Elton John was wrapping up a nearly 10-minute rendition of "Rocket Man" at Madison Square Garden last night when his roadies wheeled a second piano onstage and set it up with the lightning speed of a Nascar pit crew. Two nights earlier John had inducted Leon Russell into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame across the city at the Waldorf Astoria, so it wasn't a huge surprise when Russell slowly shuffled onstage and sat down behind the piano, looking like the last surviving Confederate soldier with his massive white beard and cane. It was the first time that Russell had stood on the Madison Square Garden stage since his legendary performance at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, and he seemed genuinely touched by the standing ovation. Photos: Elton John's Outfits Through The Years
Until that point the show had been a standard Elton John arena concert. As usual, he opened with the prog-rock majesty of "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" before ripping into "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" as the largely boomer audience danced in the aisles. "Madison Square Garden is my favorite place to play," John told the audience. "It's the home of so many memories in my career, and not one bad one."
John then proceeded to play a trio of songs from his 1971 classic LP Madman Across The Water. Everybody knew "Levon" and "Tiny Dancer," but it was a bold move to break out the long, progged-out title track. Some fans squirmed in their seats as guitarist Davey Johnston expertly recreated his complex acoustic guitar parts from the album, but they were rewarded with a bombastic "Philadelphia Freedom" and a sing-along "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." Photos: Opening Night of Elton John and Leon Russell's Union Tour
The Leon Russell portion of the show – during which the duo played eight consecutive songs from their new LP The Union – further tested the patience of casual fans. "I know you like to hear songs you know," John told the audience. "But we can't just play the same old songs forever." Upbeat tracks like "Hey Ahab" and "Monkey Suit" worked quite well in the massive space, but slower tunes like "When Love Is Dying" and "Best Part Of The Day" didn't connect like they did when John and Russell played them at the intimate Beacon Theater last year. Maybe it would have been better to throw in a couple of Russell's classic hits instead.
Before the John/Russell Civil War epic "Gone To Shiloh" began, roadies brought out an extra microphone stand and a lyric sheet on a stand. Out walked Gregg Allman (on break from the Allman Brothers' Beacon Theater run) to sing Neil Young's verse from the album. He seemed woefully underprepared and it was hard to hear much of anything he sang, but the crowd was overjoyed by his presence nevertheless. The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Elton John
For the final third of his show John returned to his greatest hits. I could happily go the rest of my life without hearing "Crocodile Rock" again, but when 18,000 people screamed with delight after the first note I found myself standing and singing along about Suzy wearing her dresses tight along with everybody else. As cool as it would be to hear him bust out "I Am Your Robot" or " I Feel Like A Bullet In The Gun Of Robert Ford," they would almost certainly lead to a mass bathroom exodus. Nobody knows that better than Elton does, which is why we got "The Bitch Is Back," the long version of of "Take Me To The Pilot" and a gorgeous rendition of " Candle In The Wind."
Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson get a lot of attention for their "never-ending tours," but in the past 15 years Elton has done just as many shows as they have. It's clear that he feeds off the crowd's enthusiasm, and even after the show passed the three-hour mark he looked more than capable of carrying on for another hour or two. (It's almost as if he traded his drug addiction for a touring addiction.)
This show was his 61st concert at Madison Square Garden, building upon the record he set on his 60th birthday four years ago. It's probable that he played "Your Song" at every single one of those 61 shows. It was the grand finale at this one, and even though he's sung it about as many times as Wayne Newton has sung "Danke Schoen," he still poured every bit of himself into it. It's the only way he knows how to operate.
Elton John was emphatically energetic Saturday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, playing hours of favorites and hits. (Jay Connor for The Boston Globe)
WORCESTER — Sir Elton John may have been knighted by the queen and claim a rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he belongs to an even more exclusive club than those. The piano man is one of a select group of pop musicians who can play a concert that runs just shy of three hours and still leave more than a dozen hits and countless fan favorites off the set list for lack of time.
John innately understands the effort required to retain membership in that club, and Saturday night he made it, giving an epic, indefatigable, and vibrant performance suffused with joy and grace. And as the sold-out crowd at the DCU Center learned, if he might not always include a particular favorite, what he does play and his resistance to phoning it in is plenty good enough.
Backed by a nine-piece band— including four dynamite backing vocalists— John was like a slot machine paying off the hits. In the first hour alone he blazed through “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,’’ “Levon,’’ “Tiny Dancer,’’ “Philadelphia Freedom,’’ “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,’’ “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues,’’ and “Rocket Man.’’
