The early 70’s was not short of singer songwriters. Elton John, Bowie, Rod Stewart, Leo Sayer, Gilbert o Sullivan, Brian Protheroe, and  the greatest piano singer songwriter from the 60’s, Neil Sedaka, still around. Elton was not destined for global superstardom, although he did steal a march on his Uk contemporaries with an early impact in the USA, through a combination of great songs, great management, hard work and flamboyance. His subsequent superstardom was by no means a given.  But his fey, theatrical shows were underpinned even then by several years working the bars, pubs and clubs combined with session work- he was tougher than he at first appeared.

1982, was not his most auspicious year , the Jump Up album struggled to make an impact in the post punk/new wave era   but his performing repertoire   was so strong that did not impact interest in his 135 date world tour which closed with this 16 night season in London. It also marked  Davey Johnstone’s return to the Elton John band, reuniting the classic band on stage for the first time in eight years.

Funeral for a friend/ love lies bleeding was a perennial opening favourite and did not disappoint. “Goodbye Yellow brick Rd” had already assumed cult status  as a standard alongside   such greats as “Somewhere over the rainbow”, it is both a song of hope and regret, of expectation and lamentation.   Quite simply it was magnificent.

Elton is not infallible and two of his favourites, fan favourites too have always grated on me, “Bennie and the Jets” and “The Bitch is back” their live renditions here did nothing to change my mind Material from “Jump up” was well represented of which “Empty Garden” was the best.

The pacing of the finale did not work, the poignant ballads Your song and Daniel were interspersed with the rip-roaring “Saturday Night” during which Davey Johnstone was on fire , leaving the always reliable “Crocodile Rock” to pick up the mood from “Daniel”.

Of course the rock n roll medley encore was fun and  a throwback to his bar room days, so nostalgia heavy, but it was at the expense of numerous original songs which could have done an equally good job. “grey seal” , Take me to the Pilot” and “Your sister cant twist” to name but three. Although a major international pop star his subsequent status and longevity could not have been anticipated back then. His song writing and performing went on to develop and mature. “Your Song” remains one of the great pop ballads, “Saturday Night’s alright for Fighting” is one of the great guitar driven rockers, “Rocket man has evolved into a psychedelic tour de force, and “Circle of Life is a musicals standard.

So a great night, with some great performances, but marred by an uneven setlist.

setlist

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

All The Young Girls Love Alice

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Better Off Dead

Ball And Chain

Empty Garden

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

The Bitch Is Back

Pinball Wizard

Song For Guy

Elton’s Song

Chloe

Where To Now St. Peter?

Blue Eyes

Where Have All The Good Times Gone?

Rocket Man

Bennie And The Jets

All Quiet On the Western Front

Your Song

Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting

Daniel

Crocodile Rock

Encore

Rock and Roll Medley: Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On/I Saw Her Standing There/Twist And Shout

Elton John  NEC Birmingham England  3/7/2002

And so, twenty years on…

He still opens with Funeral for a friend but wow has his repertoire matured! I can forgive him “Bennie and the jets” which was surprisingly  jaunty because this time the setlist and pacing was impeccable. And played with an energy, dynamism and commitment that belied his 55 years.

At a concert you are fortunate if a handful of songs take off, here the entire evening levitated from “Rocket Man” and never came down. The song is now much stretched out and rearranged from the original, and much for the better. “I guess that’s why they call it the blues” I have always found routine on record, but live it takes on another dimension and becomes a narrative story, it brought the house down.

“I’m still standing” was a more than adequate stand in for “Saturday Night” “Crocodile Rock”  was fun, feisty and elegiac bringing the main set to a close. The encores combined the pizzaz of “Pinball wizard” with  the pathos of  “Don’t Let the Sun” and Your Song”. The perfect setlist for a perfect evening.

Setlist

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Bennie And The Jets

Daniel

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes

Philadelphia Freedom

The Wasteland

Rocket Man

I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues

I Want Love

This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore

Take Me to the Pilot

Sacrifice

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Oh My Sweet Carolina (Ryan Adams cover)

American Triangle

Have Mercy on the Criminal

Holiday Inn

Tiny Dancer

Original Sin

I’m Still Standing

Crocodile Rock

Encore

Pinball Wizard

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me

Your Song

And twenty years on in 2022 Elton, aged 75 is playing his farewell tour