrealism and the brilliant unconventionality of that late enfant terrible of the fashionista set, Alexander McQueen, and you have an idea of what went into the concept dreamed up for the million-dollar show by costume designer Martine Bertrand.
The effervescent Bertrand recalls being in England for several months with her film production designer husband and thinking she saw the "Mad Hatter everywhere," when the Elton-inspired call came from Alberta Ballet artistic director Jean Grand-Maitre more than a year ago.
It couldn't have come at a better time, she says, "because I had a lot of things in my mind and I realized that in this ballet I could put everything -- my fantasy, my 'crazy thing' I have inside -- on the costumes. It's the first time I've had that (opportunity) with Jean," adds Bertrand, who has designed costumes for Grand-Maitre ballets for the past 16 years.
After developing her design concept by researching the music, life and times of Elton John for four months, mainly through photos of the pop star -- "My first inspiration was Elton in the 1970s, and a photo of him playing for the first time in Dodger Stadium in L.A. has inspired me a lot," she says -- Bertrand chose the Banff Centre as the facility to assemble the team of experts from Europe and across Canada to carry out the various cutting, sewing, dyeing and accessorizing procedures necessary to have her costume sketches turned into a reality. (Eighty per cent of the fabrication and costume-building took place at the Centre, while Alberta Ballet itself accounted for making the unitards worn by many of the dancers.)
With work on the costumes still in the very early stages, Bertrand recalls telling the Banff workshop crew, by way of a pep talk disguised as a credo, 'OK, I design the costumes, but in these costumes I want to have happiness and play. So go play.'
"And when I said that, they had fun -- and you see it in the costumes," says Bertrand, who lives in the Montreal-South Shore community of Longeue. "You see the happiness.
"And you see the happiness when the dancer wears those costumes."
Among those convened at the Centre to bring three-dimensional life to Bertrand's detailed sketches was Toronto milliner Leslie Norgate, who has spent 21 years in the business of making hats for use at the Stratford Festival, the Canadian Opera Company, the Metropolitan Opera and American Ballet Theatre, and several Lion King shows, among others.
Hats. Where would the whole Elton John stage persona be without . . . hats?
On paper, at least, Love Lies Bleeding calls for some of the most elaborately outlandish toppers and miscellaneous head coverings seen on the Canadian stage.
"The sketches show you everything," says Norgate.
But not how to make something like a "chandelier" hat.
That's where a taste for experimentation, a knowledge of unconventional materials, and a lot of experience came in.
"(The chandelier part) is made out of a material called 'Lexan' (used in motorcycle windshields and riot police shields)," Norgate says. "It looks like Plexiglas, but it's much stronger, much more flexible."
Adding another level of wonder to the elaborate headgear is the fact that it actually lights up, or at least appears to.
"Through illusion," Norgate says, adding that there are no lights on the hat only crystals or tiny mirrors, and big crystal "jewels" in the case of the chandelier "lights."
"Use the most powerful lights you have, the stage lights, and shine them on the hat -- and you create the illusion it's lit up."
Says Bertrand, "I wanted to give the lighting designer a place to play, too."
She laughs. "I designed that for everybody -- to have fun!"

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Elton+John+ballet+costumes+emphasis+outrageous/2977107/story.html#ixzz0momTEdJD

--
Débora Aromatis Machado e Robson Vianna.
ELTON JOHN'S CORPORATION.

Elton John - 1989-04-26 - Verona, Italy

Elton John, Rob Thomas team up for Andre Agassi’s Grand Slam

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/apr/27/elton-john-rob-thomas-team-andre-agassis-grand-sla/

Leila Navidi

Elton John sings during his final performance of “The Red Piano” at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 22, 2009.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | 11:26 a.m.

