Elton John's Clinton Concert Row
AP Photo/Andrew Theodorakis, Pool
Sir Elton John's fundraising event for Hillary Clinton has been questioned by an American government watchdog, because the singer is not a U.S. citizen.
A New York concert the rocker staged last week raised $2.5 million for the senator's presidential campaign.
He also used the Radio City Music Hall stage to pledge his support for the former first lady.
But Judicial Watch claims the fundraiser broke a law prohibiting the raising of funds for election campaigns by foreign nations, because John is British.
A statement from the group reads, "Sir Elton John is not a citizen of the United States and is therefore prohibited from making any contribution to Senator Clinton's presidential campaign."
However, Clinton has hit back, explaining a loophole allowed the star to offer his support.
Her spokesperson tells the New York Times, "Hillary's campaign has complied with the law. Since 1987 ... foreign nationals may volunteer their time for campaigns on an uncompensated basis. Elton John is simply volunteering his uncompensated time to appear at the concert. This appearance is consistent with past rulings."
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
FEC Complaint filed against Elton/Hillary fundraiser...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Elton at the Honda Center
Saturday night's all right for Elton John in Anaheim
Review: The legendary singer and pianist gets a little action in, delighting fans with a hits-filled show.
By PETER LARSEN
The Orange County Register
Comments 3 | Recommend 10
It's easy to take classic pop songs for granted: you've heard them for so many years, they almost become background music, something comforting maybe, nothing that you need to listen to all that closely.
But then put them all together, hit after hit, live on stage, as Elton John did Saturday at Honda Center, and suddenly you remember why you loved them the first time you heard them.
So the near-capacity crowd in Anaheim got lucky this time. With Elton on the road in support of a new collection of his No. 1 hits, going in you knew you were probably going to hear your favorite song.
And for two-and-a-half hours and 24 songs, that was exactly what Elton delivered, mixing 12 chart-topping classics with another dozen fan favorites, the majority of them from his classic albums of the '70s.
The show started slowly, the ominous sounding opening chords of "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" sounding as the arena went dark, the instrumental first half of the song perhaps serving as a chance for everyone – Elton, his band and the crowd – to get comfortable for the night.
"The Bitch is Back" followed, getting most of the crowd on its feet and cheering at the opening notes, but after that upbeat rocker, Elton went back to the slower stuff for a trio of songs from his "Madman Across the Water" album, playing the title track, "Tiny Dancer," and "Levon" in succession.
Listening to these perfectly crafted vintage tunes in concert, it's also easy to find yourself transported back to the time and place and age you were when the singer and the song first became important to you.
So as Elton played the romantic and melancholy piano riff that opens "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," my wife was a 12-year-old girl again, with posters on the wall of the singer she thought she'd marry one day. (What can we say? Kids were innocent AND naïve back then?)
A song later, "Daniel," and back in time I went too, to my own awkward childhood, singing along in the bedroom to the AM clock-radio that provided all my music as a kid.
Of course we're all older now, Elton included, and it was a more subdued showman on the stage Saturday. Dressed in a black frock coat with a typically gaudy design ("Music Magic" on the back in sparkly letters, and some combination of instruments, musical notes and a tiny Elton-as-a-wizard appliquéd here and there) he stood up on his piano a few times, and walked the four corners of the stage to acknowledge fans between songs, but seldom spoke between numbers.
His voice remains strong – though you do miss the falsetto and higher ranges he could reach when he originally recorded all of these – and his band was sharp, including drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, both of whom have played and recorded with Elton since the early'70s.
And, as always, his piano playing was a revelation. Where the singles might have had all those wonderful melody lines he played, most of them were short on solos as pop songs tend to be. In performance, though, Elton stretched out and showed off his skills at the keys of the Yamaha grand piano he plays.
"Rocket Man" extended into a lovely peaceful bit of soloing that seemed like it would wrap up the song, only to segue into rave-up rocker again at the finish. The percussive opening chords of "Bennie and the Jets" set a mood for that song that again let him take off on extended flights of rhythm and melody.
