Post by wingsj0 on Feb 2, 2006 20:50:55 GMT
Elton John Live at Wembley Arena Wed 11th and Thurs 12th December 2002 - By Jean Herbaut.
I HAD to go to both shows! There was a very good reason for this .....being that I belong to his Rocket club where you can, if you are lucky enough, get priority tickets for the front rows at his concerts....you are given a time and date to apply ‘on line’ through his Rocket club, and it's first come, first served....
Unfortunately you are only allowed 2 tickets per gig, and one of those tickets must be held by the rocket member. You can only collect them on the night from the venue in question, and you must supply photographic evidence, credit card etc, plus a confirmation printout from his web-page......the collection point is inside the venue, thus eliminating the touts!
As my husband and my daughter wanted to go, I had to attend both nights (such a drag!!!) in order to get the tickets. So on Wednesday (Row 9) it was with my husband and on Thursday (Row 7) with my daughter. The whole of the block in the stalls immediately in front of Elton’s piano was taken up with Rocket members.
Elton is one of the few performers that do not have a support act. Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard are others that I know of.
The show started with Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, and first out was the band followed by Elton John. When Elton did come out, the whole place went wild! Elton's playing was fantastic and he has such a wonderful band that the sound was absolutely brilliant.
This is the 4th and 5th time I've actually seen Elton John live, but each time is unique. One of his fans likened it to having a masterpiece of art in your own living room....and I would certainly agree with that. His piano was right in front of us on the left-hand side of the stage and he kept standing up and thanking us for our appreciation. He was obviously very conscious that as he was stuck at the piano permanently on the left side of the stage, the audience on the other side of the Arena were less fortunate. So he made great effort to get up every so often and march over to the other side of the stage and wave and thank the audience over there. Obviously this causes a break in the proceedings, although the band plays on, but has to be done. Unfortunately, unlike a guitar, one cannot carry one's instrument with one when it's a huge piano!!! But he was great.
There followed a string of hits, Bennie And The Jets, Daniel, Someone Saved My Life tonight, plus songs from his last album, Songs From The West Coast.....after each number the crowd were on their feet clapping and cheering in appreciation. Towards the end of the show, obviously everybody stayed on their feet, and the placed just rocked. There were two encores...ending with Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, and Your Song, which he dedicated to the audience.
I could easily have sat through it all again a 3rd time, but that would have been greedy!
Having taken account of the situation on the Wednesday, I decided that I would chance my arm on the Thursday to get my Greatest Hits 1970-2002 c/d and my programme signed during the show. I have been to see Elton three or four times before this, and he is extremely good 2 –with the audience, and often stops between numbers to sign autographs. So with this in mind, towards the end of the show my daughter and I excused ourselves out of our row (which we were unfortunately in the middle of) and tried to make our way to the stage...........we were quickly blocked by three bouncers in bright orange jackets......who told us that we couldn't go any further....yeh right! I said I wanted to get my c/d signed but they insisted we weren't going any further. They told us to return to our seats. We stood our ground but men in orange jackets said we couldn't stand in the aisle, and pushed us into the row that we were next to at the time....about three rows from the front. Two other girls arrived from somewhere behind us, and obviously taking our lead decided to chance their luck, thus receiving the same reaction.
After more haggling......enter knight in shining armour! Elton John's stage manager came out and told men in orange jackets to let us through....they put forward their objections, and he just said firmly "Let them through". What a great guy he was, didn't have time to thank him, he disappeared back stage as quickly as he had appeared. And did I get my c/d signed....Yes I did, and my programme and so did my daughter, but only after the stage manager had run on with a pen. This was also a great photo opportunity ......by now I didn't care - just let them try to throw me out......clearly Elton didn't have a problem with any of this. I could see the stage manager from the side of the stage, but couldn't make contact to thank him.....but will certainly be sending an e-mail to the Rocket membership page to express my thanks. Needless to say this made the evening for us, and it didn't hurt anybody at the end of the day did it?
Well done to Elton and his management for letting common sense prevail, I say.
This was two and a half hours of pure magic, never faulting or appearing tired at any stage, the music just kept Elton and the band rocking throughout. I cannot pick out a highlight (apart from him signing his autograph for us of course), as the whole show was just brilliant.
By the way Elton will be touring next year (2003) with Billy Joel....Tour starts in March in the US, look out for that one folks, and do try to get tickets - you will not be disappointed.
The Band
Elton John Piano & Vocals
Davey Johnstone Musical Director, Guitar & Vocals
Guy Babylon Keyboards
Bob Birch Bass & Vocals
Nigel Olsson Drums & Vocals
John Mahon Percussion & Vocals
- 3 -
Set List (as far as I can remember)
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
Little Jeannie
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)
Holiday Inn
Tiny Dancer
Original Sin
I’m Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Pinball Wizard
Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Your Song
I’m sure I’ve missed some, but that’s most of the set list.