Andre Agassi Grand Slam Red Carpet Arrivals

Andre Agassi Grand Slam Concert

Superstar entertainer Sir Elton John and Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas will headline Andre Agassi’s 15th Grand Slam for Children benefit concert Oct. 9 at the Wynn per an official announcement this morning from the tennis star’s Foundation for Education.
“Reaching our 15th Grand Slam is an incredible milestone, and the support we’ve gotten from both the artists and those involved with our foundation have made that possible,” Andre said in the press release. “We’re honored that Elton and Rob will headline this special anniversary night, ultimately helping us make a difference in the lives of Agassi Prep students.”
Since 1995, the Grand Slam has raised nearly $82 million, including $8 million from last year's 14th event, to support a movement that’s improving education. The event supports the foundation’s efforts to transform education and benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a K-12 public charter school here in Las Vegas that strives to provide children with a first-class education. The tennis legend and philanthropist will host the 2010 Grand Slam for Children.
Now celebrating its 15th year, the Grand Slam brings together celebrities to build awareness and raise money for the foundation, which opened the Agassi Academy in 2001. Last year, the public charter school graduated its first senior class with 100 percent of graduates accepted into college.
Additional acts to be announced before Oct. 9 will join Elton and Rob under the musical direction of Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster. The Grand Slam benefit includes a cocktail reception, a dinner, a live auction and a concert.

Elton John - 1989-04-26 - Verona, Italy

(FM broadcast mp3@192)


01. Sixty Years On
02. I Need You To Turn To
03. The King Must Die
04. Burn Down The Mission
05. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
06. Have Mercy On The Criminal
07. Funeral For a Friend Love Lies Bleeding (missing from download)
08. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
09. Philadelphia Freedom
10. Sad Songs
11. Kiss The Bride
12. A Word In Spanish
13. Mona Lisa's And Mad Hatters Part1 & 2
14. Nikita
15. Daniel
16. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That
17. Candle In The Wind
18. Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting
19. Your Song
20. I'm Still Standing

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VHUMNQDD

http://rapidshare.com/files/380712722/ElJo.1989-04-26.Verona.rar

http://hotfile.com/dl/40050372/1cb6609/ElJo.1989-04-26.Verona.rar.html

Frustration for Elton John fan

http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2551578

Posted By QMI AGENCY

Posted 11 hours ago

Mike Kennedy called it a must-see concert.

The problem for Kennedy, however, is that he won't see it.
The Harrowsmith resident drove into Kingston Friday and got in line at 3:45 a.m. to wait, in the wind and the cold, outside the K-Rock Centre to buy tickets for the Elton John concert on July 9.
Within minutes of the box office opening at 9 a.m., Kennedy, who was 37th in line, reached the window only to learn that the woman in front of him had purchased the last two of the 6,700 tickets.

"I feel like 5,000 people butted ahead of me, that 5,000 jumped ahead of the line," said Kennedy of those who were able to buy tickets online or over the phone within minutes of them going on sale. "They didn't endure what I did. I talked to a friend this morning: he had a good night's sleep, called at 9 a.m. and got two floor seats."
Kennedy doesn't begrudge those who buy tickets by computer or by phone -- he's attended a couple of concerts at the K-Rock Centre, including the Gordon Lightfoot show two weeks ago, with tickets purchased online by a friend.
"I've had several good experiences at the K-Rock Centre," said Kennedy.
His beef is why the venue advertises tickets for sale at the box office.
"You're giving false hope to people lining up," he said. "There were at least 400 to 500 lined up around the block.
"Why have any ticket sales to people in line? If you're going to have box office sales, set aside a block for people in line.

Concert Review

Elton John reinvents greatest hits at Huntington Center

http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/04/27/elton-john-reinvents-greatest-hits-at-huntington-center/

Written by Michael Miller | Editor in Chief | mmiller@toledofreepress.com If classic rock can be defined as songs you don’t like but know all the words to, Elton John’s catalog is overflowing with exceptions that debunk the rule: songs you may not realize you know but love as you find yourself singing along.
For nearly three hours during his April 25 “Rocket Man” concert at Huntington Center, John played extended jam versions of two dozen of his hits, from his 1970 debut “Your Song” to a new track set for release on a Leon Russel duet CD in October.
More than 8,000 fans screamed, applauded, sang and urged the 63-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member through a muscular set that showcased a violent workout on John’s Yamaha grand piano.