Some songs were a little less obvious choices – "Take Me to the Pilot," "All the Girls Love Alice," "Holiday Inn." A few came from post-'70s albums – "I'm Still Standing," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," "Believe,"
But at the end, it was the biggest of big hits that had the audience members on their feet and dancing. For "Crocodile Rock," Elton urged the crowd to sing the falsetto la-la-la's of the chorus, then "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" wrapped up the main set on a hard-rocking note.
After a brief break, spent mostly signing autographs at the front of the stage, Elton returned to the keyboard to close things out with two of his prettiest ballads. First, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," with its soaring melody and vocal.
And finally, "Your Song," another standard from my AM-radio-days repertoire, another reminder of why the timeless songs are still good songs to reacquaint yourself in concert from time to time.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
"Some things are better left unsaid...."
For a guy that has America to thank for his 30+ year career, his riches and his place in music history he has a funny way of expressing his thanks....So Elton thinks that if Hillary loses its because we are a bunch of women haters. Oh brother! Thats like when he said America is racist because we voted off an black contestant on American Idol, the year that Fantasia won.
Elton John laments American misogyny
British pop star Elton John, playing a fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton in New York, said he was amazed at the misogyny of some in America and he hoped that wouldn't stop her being president.
At the fund-raiser which Clinton's campaign manager said raised $US2.5 million, John said there was no one more qualified to lead the United States into the next era.
"Having said that, I never cease to be amazed at the misogynistic attitude of some people in this country. And I say to hell with them," he said, drawing cheers from the crowd at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.
"The reason I'm here tonight is to play music, but more importantly as someone who comes from abroad, and is in America quite a lot of the time (and) is extremely interested in the political process because it effects the whole world."
"I've always been a Hillary supporter," he said.
Introducing him, Clinton recalled that the entertainer had played at the White House at a state dinner when her husband Bill Clinton was president.
The New York senator, who is trailing Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, vowed to take her battle for the Democratic nomination to the end of the primary process, saying all the states should have their say.
Clinton said she couldn't sing but "What I want you to know is 'I'm still standing'," - echoing the title of an Elton John song.
John opened his set with the track Your Song, dwelling on the line "How wonderful life is when you're in the world."
Other hits he sang included Daniel and Rocket Man.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Elton John to executive produce Elvis Costello show
Elton John, Elvis Costello Launch Television Series
April 3, 2008 02:04 PM
By Suzanne Kayian
LiveDaily Contributor
Elvis Costello [ tickets ] and Elton John [ tickets ] are collaborating on a new television series "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...," that will feature performances and in-depth conversations with an eclectic mix of artists ranging from newcomers to legendary performers. John and Costello both are executive producers of the show, which will begin airing later this year on the Sundance Channel in the US, CTV in Canada and Channel 4 in the UK, according to a press release.
"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." will feature a variety of talk formats including intimate one-on-ones and thematic panel discussions, punctuated with live performances relating to the topics at hand. The musical side of the television series will be equally eclectic, with host and guests doing acoustic performances, unique collaborations and some interpretations of others' songs by Costello.
In a statement, John said, "Elvis Costello is the foremost expert on popular music. I thought it would be sensational to use his knowledge and intelligence to explore the artistry of musicians and other fascinating people involved in making great music, as well as true music aficionados."
Costello explained in a statement that he is not interested in extracting some dark secret from the show's guests. "I'd rather hear about a bright secret, a deep love or a curiosity that might be otherwise obscured by fame," he said. "This is a wonderful opportunity to talk in complete thoughts about music, movies, art or even vaudeville, then frame it with unique and illustrative performances."
"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." will keep with John's commitment to philanthropy; the series producers have struck an association with the (Product) RED campaign, which was created to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Select excerpts and performances from the 13 one-hour shows will be distributed in a variety of new media and conventional platforms, with a portion of the profits going to the Global Fun
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Missed this yesterday...
Eminem takes on challenging role
1st April 2008 00:00
PinkNews.co.uk writer
He may be the bad boy of white rap, but Eminem is set to wow fans of his music and acting career by starring in a new biopic of a British singing legend.
Real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III, the 35-year-old has been praised by poet Seamus Heaney for getting kids interested in lyrics and poetry and compared to Elvis Presley.
Now, following his critically acclaimed performances in 8 Mile and Da Hip Hop Witch, Eminem is set to take on his most challenging acting role to date.
He is reported to have signed up to play a young Elton John in an upcoming film about his life.