At 63, John’s voice sounds as good as ever. Although time has eroded a few of the high notes once within his reach, he finessed them with ease and the deepening grain of his soulful growl and his ability to sustain long notes is a satisfying trade-off. His playing also retains its sizzle, as extended solos, intros, and codas to “Rocket Man,’’ “Take Me to the Pilot,’’ and a fiery “Burn Down the Mission’’ spanned the distance between boogie-woogie, gospel, psychedelia, and the classical concert hall.
Not content to simply revisit the past, midway through the show John devoted a sizable piece of real estate to “The Union,’’ his 2010 collaboration with Leon Russell. In a pleasant surprise he welcomed his idol to the stage. (John inducts Russell into the Hall of Fame tonight). The crowd gave the snowy-bearded journeyman a hero’s welcome as he slid behind a grand piano facing John and showed appreciation and patience as the two dug into seven tracks from “The Union,’’ including the swaggering “If It Wasn’t for Bad’’ and the solemn “Gone to Shiloh.’’ (Sadly, the pair did none of Russell’s classic tunes such as “Delta Lady’’ or “A Song for You.’’)
After Russell left, John switched back to jukebox mode, reveling in singalongs to “Candle in the Wind,’’ “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,’’ “Bennie and the Jets,’’ “Crocodile Rock,’’ and the closer, “Your Song.’’
That last he dedicated to the audience for its loyalty, expressing his gratitude. “I really appreciate you guys so much, more than I could ever explain,’’ he said. Judging by the rapturous response, the feeling was mutual.
Like many other critics worldwide, Canadian critics loved Billy Elliot The Musical. Here is a small selection of highly-starred reviews following last week's opening of Billy Elliot The Musical at the Canon Theatre in Toronto. "4/4. I promise you, it's an evening of theatre you will never forget! When an audience leaps to their feet cheering in the middle of a show's second act, then you know something extraordinary is happening. Tremendous excitement, enormous joy and deeply felt emotion!"
Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star
"4/4. Soars right up into the stratosphere! Standing ovations between numbers."
J. Kelly Nestruck, The Globe and Mail
"5/5. All hail King Billy, and long may he reign!"
John Coulbourn, Toronto Sun
"4/4.This show should be on every Torontonians must-see list!"
Christopher Hoile, Eye Weekly
"Billy Elliot has cast a powerful spell over Toronto!"
Canadian Press
"A spectacular theatrical triumph! Billy Elliot not only embraces emotions, but steals the heart!"
Alex Reynolds, CHCH News
"6/5...(yes, that is correct!) A winner! Definitely see this show! You will not be disappointed! You'll want to see several times!"
Michael Englebert, The New AM 740
"Billy Elliot will steal your heart and renew your belief in the strength of the human spirit! A spectacular entertainment! Don't miss this one."
Gloria Martin, 680 News
"A gigantic hit! A stellar cast! Billy will make you cry, make you smile and finally make you rejoice in his spirit. I have to see it again!"
John Donabie, Jazz FM
"A show overflowing with heart and energy. A rare gem!"
John Moore, Newstalk 1010
"I haven't felt like pulling on a tutu since I was five, but Billy Elliot made me want to prance through my kitchen when I got home. A fantastic and magical show."
Michelle Butterly, 98.1 CGFI
"One of those rare theatrical marvels that lives up to everyone's expectations...and then some."
Elton John's "Greatest Hits Live" tour is rolling into Boise Saturday, April 9, and you could win front-row tickets to the concert.
Be there when he sings all the classics like "Tiny Dancer," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets" and more from his massive selection of hits.
Enter to win one of 20 pairs of tickets and the grand prize of two tickets in the front row.
Prizes will be awarded Monday, March 21, 2011 from a random drawing.
Concert details: The performance will begin at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets, go to idahotickets.com, any Select-a-Seat outlet, the Taco Bell Arena box office or charge by phone at 208-426-1766.
London's number one music station, Magic 105.4, is proud to announce the launch of a brand new annual music event, Magic Summer Live in association with BT. Headlining the daylong event is one of the world's biggest live acts, Sir Elton John playing his only London date this summer. Joining Elton John on the bill will be BRIT Award nominee Rumer and emerging American duo The Pierces, with more names to be added in the coming weeks. Held in the stunning historical grounds of Hatfield House on Sunday 17th July 2011, the day will host an exciting array of top music stars and is set to sell out fast. So don't miss out on Magic Summer Live, tickets are available NOW from www.magic.co.uk priced from £60.