Elton John, photographed by Steve France

John’s vocal delivery is more staccato than during his glory days, with less elongation to stress lyrics, and, post-vocal chord surgery, he no longer reaches for the higher notes, but his performance was strong, clear and seemed to gain energy as the night wore on; his five band members took breaks at various points in the concert, but John never left the stage. John, dressed in a split-tail maestro jacket with an image of his white-suited self from “Greatest Hits” crawling out of a crocodile mouth, sang behind sunglasses bejeweled with “EJ” and a half-smile. He wasted little energy on between-song chatter, but he did walk the length of the stage several times, mouthing “thank you” to fans and acknowledging specific John-themed articles of clothing worn by those in the first few rows.
For $25, the company simfyLive provided a flash drive and Web link with the April 25 Toledo show in full. A post-concert listen to the sound board-quality mp3 files reveals a band in absolute perfect synch. Longtime John drummer Nigel Olsson and guitar virtuoso Davey Johnstone are not in the Rock Hall with John, but they deserve unquestioned consideration as two of rock’s most consistent and accomplished sidemen. Kim Bullard’s keyboards provided everything from synth effects on “Rocket Man” to harmonica for “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues,” stoic bassist Bob Birch maintained a rock-steady foundation with John’s piano and percussionist John Mahon provided flourishes that represented the only musical indulgences of the night.
Highlights included intense runs through “Tiny Dancer,” “Madman Across the Water” and “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” one of rock’s coldest break-up songs. A 14-minute version of “Rocket Man” brought the band together behind John in an alternatively baroque and rollicking jam that gave the radio staple new life.
John acknowledged the 14 years between his Toledo visits with an earnest end-of-show comment: “It’s not all about Chicago and L.A.; it’s about places like this, and coming here tonight was such a pleasure. You lifted us so high.”
Download the April 25 Toledo concert at the Web site http://simfylive.com.

Elton John Live in Grand Rapids, MI 24-4-2010 [MP3]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9PMUAEJU


01 - Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding
02 - Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting
03 - Levon
04 - Madman Across The Water
05 - Tiny Dancer
06 - Philadelphia Freedom
07 - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
08 - Daniel
09 - Rocket Man
10 - I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
11 - Someone Saved My Life Tonight
12 - Take Me To The Pilot
13 - Something About The Way You Look Tonight
14 - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
15 - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
16 - Candle In The Wind
17 - You're Never To Old To Love Somebody
18 - Honky Cat
19 - Burn Down The Mission
20 - Benny And The Jets
21 - The Bitch Is Back
22 - I'm Still Standing
23 - Crocodile Rock
24 - Your Song
25-Circle of Life


RE-UPLOADED

Elton John Live in Seattle 31-8-1973 [MP3]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TPJG8LV5
01 - Intro
02 - Elderberry Wine
03 - Your Song
04 - High Flying Bird
05 - Honky Cat
06 - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
07 - Hercules
08 - Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)
09 - Madman Across The Water
10 - Teacher I Need You
11 - Have Mercy On The Criminal
12 - All The Young Girls Love Alice
13 - Daniel
14 - Funeral For A Friend-Love Lies Bleeding
15 - Band Introduction
16 - Crocodile Rock
17 - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
18 - Honky Tonk Women

Elton John, Rob Thomas headline Andre Agassi benefit

http://www.livedaily.com/news/elton-john-rob-thomas-headline-andre-agassi-benefit-22023.html

Published April 27, 2010 11:04 AM

Comments and 0 Reactions

By Suzanne Kayian / LiveDaily Contributor

Elton John [ tickets ] and Rob Tomas will headline Andre Agassi's 15th Grand Slam for Children benefit concert Oct. 9 at Wynn Las Vegas.
The annual concert, presented by The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, supports efforts to transform education and benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a K-12 public charter school in Las Vegas, according to a press release.

John and Thomas will be joined by additional yet-to-be-announced "top-name" talent under the musical direction of Grammy-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster.
Since 1995, the Grand Slam has raised nearly $82 million to support Agassi's vision of providing children with a first-class education, organizers claim.
The evening will include a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, live auction and the benefit concert.

elton john recorda ryan white

Elton John ricorda Ryan White con una lettera

http://www.gaywave.it/articolo/elton-john-ricorda-ryan-white-con-una-lettera/11023/

Pubblicato da Gigio in Cultura Gay.

Lunedì, 26 Aprile 2010.

