As I mentioned, the Elton John concert here the other day was just OK, if not mildly disappointing. In all fairness, the guy’s old – well, really, he’s only a couple of years older than my parents, but I guess the rock star lifestyle has taken its toll on him. Maybe I shouldn’t expect so much. Then again, Billy Joel is only a couple of years younger, and he still puts on a lively show – but then again, Billy Joel also gets doctor’s orders to cancel shows for exhaustion. So take what I have to say within all that rationalizing context.
It comes down to this: I think it’s fair to have expected that, since Elton John is famous for certain songs and for being a certain type of performer, in return for the price I paid for my ticket, I would get to see him perform the songs he is famous for performing. I’m not exaggerating when I say that at least half the crowd had never even heard 2/3 of the songs he sang Wednesday night. People around me were falling asleep. Hillary and I managed to entertain ourselves by making snide remarks and playing with my iPhone.
I mean, really, Elton John? Really? It’s not as if we signed up for the Reginald Kenneth Dwight Master Class. It’s awesome that Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote a song about the Matthew Shepard tragedy – really, it is – but nobody wanted to hear it at the concert. Evidence: As soon as he introduced the song, literally dozens of people got up to go to the bathroom or to get a drink. It’s not because they’re homophobic or they don’t care about Matthew Shepard – it’s that they came to hear “The Bitch Is Back” (which he did not play all night).
He didn’t play “Bennie and the Jets” or “I’m Still Standing” or “Candle in the Wind” or “Circle of Life” or “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Lucky for me, I’ve seen him perform before, so I’ve had the opportunity to see him perform some of that stuff, but if it had been my first and/or only time, I would’ve felt a little cheated. Yes, he played for nearly three hours, but two of those hours were ones that most people in the audience couldn’t sing along with.
Oh, and in case you were wondering: There were no light-up glasses frames, no weird hats and NO COSTUME CHANGES. If I didn’t have the photos as proof, I wouldn’t have believed I was at an Elton John concert. Check it:
By the way, percussionist Ray Cooper was fabulous. I hadn’t heard of him, but I’d definitely go see him again. Highly recommended. Elton John, not so much. Clearly, I should’ve gone to see him in Vegas back when he was still going big instead of going home.
NOTE (01/11/2010): The comments section for this post has been closed. I should’ve made it clear from the beginning that this is a blog and that it doesn’t matter to me if you think I’m a bad person for disliking this concert. Something to consider: Getting all judgy with me about my blog is not going to (a) change my mind, (b) make me feel guilty for expressing my honest opinions or (c) make me think that you’re a better judge of music than I am. Go ahead and think that last part all you like, though.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Bill Adams, Dammit! // Jan 9, 2010 at 12:10 am
Ray Cooper was a member of Elton’s original band. He really is a great percussionist.
2 Crissy // Jan 9, 2010 at 12:15 am
Ahhh, I did not know that. Thanks! He was very animated . . . and he looks like Larry David.
BTW, I love how you are “Bill Adams, Dammit!” ;o)
3 Kaimana Pine // Jan 9, 2010 at 12:15 am
Cool write-up, I’ll have to see how it goes Saturday! Haha! :b
4 Trang // Jan 11, 2010 at 11:46 am
Fans want rare, non-fans want hit. What is Elton? He’s not the freaking iTunes that play what you want. Want to hear hits? Buy the freaking greatest hits or freaking live DVDs, they are all hits. In stead of playing with your beloved iPhone, why don’t you just concentrate and see what good music is all about?
I feel sorry for you, not because you paid money for what you don’t have, but because of your ignorance. People proud to say they heard rare songs, you’re proud to say you heard hits that everyone else have already heard a thousands of time already. Give the man a break, singing The Bitch Is Back 100+ times a year, year after year, even Elton wants to hit his head on the piano.
5 admin // Jan 11, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Well, Trang, aren’t we all glad that you can read Elton John’s mind and know that he wants to hit his head on the piano.
6 Crissy // Jan 11, 2010 at 1:42 pm
All right, I’m just going to say this once, so I don’t get a whole bunch of comments by perturbed EJ fans:
While I like Elton John’s music, I’m not a super huge fan. I DO own some of his greatest hits stuff, including live recordings. I’m kind of that mid-level fan, where I know material like “Levon,” but not “Indian Sunset.”
Maybe I have been confused by other concerts I have been to, at which artists — including Elton himself — have played their greatest hits and maybe a couple of obscure numbers. I thought that was kind of the point of a concert, unless you’re promoting your new album. Judging from the crowd reaction here, I’d say I’m not alone in this line of thinking.
7 Justified // Jan 11, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Honestly Crissy, The show was billed as Elton John & Ray Cooper. A light should have went on… perhaps a little research b4 you spent your hard earned cash? Elton & the Band, or with Billy Joel.. You get the hits, Solo or with Ray Cooper, Well you experienced it, You have no one to blame but yourself if you were unhappy with this show. It really is a shame that you couldnt enjoy the musicianship of someone working so hard for 3 hours playing his heart out.
8 Crissy // Jan 11, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Honestly, people, is it too much to ask that I get some decent grammar in the comments?
And besides, when did I complain about Ray Cooper? I said he was fabulous. No complaints about Mr. Cooper here. You must be confusing me with somebody else.