Remember what yesterday's date was?
Friday, March 28, 2008
Is Elton breaking US election laws?
Elton John's $1million fundraising concert for Clinton 'may break U.S. election rules'
By DAVID GARDNER - Last updated at 09:12am on 28th March 2008
Sir Elton John was at the centre of a new controversy in the American presidential race last night after claims that his $1million fundraising concert for Hillary Clinton may be illegal.
U.S. election laws ban foreigners from donating or raising cash for candidates.
Sir Elton's April 9 concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall is almost sold out, with only tickets costing £500 and £1,150 remaining.
Illegal concert? Elton John's fundraiser for Clinton could break election rules
The 1966 legislation was introduced to "minimise foreign intervention" in American elections. Penalties for infringements include fines and prison sentences.
A spokesman for the Federal Elections Committee did not rule out the possibility that the concert could contravene the act if it is ruled that Sir Elton is contributing indirectly to the Clinton campaign.
The Washington Times said the law "prohibits any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly."
But there is an exemption, according to the Washington Times, as long as the foreign national isn't compensated. Sir Elton is not believed to be being paid for the fund-raiser.
A spokesman for the Clinton campaign pointed out that Sir Elton is volunteering his time by appearing at the concert.
A complaint would have to be filed with the U.S. Federal Election Committee for any action to be taken. No complaint has yet been filed.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
More US dates
Elton John slots in more US dates
Elton John has added another half dozen US shows in between his "Red Piano" concerts in Las Vegas.The superstar, who just wrapped a leg of secondary-market dates in North America, returns to Vegas Wednesday (3/19) and will perform at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace through April 6. He'll leave Sin City for another handful of US shows beginning April 11 in Missoula, MT, and, since last check, has added a second night in Pullman, WA, as well as several cities in California and Florida.
With the exception of the May 3 "Top of the Mountain" concert in Tyrol, Austria, John will take off the month of May and make his way back to Vegas for another residency in June. That will be followed by a two-week European trek with his band, after which the Rocket Man will drag his "Red Piano" set across the Atlantic in November and December for shows in England and France.
North American dates are listed below and overseas gigs can be found at John's website.
The Grammy-winning singer, who's put in about 50 annual performances at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace since 2004, signed on to keep his "Red Piano" show in Vegas through this year.
"Over the past four years, we have played almost 200 Red Piano shows at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and every single one has been an event--the band and I have had a ball!" John said in a statement, adding that he can't wait to see how British audiences react to the show.
"The Red Piano" was created by John and photographer David LaChapelle to spotlight the performer's body of work with his longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin. John and Taupin teamed once again in 2006 for the album "The Captain & The Kid," which is billed as a sequel to 1975's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy."
Last year, John released "Rocket Man - Number Ones," which comprises 18 hits covering the first 35 years of his career. The album accompanied the star's 60th birthday celebration, which he marked with a record-breaking 60th performance at New York City's Madison Square Garden. That concert is captured on the two-disc DVD set "Elton John 60: Live at Madison Square Garden."
March 2008
19 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
21-22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
24-26 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
28-29 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
31 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
April 2008
1-2 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
4-6 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11 - Missoula, MT - Adams Center
12-13 - Pullman, WA - Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum
18 - Bakersfield, CA - Rabobank Arena
19 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
23 - Tallahassee, FL - Leon County Civic Center
24 - Gainesville, FL - Stephen B. O'Connel
25 - Pensacola, FL - Pensacola Civic Center
June 2008
3-4 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
6-7 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
9-11 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
13-14 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
16-18 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
20-22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Elton for Hillary!
ON SALE TOMORROW
Elton John Concert with Hillary Clinton
Radio City Music Hall • April 9
ON SALE: Wednesday, March 19 at 9AM
Get Tickets
This is a solo concert by Elton John in support of Hillary Clinton for President and includes remarks by Senator Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton.
Contributions to Hillary Clinton for President are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. The full amount paid by each individual, except for applicable delivery charges, is considered a contribution to Hillary Clinton for President.
Tickets go on sale TOMORROW, Wednesday, March 19 at 9AM.
Click here to purchase your tickets.