Elton John sempre attivo nella lotta contro il virus dell’HIV, ha scritto e pubblicato una lettera per Ryan White, il giovane ragazzo di 18 anni, diventato un’icona simbolo della lotta contro l’HIV dopo che la malattia gli era stata diagnosticata nel 1984, in onore del ventesimo anniversario della morte del ragazzo.
White era stato infettato in seguito ad una trasfusione di sangue contenente il virus dell’HIV. Nonostante gli avessero dato sei mesi di vita, è sopravvissuto per ben sei anni diventando un grande sostenitore della prevenzione, cura e tolleranza dell’AIDS.

” Venti anni fà in questo mese morivi di AIDS. Sarei stato onorato se fossi riuscito ad avere una conversazione in più con te, l’amico che ha cambiato la mia vita e quella di milioni di persone che vivono con l’HIV. Per questo ho deciso di scriverti.
Ricordo bene il nostro primo incontro. Un giovane ragazzo con una terribile malattia, eri un’epitome di grazia. Non hai mai incolpato nessuno per la malattia che distruggeva il tuo corpo resistendo fino alla fine.

Quando gli studenti, genitori e insegnanti nella tua comunità ti evitarono espellendoti dalla scuola hai reagito non con parole di odio ma cercando di capirli nonostante la tua giovane età. Così hai detto che erano semplicemente spaventati di qualcosa che non conoscevano.

Quando i media ti hanno chiamato la vittima innocente perché avevi contratto il virus attraverso una trasfusione di sangue, hai rifiutato quell’etichetta rimanendo solidale alle centinaia di uomini e donne sieropositive. Hai ricordato agli USA che tutte le vittime di AIDS sono innocenti.

Quando sei diventato una celebrità, hai approfittato della tua posizione per educare la nazione sull’epidemia dell’AIDS sebbene volessi soltanto vivere una vita normale.

Ryan, io spero tu possa sapere quanto il mondo sia cambiato dal 1990 e quanto tu abbia contribuito al suo cambiamento.

Ora i ragazzi e le ragazze affette da HIV frequentano la scuola e prendono medicine che permettono loro di mantenere una vita normale. Raramente i bambini in America nascono con il virus e non rischiano di contrarre il virus attraverso una trasfusione. Gli insulti e le ingiustizie che hai sofferto non sono tollerati dalla società.

La cosa più importante, Ryan, è che tu hai ispirato la consapevolezza che aiuta le persone a sopravvivere e a curarsi, con i trattamenti specifici.

Nel 1990, 4 mesi dopo la tua morte, il Congresso ha approvato il Ryan White Care Act, che ora offre oltre 2 miliardi di dollari ogni anno per le cure di AIDS a mezzo milione di Americani. Oggi innumerevoli persone sieropositive vivono una lunga vita.

Mi addolora molto sapere che tu non sia fra questi. Avevi solo 18 anni quando sei morto e ne avresti 38 oggi se solo le cure attuali sarebbero esistite quando eri malato. Penso a questo ogni giorno, perché l’America ha bisogno del tuo messaggio di compassione.

Ryan, quando eri vivo, la tua storia ha acceso diverse discussioni a livello nazionale sull’AIDS. Ma nonostante tutti i progressi negli ultimi 20 anni, il dialogo è diminuito. Io so che tu cercheresti di stimolarlo se fossi qui oggi, quando l’epidemia continua a decimare interi gruppi, con oltre 50,000 casi di contagio l’anno sono negli USA.

So che insisteresti supportando la National HIV/AIDS Strategy che è stata promessa dal Presidente Obama ma che ancora non è stata approvata. So che lavoreresti duramente per aiutare chiunque soffra di HIV, inclusi tutti quelli che vivono ai margini della società.

Saresti triste nel sapere che in alcune zone degli Stati Uniti alcune persone povere affette dal virus stiano ancora aspettando di ricevere la cura.

Ti arrabbieresti se sapessi che il tuo governo non faccia abbastanza per aiutare le persone con HIV e quelle popolazioni che rischiano di contrarre il virus, inclusi ragazzi e ragazze giovani.

Ti sconvolgerebbe sapere che l’AIDS è la piaga che causa la morte di molti Afroamericani.

T’infastidirebbe sapere che sebbene ci siano centinaia e migliaia di Americani sieropositivi che stanno ricevendo le cure grazie a te, oltre 200 000 non sanno di essere sieropositivi.

