REVIEW: Elton John

Newcastle Metro Arena

This sold out arena show provided an ideal opportunity to get a glimpse of what we can expect when Elton John makes his eagerly-awaited appearance at Ewood Park in June.

If last night's performance is anything to go by - Blackburn you are in for a real treat!

Elton is something of a national treasure and deservedly so. But it's not until you see the man live on stage that you can fully appreciate just how special he and his magnificent band of musicians really are.

In a diamanté encrusted frock coat complete with his initials emblazoned on the back in gold (naturally!) there was no mistaking the star of the show.

But for all his flamboyant dress sense he manages to pull of the trick of being totally charismatic without resorting to major theatrics. Between song 'patter' was kept to a minimum apart from a typically forthright response to a journalist who that morning had reported Elton was to retire in March. It was succinct, two words and left no-one in any doubt that 69 he may be but Elt's going nowhere and it elicited one of the biggest cheers of the night.

It's interesting to watch him on stage - you can see him feeding off the audience's response after every song. The louder the cheers, the more energy he seemed to gain. Here is a man working in his natural habitat - on stage with musicians he respects, playing live.

Given the vast nature of his back catalogue, any setlist will be missing someone's favourites but like everything else he does, the running order for this two-hour plus show had been carefully worked out to tick all the boxes.

So we headed back to the early days with the likes of Bennie and the Jets, Philadelphia Freedom and Daniel.

I'm Still Standing, Blue Eyes, Your Song - the hits just kept coming. But there was also room for a couple of new songs from his most recent album Wonderful Crazy Night.

But make no mistake, packed with hits the show may be but there isn't a hint of anyone on that stage just going through the motions. Elton and his band are the musical equivalent of a Formula One team, totally at their peak and making it all look ridiculously easy.

They also clearly have so much fun doing it. Drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone May have been with Elton for over 40 years and racked up over 5,000 live shows between them but from the broad smiles on their faces they are still having a blast.

Vocally Elton shows no signs of ageing, indeed his voice is richer and stronger now than in his early days.and you forget just how good a pianist he is too. Songs such as Levon from his Madman Across the Water album and a magnificent solo which ultimately led into Rocket Man showcased talent on the old ivories.

For an arena show the sound was remarkably good, again you detect Elton's hand in all of the production - only the best is good.

An encore of Candle in the Wind and a raucous Crocodile Rock which had 8,000 people singing the la la la chorus rounded off a special night.

Clearly there are differences between an indoor arena show and the open air party heading to Ewood Park in the summer but from what I saw last night nothing will be left to chance, the set list will delight you and Elton and his band will make the occasion truly special. Roll on June 10!

Setlist:

Funeral for a Friend

The Bitch is Back

Bennie and the Jets

I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues

Daniel

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Looking Up

Good Heart

Philadelphia Freedom

Rocket Man

Tiny Dancer

Levon

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Have Mercy on the Criminal

Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

Your Song

Burn Down the Mission

Sad Songs

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

I'm Still Standing

Your Sister Can't Twist

Saturday Night's Allright (For Fighting)

Encores

Candle in the Wind

Crocodile Rock

Elton John plays Ewood Park on Saturday, June 10. Details from http://bit.ly/2d6e7Sy