For more information, visit HillaryClinton.com/Elton.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Kidney stone forces Elton postponement
Elton John postpones Florida concerts
Published: March 14, 2008 at 4:14 PM
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 14 (UPI) -- British rock 'n' roll great Elton John reportedly has been forced to reschedule his upcoming Florida concerts due to illness.
The show slated for Saturday night at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center was rescheduled for April 23, the Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat reported Friday.
John is also postponing shows in Pensacola, Tallahassee and Gainesville, the report said.
A news release issued by the Civic Center said the cancellations were made as per "doctor's instructions."
"Elton and his management extend their apologies for the inconvenience caused by this unavoidable rescheduling of the Florida concerts," the statement said.
Tickets will be valid for the rescheduled concerts, however, ticket holders who want refunds can obtain them at the point of purchase, the newspaper said.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Elton at "The Bob"
A review of Elton at "The Bob" and a YouTube clip from the show...
Elton John still dazzles audiences after all these years
By CHUCK DARROW • Courier-Post Staff • March 13, 2008
Elton John presented a far different show than the one we came to know and love during his 1970s heyday while making the only regional stop of his current "Rocket Man" solo tour Monday night at the Bob Carpenter Center on the University of Delaware campus in Newark.
Then, he was the "Rock 'n' Roll Liberace," a highly amped, highly camp, almost cartoonish force of nature in electric suits who fronted a full-tilt band capable of blowing the roof off even the most hangar-like hockey arena.
Monday, however, saw what Jerry Seinfeld might describe as the "Bizarro" Elton John, a complete opposite anchored to his piano stool accompanied only by the occasional keening of canned strings.
But that's exactly what made the 27-song, 2 1/2-hour recital so special.
Stripped of all artifice and visual distractions, the program consisted merely of Elton, his almost-supernatural canon of memorable, meaningful songs and an appreciative -- make that worshipful -- sold-out audience that bathed itself in the warmth of those familiar lyrics and embracing melodies.
With little to hide behind, Elton -- Sir Elton to the Anglophiles among us -- had to be in nothing less than spectacular voice. Given his highly documented cocaine abuse in the 1970s and '80s, it's nearly miraculous that he has any voice at all today. That it may be more rich and powerful than ever is simply off the charts.
Like those of the best male singers before him, Elton's voice has aged nicely. Though not as piercing as they once were, his pipes are now nicely burnished.
Monday, his throaty, mature baritone gave ample emotional heft to any number of minor-key meditations, imbuing them with a melancholy and world-weariness the younger Elton just couldn't provide.
This was especially true on the autumnal "60 Years On," an emotive reading of "Border Song" and the appropriately evocative "Rocket Man," which boasted a coda during which he showed off some impressive stride-piano chops.
And that wasn't EJ's only display of keyboard dexterity. Throughout the evening, his considerable talents as a keyboardist were on display, from the boogie-woogie playfulness of "Crocodile Rock" to the look-at-me-showing-off on the classically inspired instrumental piece "Carla Etude."
If there was a drawback Monday, it was Sir Elton lingered too long in Balladville. But this only served to make the sporadic up-tempo numbers more valuable.
"Honky Cat" didn't miss any support instrumentation; his barrelhouse riffing happily propelled it into the stratosphere. Plus, "Philadelphia Freedom" was a pedal-to-the-metal sprint around the track that served as an emphatic reminder the British pop icon is certainly not too old to rock 'n' roll.
Among the show's other highlights were a typically crowd-pleasing rendition of "Candle in the Wind," an exceptionally muscular "Levon" and a version of "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" on which he sounded a lot like his old chum, Billy Joel, musically and vocally. Reach Chuck Darrow at (856) 486-2442 or cdarrow@gannett.com
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A Look at the Lost Weekend
Intersting article about May Pang's new book "Instamatic Karma";
A Fond Look at Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’
By ALLAN KOZINN
Published: March 12, 2008
If there’s one thing that May Pang has been fighting for the last 28 years, it’s the idea that John Lennon was depressed, isolated and out of control during the 18 months she lived with him, from the summer of 1973 to early 1975, when he reconciled with his second wife, Yoko Ono.
Lennon himself fostered that notion by referring to the time as his “Lost Weekend” in interviews he gave in 1980, when he released “Double Fantasy,” a joint album with Ms. Ono that was his return to music-making after five years’ silence. And lurid, oft-repeated tales of a drunken Lennon’s being evicted from the Troubadour, a nightclub in Los Angeles, seemed to support that image.