Ti arrabbieresti nel sapere che molti adolescenti non possono informarsi sui programmi di prevenzione dall’HIV per le scuole oggi che quasi la metà dei contagi colpiscono ragazzi al di sotto dei 25 anni.

Mi manchi molto Ryan. Ero al tuo fianco quando sei morto al Riley Hospital. Eravamo rimasti assieme ogni giorno. Mi hai convinto a cambiare la mia vita e a preoccuparmi del tuo lavoro. Grazie a te sono ancora nella lotta contro l’AIDS, dopo 20 anni. Ti prometto che non rimarrò fermo ma porterò avanti ciò per cui hai combattuto così coraggiosamente.
Il tuo amico,
Elton.

Immagini tratte da: digitaljournalist.org;

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Elton John in Concert

http://mcmahonfive.blogspot.com/2010/04/elton-john-in-concert.html

Happy Sunday!  Saturday Night Was Alright for us!  My Mom gave us tickets to see Elton John in concert last night (for our 18th wedding anniversary in May).  Well, they weren't only tickets they were INCREDIBLE tickets!  6th Row, Center!!!!!  THANKS MOM!!!

He saw me!  He's pointing at ME!  I knew all those self adhesive crystals I wore would make me stand out in the crowd.  LOL! (just kidding...no bling was harmed!)

He was amazing.  He played 2.5 hours NON-STOP.  No breaks!  Then he came back out for an Encore and sang 2 more songs!  Almost 3 hours of Elton John Live.  He sounds just as good live as he does on the radio.  He even still has his original drummer that started with him back in 1969.  I'm happy to say...that was before I was born.  (...barely, LOL!)  

This is me watching Elton.  If you look over my shoulder you can see Elton on the Big Screen.  Hubby took this shot while sitting down.  He had a pretty serious ladder fall last weekend that required surgery.  He is recovering well but still very sore and tired.  He had to sit down after a couple hours of standing.  His legs just couldn't take anymore.  He had a great time even though he had to watch parts of the show over my shoulder.  

If you ever get the chance to see Elton John in concert....DO IT!! He is definitely worth EVERY PENNY!  We have been to a LOT of concerts over the years and he is awesome!  Just a singing machine!  We wanted to see him while he was in Vegas but that didn't happen.  Thankfully he came to our area!  What an opportunity!  Thanks Mom and Elton for a fantastic evening!

Sir Elton John and Rob Thomas to Headline Andre Agassi Foundation for Education's 15th Grand Slam for Children Benefit Concert
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sir-elton-john-and-rob-thomas-to-headline-andre-agassi-foundation-for-educations-15th-grand-slam-for-children-benefit-concert-92084494.html

 

 

2010 CONCERT BENEFITS ANDRE AGASSI COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY AND SUPPORTS FOUNDATION'S WORK TO TRANSFORM EDUCATION

LAS VEGAS, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education (Foundation) today announced that Sir Elton John and Rob Thomas will headline its 15th Grand Slam for Children benefit concert. The annual event supports the Foundation's efforts to transform education and benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy (Agassi Prep), a K-12 public charter school in Las Vegas that strives to provide children with a first-class education. Hosted by tennis legend and philanthropist Andre Agassi and presented by Genworth Financial, the 2010 Grand Slam for Children will take place Saturday, Oct. 9 at Wynn Las Vegas.
"Reaching our 15th Grand Slam is an incredible milestone, and the support we've gotten from both the artists and those involved with our Foundation have made that possible," said Andre Agassi. "We're honored that Elton & Rob will headline this special anniversary night, ultimately helping us make a difference in the lives of Agassi Prep students."
Celebrating its 15th year, the Grand Slam brings together international stars – from music to comedy – each year to build awareness and raise money for the Foundation. Dedicated to transforming education, the Foundation opened the Agassi Academy in 2001; in 2009, the public charter school graduated its first senior class with 100 percent of graduates accepted into college. The Foundation's work is directly impacting students in Las Vegas, Agassi's hometown community, but it has broader implications for education nationwide.
Since 1995, the Grand Slam has raised nearly $82 million, including $8 million from the 14th event, to support a movement that's improving education.
Additional top-name talent, who will be announced prior to the Oct. 9 event, will join Sir Elton John and Rob Thomas under the musical direction of Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster.
The evening will include a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, live auction and benefit concert. Sponsorships for the Grand Slam are still available at the following levels: Silver $10,000, Gold $17,500, Platinum $40,000, and Diamond $85,000.
About the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
The Andre Agassi Foundation seeks to transform public education in two ways. Through its signature project, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the Foundation works to provide underserved children in Las Vegas with a first-class K-12 education to prepare them for excellence in college and beyond. Through state and national advocacy, the Foundation strives to increase investment in, and accountability for, public schools. To support the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education or to obtain additional information, please visit www.agassifoundation.org.
About Genworth Financial
Genworth Financial, Inc. is a leading financial security company meeting the retirement, longevity and lifestyle protection, investment and mortgage insurance needs of more than 15 million customers. It has a presence in more than 25 countries. For more information, visit www.genworth.com.
SOURCE The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
Back to top RELATED LINKS
http://www.agassifoundation.org
http://www.genworth.com