Jean Herbaut
Official site: www.eltonjohn.com
Please note all articles on this site are (C) to The Beat Goes On And On Fanzine and may not be used without permission
I HAD to go to both shows! There was a very good reason for this .....being that I belong to his Rocket club where you can, if you are lucky enough, get priority tickets for the front rows at his concerts....you are given a time and date to apply ‘on line’ through his Rocket club, and it's first come, first served....
Unfortunately you are only allowed 2 tickets per gig, and one of those tickets must be held by the rocket member. You can only collect them on the night from the venue in question, and you must supply photographic evidence, credit card etc, plus a confirmation printout from his web-page......the collection point is inside the venue, thus eliminating the touts!
As my husband and my daughter wanted to go, I had to attend both nights (such a drag!!!) in order to get the tickets. So on Wednesday (Row 9) it was with my husband and on Thursday (Row 7) with my daughter. The whole of the block in the stalls immediately in front of Elton’s piano was taken up with Rocket members.
Elton is one of the few performers that do not have a support act. Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard are others that I know of.
The show started with Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, and first out was the band followed by Elton John. When Elton did come out, the whole place went wild! Elton's playing was fantastic and he has such a wonderful band that the sound was absolutely brilliant.
This is the 4th and 5th time I've actually seen Elton John live, but each time is unique. One of his fans likened it to having a masterpiece of art in your own living room....and I would certainly agree with that. His piano was right in front of us on the left-hand side of the stage and he kept standing up and thanking us for our appreciation. He was obviously very conscious that as he was stuck at the piano permanently on the left side of the stage, the audience on the other side of the Arena were less fortunate. So he made great effort to get up every so often and march over to the other side of the stage and wave and thank the audience over there. Obviously this causes a break in the proceedings, although the band plays on, but has to be done. Unfortunately, unlike a guitar, one cannot carry one's instrument with one when it's a huge piano!!! But he was great.
There followed a string of hits, Bennie And The Jets, Daniel, Someone Saved My Life tonight, plus songs from his last album, Songs From The West Coast.....after each number the crowd were on their feet clapping and cheering in appreciation. Towards the end of the show, obviously everybody stayed on their feet, and the placed just rocked. There were two encores...ending with Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, and Your Song, which he dedicated to the audience.
I could easily have sat through it all again a 3rd time, but that would have been greedy!
Having taken account of the situation on the Wednesday, I decided that I would chance my arm on the Thursday to get my Greatest Hits 1970-2002 c/d and my programme signed during the show. I have been to see Elton three or four times before this, and he is extremely good 2 –with the audience, and often stops between numbers to sign autographs. So with this in mind, towards the end of the show my daughter and I excused ourselves out of our row (which we were unfortunately in the middle of) and tried to make our way to the stage...........we were quickly blocked by three bouncers in bright orange jackets......who told us that we couldn't go any further....yeh right! I said I wanted to get my c/d signed but they insisted we weren't going any further. They told us to return to our seats. We stood our ground but men in orange jackets said we couldn't stand in the aisle, and pushed us into the row that we were next to at the time....about three rows from the front. Two other girls arrived from somewhere behind us, and obviously taking our lead decided to chance their luck, thus receiving the same reaction.
After more haggling......enter knight in shining armour! Elton John's stage manager came out and told men in orange jackets to let us through....they put forward their objections, and he just said firmly "Let them through". What a great guy he was, didn't have time to thank him, he disappeared back stage as quickly as he had appeared. And did I get my c/d signed....Yes I did, and my programme and so did my daughter, but only after the stage manager had run on with a pen. This was also a great photo opportunity ......by now I didn't care - just let them try to throw me out......clearly Elton didn't have a problem with any of this. I could see the stage manager from the side of the stage, but couldn't make contact to thank him.....but will certainly be sending an e-mail to the Rocket membership page to express my thanks. Needless to say this made the evening for us, and it didn't hurt anybody at the end of the day did it?
Well done to Elton and his management for letting common sense prevail, I say.
This was two and a half hours of pure magic, never faulting or appearing tired at any stage, the music just kept Elton and the band rocking throughout. I cannot pick out a highlight (apart from him signing his autograph for us of course), as the whole show was just brilliant.
By the way Elton will be touring next year (2003) with Billy Joel....Tour starts in March in the US, look out for that one folks, and do try to get tickets - you will not be disappointed.
The Band
Elton John Piano & Vocals
Davey Johnstone Musical Director, Guitar & Vocals
Guy Babylon Keyboards
Bob Birch Bass & Vocals
Nigel Olsson Drums & Vocals
John Mahon Percussion & Vocals
- 3 -
Set List (as far as I can remember)
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
Little Jeannie
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)
Holiday Inn
Tiny Dancer
Original Sin
I’m Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Pinball Wizard
Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Your Song
I’m sure I’ve missed some, but that’s most of the set list.
Jean Herbaut
Official site: www.eltonjohn.com
Please note all articles on this site are (C) to The Beat Goes On And On Fanzine and may not be used without permission