But to Ms. Pang, now 57, the “Lost Weekend” was a remarkably productive time, during which Lennon completed three albums — “Mind Games,” “Walls and Bridges” and “Rock ’n’ Roll” — produced albums for Ringo Starr and Harry Nilsson, and recorded with David Bowie, Elton John and Mick Jagger. And having already detailed these experiences (along with the Troubadour expulsions and other dark moments) in “Loving John,” her 1983 memoir, Ms. Pang has returned with the photographic evidence.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Dave Clark Five: "Can't You See That She's Mine"
I close my eyes and I am back in the living room at my parents house putting on track 1 on "The Dave Clark Five Return" on my mothers stereo console listening to;
Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees
Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen will be inducted into the U.S.-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday by Lou Reed, the gravel-voiced singer who was once the Velvet Underground's guitarist.
The similarly deep-voiced Cohen is to be inducted into the Cleveland-based Hall of Fame in a ceremony at New York's Waldorf Astoria on Monday evening.Canadian poet and singer Leonard Cohen sings in Warsaw, Poland, in 2007. Damien Rice is to sing one of Cohen's songs at his induction Monday into the Rock Hall of Fame.
(Alik Keplicz/Canadian Press)
Pop singer Madonna, blues-rocker John Mellencamp, British boy band The Dave Clark Five and instrumental group The Ventures also are to be inducted this year.
A group of 600 music industry professionals annually choose a handful of artists for induction.
Irish folk singer Damien Rice will perform one of Cohen's songs as part of the induction ceremony.
Cohen, 73, is being hailed as the "folk rock icon of the singer-songwriter movement."
A member of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, he is known for songs such as Suzanne, Hallelujah and Bird on a Wire.
It would be a stretch to call Cohen a rock star, says Ira Nadel, author of biography Various Positions: A Life of Leonard Cohen.
The honour is instead a recognition that Cohen's songs have been covered by dozens of rock 'n roll stars, from Elton John to Joe Cocker to Bono, Nadel told CBC News.
"Leonard Cohen is foremost a composer and secondarily perhaps a singer," Nadell said. "But this is what he's been looking for — a recognition of his significance as a songwriter."
Nadell said Cohen's following continues to grow, especially in Europe where fans are charmed by his far-from-idealized view of life and love.
"It's his melancholy. No one speaks to life like Leonard Cohen," he said. "It's a recognition that life is not romantic. It's about what you lose and what you gain.
"A concert tour of the U.S., Canada and Europe, Cohen's first in 15 years, begins in May.
Madonna, who has sustained a pop career since bursting on the scene with Holiday in 1982, will be inducted by Justin Timberlake.
Punk rocker Iggy Pop will salute her work, which includes hits Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Crazy For You, Papa Don't Preach and Vogue.
Madonna made her debut as a film director at this year's Berlin Film Festival and has an album, Hard Candy, ready for release in April.
The Rock Hall of Fame requires inductees to have a 25-year track record, so this is the first year she is eligible to be inducted.
The induction of The Dave Clark Five comes less than a month after the death of lead singer Mike Smith, 64. He died of pneumonia, four years after being paralyzed from the waist down because of a spinal cord injury.
The Dave Clark Five, rivals to the Beatles during the 1960s British invasion, are known for hits such as Glad All Over. The group will be inducted by Tom Hanks.
Mellencamp, who has been known as John Cougar and John Cougar Mellencamp, will be inducted by Billy Joel and plans to perform one of his own songs.
He began as a folk rocker in the 1970s and became a voice of America's heartland with hits like Pink Houses and Ain't That America.
The Ventures were a 1960s surfer group who sang Walk, Don't Run and the theme from TV's Hawaii 5-O.
Members Bob Bogle, Nokie Edwards, Gerry McGee, Mel Taylor and Don Wilson are reuniting to perform at the ceremony. They are to be inducted by John Fogerty.
Review: Elton in Delaware
Good review except for this statement: "The vast majority of his set came from the '70s, his most prolific decade, and he thankfully bypassed much of his more modern work."
Well...what do you expect.