Photos from The Grand Rapids Press - mlive.com
http://photos.mlive.com/grandrapidspress/2010/04/elton_john_25.html

Review, photos, video: Elton John rocks Van Andel Arena

By John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press

April 25, 2010, 6:39AM

http://www.mlive.com/multimedia/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/photos_elton_john_at_van_andel.html

With his stock still rising in 1976 as the planet's biggest rock star, the zanily bespectacled Elton John toured mammoth U.S. stadiums sporting a Statue of Liberty costume and other furry, flashy, flamboyant, over-the-top attire. The 29-year-old keyboard king churned out 19 songs as he scurried across the stage and repeatedly leapt off of his gargantuan piano, at least according to notes I scribbled on my wrinkled concert program from that "Louder than Concorde But Not Quite as Pretty" tour that stopped at the Pontiac Silverdome.
On Saturday night in Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena, the now 63-year-old Elton didn't do much scurrying -- just the occasional stage-stalk, double fist-pump and awkward finger-pointing salute.
He never once sprang off of his black Yamaha grand piano, never attempted one of those trademark keyboard handstands he regularly pulled off during his glory days.

RELATED CONTENT

View photo gallery

OK, he did clamber up on his bench after an eye-popping, rollicking version of "Bennie and the Jets" and put one foot atop that piano before gingerly hopping back down to terra firma. But make no mistake, this now venerable, less gaudy superstar (who did wear a snazzy long black jacket adorned with an image of himself climbing out of the jaws of a crocodile) may be more on top of his live-concert game than at any time in his stunning career: He generated nearly non-stop musical sparks with his finger-acrobatics on piano and his razor-sharp five-piece rock band for nearly three hours, leaving the crowd of 12,000 fairly fatigued by his procession of hits.
He played 26 songs -- seven more than he did during that Michigan stop 34 years ago -- and demonstrated time and again with his lengthy blues- and boogie-drenched solos that he really has no equal in his mastery of the rock 'n' roll piano.

Clips of Elton John performing at Van Andel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgK1oGAkHI

Rare songs to savor in Elton John's upcoming Grand Rapids show set list

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/rare_songs_to_savor_in_elton_j.html

By John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press

April 23, 2010, 7:52AM

AP File PhotoElton John will perform his third show in Grand Rapids on Saturday. He previously visited in 1997 and 1999.Sure, Saturday night's Elton John show at Van Andel Arena is dubbed, "Rocket Man: The Greatest Hits Live."
But guitarist Davey Johnstone also tells me the rock pianist will often slip an album-track gem or two into his set list because there are hundreds of classic tunes spanning more than four decades from which to choose.
For instance, at recent Texas show, the band dusted off "All the Girls Love Alice" (one of my all-time faves from 1973's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album). Here's a video of the song from a 2007 show:

So, in addition to "Alice," here are 10 rarely heard songs I'd be tickled to hear Elton tickle the ivories with on Saturday. (And find out what songs he actually plays in my review online Sunday and in Monday's Press):
• "Talking Old Soldiers" (from 1970's "Tumbleed Connection")
• "Have Mercy on the Criminal" (from 1973's "Don't Shoot Me I'm only the Piano Player")
• "Grey Seal," "I've Seen that Movie Too" (from 1973's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road")
• "(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket" (from 1975's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy")
• "Tonight" (from 1976's "Blue Moves")
• "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (tribute to John Lennon from 1982's "Jump Up!")
• "Pain" (from 1995's "Made in England")
• "The Wasteland" (from 2001's "Songs from the West Coast")
• "And the House Fell Down" (from 2006's "The Captain and the Kid")
E-mail John Sinkevics: jsinkevics@grpress.com

mp3
Elton John Funeral for a friend love lies bleeding performing at Van Andel.MP3
http://www.mediafire.com/?jkwumntv2nw

An evening with Elton John: 4/24/2010, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Video: Interviews with fans, guitarist Davey Johnstone and snippets of the concert's opening segment at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgK1oGAkHI







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgK1oGAkHI

And perhaps even more impressively, this veteran rocker seemed happier and more appreciative of his audience than on any previous tour I've seen, frequently acknowledging the raucous applause, shaking hands with fans and signing autographs for several minutes prior to his encore. "It's just so great to play a place like Grand Rapids," he gushed near the end of the show. "It's not all about places like New York City. It's about places like Grand Rapids, too."
Gregarious guitarist Davey Johnstone mirrored that sentiment backstage prior to the concert. He told me Elton and his band -- drummer Nigel Olsson (an original Elton John Band member along with Johnstone), bassist and Detroit native Bob Birch, percussionist John Mahon and keyboard player Kim Bullard (replacing Guy Babylon, who died of a heart attack last September) -- relish performing in smaller cities where they've rarely played before. He even praised the hospitality of the "nice people" of Grand Rapids.
So 11 years since Elton last performed a solo show here, and 13 years since his full band graced Van Andel Arena, the legendary rocker and his no-frills band unfurled a flawless set of familiar rock and pop songs. It started with the classical-meets-rock twofer "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" from 1973's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and ended with 1994's "Circle of Life" from "The Lion King" soundtrack, with plenty of electrifying hits in between.
With his once-distinctive tenor now a just-as-pleasing, more resonant baritone -- partly due to surgery on his throat in the late '80s -- Elton sang with power, emotion and more than a little bit of mugging and good-natured snarling, as he alternately pounded on the keys ("Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," and swung into delightful improvisational solos ("Madman Across the Water," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues").
And on classics such as "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," the backing harmonies of Birch, Mahon, Olsson and Johnstone were spine-tinglingly spot-on.
It made for an unusually entertaining show that blended recording studio-quality voices and carefully planned instrumental precision with clever twists on familiar melodies and hyper-extended solos that mostly spotlighted Elton's dazzling piano creativity.
"Some numbers have evolved to a different animal," Johnstone had said in an earlier interview, joking that "Rocket Man" had morphed into a 20-minute beast in concert. "We do take that time to jam around and do what we want to do with that song a little bit."

4 OUT OF 4 STARS

Highlight No. 1: An epic, extended rendition of 1972's "Rocket Man," with rock piano crescendos, soulful vocals and a sweet guitar solo Highlight No. 2: The boogie-blues creativity on 1970's "Take Me to the Pilot," topped later by the jaw-dropping piano solos on another 1970 tune, "Burn Down the Mission" Time on stage: 2 hours, 50 minutes

Well, "Rocket Man" didn't last quite 20 minutes Saturday night, but the 14-minutes-plus version boasted all sorts of dynamic changes, musical drama, looped echoing vocals and enough goosebump moments to rev up baby boomers as well as the surprisingly large number of teens and 20-somethings in the house. Much like The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, it seems the enduring music of Elton John still resonates with younger audiences. And to think Elton played barely half of the 50 Top 40 hits he's scored over the past four decades.
There were subtle moments of brilliance to savor too: the tasteful piano flourishes on "Levon" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," the tender delivery of a new song, "You're Never Too Old," that Elton wrote recently with his piano hero Leon Russell, the funky Russell-influenced riffs on "Honky Cat."