Elton John's musical career has spanned over 4 decades and seen him sell over 250 million albums worldwide. He is one the most influential artists of all time with a string of Top 5 singles including: Your Song, Sacrifice, Rocket Man and Daniel.
He is a multiple Grammy and Brit Award winner and will be bringing his extensive catalogue including songs from highly acclaimed new release "The Union" to Magic Summer Live in association with BT. A true musical great, Elton John is the perfect name to headline this spectacular event.
Elton John says, "I'm really excited to be headlining the first ever Magic Summer Live event in July. I can't think of a better way to spend a summer's day than performing some of my greatest hits on a stage in the absolutely stunning setting of Hatfield House. "
Joining the bill is sensational pop-soul singer Rumer, who's self-penned album Seasons of My Soul is a set of songs that anyone with ears can't help but fall in love with. American duo The Pierces are Catherine and Allison - sisters, songwriters, and singers, who will bring their sweepingly melodic harmonies to Magic Summer Live - delivering an unforgettable day and night of live music. Watch this space for more artist announcements in the coming weeks…
Magic 105.4's Neil Fox made the surprise announcement live on his Magic Breakfast Show. Foxy told listeners: "Magic 105.4 is really excited about our brand new event, Magic Summer Live. We have an incredible headline act already on board and Hatfield House is the most picturesque setting. It's going to be an amazing day with some amazing Magic artists. From "Your Song" to "Rocket Man" we've played all of Elton's hits on Magic 105.4, he is one of the most exciting and extraordinary musicians of our time. With the total artist line up we have in mind, and only 20,000 tickets, of which a limited amount are VIP, make sure you get yours, so you don't miss out!"
Magic 105.4 Programme Director Pete Simmons said: "Magic 105.4 is London's number one music station and Sir Elton John is the world's number one live act. We couldn't have asked for a better headliner to launch our inaugural Magic Summer Live event. Given his very busy schedule and limited dates in 2011, we are honoured that Sir Elton John has chosen to appear with Magic 105.4."
Suzi Williams, Group Marketing and Brand director at BT plc commented: 'BT is delighted to be sponsoring the first ever Magic Summer Live. It's set to be a fantastic day of entertainment, bringing people together to see some of the best musical talent the world has to offer and an ideal environment to bring the BT brand alive for our customers and their families.''
Magic Summer Live takes place from 12:00- 22:30 in the beautiful park of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire on Sunday 17th July 2011. Hatfield House is just 25 minutes by train from London Kings Cross, directly outside Hatfield mainline station and only 5 minutes off the A1. Tickets are priced from £60 and are on sale now from magic.co.uk and by calling 08700 60 1054. Magic Summer Live will feature some the best names in music so don't miss out on this highly anticipated event which is expected to sell out.
For further Magic Summer Live announcements tune into Magic 105.4, check out magic.co.uk or follow us on www.facebook.com/magic1054 and twitter.com/magicfm. Ends
For further information on Magic Summer Live please contact:
Jacquie, Amy or Ben at Amazing Media on 0207 292 8860 firstname@amazingmedia.co.uk
For TV/Radio please contact:
Tony or Dawn at TX Media on 020 8883 3958 tony@tx-media.co.uk / dawnestefan@tx-media.co.uk
One of the top-selling solo artists of all time is set to grace the JQH stage on Saturday, April 16. The man, the myth, the legend, Sir Elton John will be performing his "Greatest Hits Live" concert, featuring the biggest hits and chart-topping songs of his five-decade career. Yes, you heard us: Elton. John.
Songs like 'Your Song,' 'Rocket Man,' 'Bennie and the Jets,' and 'Tiny Dancer' have helped make Elton John one of the most globally-reviered pop music artists of our time, and for the first--and possibly last--time ever, we Ozarkers have the chance to take in a night of incredible music with the man himself.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, Mar. 19 at 10 a.m., and carry a price tag between $29 and $139, depending on where you'd like to sit. Tickets are available through Missouristatetix.com, LiveNation.com, JQH Arena Box Office and charge-by-phone at (417) 836-7678.
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Elton John was emphatically energetic Saturday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, playing hours of favorites and hits. (Jay Connor for The Boston Globe) 
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