Elton John signals to the crowd at Van Andel Arena on Saturday. View photo gallery
Then there was the almost-casual, jaw-dropping piano work on a rousing "The Bitch is Back." That romp of a tune also had Elton slamming the piano lid down in time to the music while the word "Bitch" flashed on the video-screen curtain behind the band, thus proving that even at 63,
rock can still be a tad rebellious.
Yes, thankfully, Elton's "still standing," as he crooned proudly at one point. And to borrow a line from yet another Elton classic, this also meant Saturday night was all right ... even way better than all right.
Preconcert interviews with Davey Johnstone, Elton John fans

Photos, video: Elton John at Van Andel Arena

By The Grand Rapids Press

April 24, 2010, 10:25PM

Added by Octavian Cantilli | The Grand Rapids Press on April 24, 2010 at 10:25 PM

Article published April 26, 2010

ELTON JOHN DAZZLES HUNTINGTON CENTER

http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100426/NEWS16/304269998/-1/rss10

After 17 years away, rocker Elton John triumphs in Toledo return

While Elton John seems a little thicker around the middle and his voice an octave deeper, the star proved he could rock the house with enthusiasm at Huntington Center downtown. ( THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER ) Zoom | Photo Reprints

By KIRK BAIRD
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The air pianos were out Sunday night at Huntington Center. Elton John made his triumphant return to Toledo for the first time since a 1993 performance at the University of Toledo's then-Savage Hall. At that time, Bill Clinton was in his first year in the Oval Office, David Letterman took his late-night show to CBS from NBC, and Le-Bron James was only 8.

AUDIO LISTEN: to Elton John's first song at the Huntington Arena in Toledo

Times may have changed, but as a performer, John has not.

At 63, he's a bit thicker around the waist and his vocals an octave deeper, but his youthful energy and enthusiasm onstage last night were affirmation that rock-and-roll never dies - or grows old. With no opening act, John performed 25 songs during a two-hour and 45-minute concert with no intermission and only the occasional chitchat to a sold-out crowd of about 8,100. His vocals were up to the task, and his piano playing was inspiring throughout - and all sounded equally good in the medium-sized Huntington Center, which seemed tailor-made for John and his backing band.

Dressed in a long black coat with an array of sequins, a brilliant blue shirt and shoes, and black pants with a blue stripe, John treated concertgoers to a greatest-hits show from his four-decade career: "Tiny Dancer," "Rocket Man," "Daniel," "Honky Cat," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," "Something About the Way You Look Tonight," and "Candle in the Wind," to name only a few.

Elton John ends the show by telling his audience that ‘You guys lift me so high.’ The feeling is mutual. ( THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER ) Zoom | Photo Reprints

John rummaged through his own record collection and pulled out a few deep cuts as well, "Burn Down the Mission," and "Madman Across the Water," which featured a playful piano flourish on the backside of the song, including a brief jump into "The Girl From Ipanema." And yes, what would an Elton John concert be without the piano-fueled warhorse "Take Me to the Pilot." The evening's tone - mostly up-tempo, nostalgic - was set at the opening, with the epic tandem of "Funeral for a Friend" and "Love Lies Bleeding," followed by "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," the former punctuated by a crushing solo from John's guitarist Davey Johnstone.The quintet of musicians accompanying John, also including his longtime drummer, Nigel Olsson, provided musical muscle to the classics, as the band shifted effortlessly from arena rocker ("The Bitch Is Back") to couples slow dance ("Someone Saved My Life Tonight") with ease.
The night's setlist successfully seesawed between the moody music swings, and the crowd fist-pumped and swayed along to it all. Even the performance of the new song "You're Never Too Old to Hold Somebody," which John jokingly acknowledged as "risky," was greeted warmly, with nary a mass exodus by fans to the bathroom to be seen, though the rest of the band took a quick breather. (It should be noted that John did not leave the stage except for a 90-second break prior to the encore and then spent five minutes signing autographs for fans in the front row before launching into "Your Song.")

Elton John ends the show by telling his audience that ‘You guys lift me so high.’ The feeling is mutual. ( THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER ) Zoom | Photo Reprints

It's been 17 years since John played Toledo, which he acknowledged more than once. "It's not all about playing Chicago, New York, and L.A." he said before playing the final song of the night, "Circle of Life." "Coming here tonight and playing for you guys was such a pleasure. You guys lift me so high," he said. After last night's show, John, know that the feeling's mutual. Contact Kirk Baird at:
kbaird@theblade.com
or 419-724-6734.