Elton John delivers to sold-out crowd
By RYAN CORMIER, The News Journal
Posted Tuesday, March 11, 2008
NEWARK -- When it was first announced, Elton John's concert in Newark seemed like a take-the-money-and-run gig for the legendary pop star.
Tickets for Monday night's show at the Bob Carpenter Center, a cavernous basketball arena, cost up to $125 to see John without a backing band.
Throw in the fact that he's never performed in Delaware before and it was easy to imagine John breezing through a quick 90-minute set, jumping on his bus and leaving us in the dust.
But wait. There was John on CNN's "Larry King Live" two weeks ago, talking about his love for performing for his fans and declaring, "I never play for less than two hours and 30 minutes, anywhere."
For the hungry Delaware audience, which was filled with fans who were old enough to know firsthand that he has never performed here before, John kept his word Monday with a two hour, 30-minute concert, packed with a seemingly endless string of hits, along with a few deep cuts from his 29 studio albums.
It didn't take long for John to apologize from behind his red-tinted glasses for taking so long to get to Delaware.
"I suddenly realized I hadn't played in Delaware and that made me sad," John said. "I'm sorry it's taken so long, but I'm glad I'm here."
Dressed in a sequined black tuxedo and a purple shirt with a full-length jacket with "Music Magic" written on the back in yellow, John, 60, walked on stage promptly at 8 p.m., diving straight into "Your Song," followed by four more songs from his self-titled 1970 album.
With a large diamond-encrusted cross hanging from his neck, John pored through his songbook, giving his fans a guided tour through his career. John played his black piano throughout the night, augmented with a pre-taped electronic orchestration for some songs, including a somber "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer," which sparked an "Almost Famous"-inspired sing-along in the audience.
However, there was a glitch with the system during "Sacrifice," when an ear-piercing screech sounded during the song. John played on and somehow rescued the song.
The vast majority of his set came from the '70s, his most prolific decade, and he thankfully bypassed much of his more modern work.
"Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes," from 2001's "Songs From the West Coast," was the only song released in the past 18 years that made it onto the set list. John was decidedly political as he introduced the song, which is about a man suffering from AIDS, saying, "Ronald Reagan did nothing for people with AIDS and that's a disgrace."
John mainly leaned on his earlier work with lyricist Bernie Taupin, bouncing from his super hits like "Bennie and the Jets" and "Daniel" to more obscure songs like 1985's "Nikita" and 1974's "Ticking."
Last month, the concert's 4,500 tickets sold out almost immediately. Delaware was one of only three states that had not yet hosted a concert. He is scheduled to perform in Vermont and Alaska later this year.
For Delaware, his 27-song set was worth the wait. Sure, John's voice isn't what it once was, but his elegant piano playing has never wavered.
He clearly has a deep connection with his fans through song, as seen during "Candle in the Wind," which had fans holding their lighters and cell phones in the air, or "Crocodile Rock," which had those same fans rushing up to the stage to dance.
John said his long-awaited visit to Delaware had been refreshing: "I love what I do and it's great coming to places like this."
Contact Ryan Cormier at 324-2863 or rcormier@delawareonline.com.
More UK dates
Elton John announces UK dates
By Kat Dibbits
ELTON John has announced that he will bring his outrageous Las Vegas show, The Red Piano, to Britain this year.
The singer will play three dates, at the Liverpool Echo Arena on December 17 and Birmingham NIA on November 19, finishing at the MEN Arena in Manchester on December 20.
The Red Piano show, which was created by Elton's friend David LaChapelle, has been running at the Vegas casino Caesar's Palace since 2004. Elton took the show to London's 02 arena in 2007 as part of his 60th birthday celebrations.
Elton said: "I can't wait to see how audiences react to the Red Piano.
"The show is stuffed with hits, it's brash, bright and colourful. Over the past four years we have played almost 200 Red Piano shows at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and every single one has been an event - the band and I have had a ball!"
Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 14. To book, visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk or ring 0844 847 2453.
Friday, March 07, 2008
DOUBLE SECRET UPDATE: New Deluxe Editions pushed to March 18
Beginning to wonder if these are real or just imaginary...
CD Universe is now listing the Elton John Deluxe Editions with release dates as March 18. Amazon is now showing Deluxe Editions for both but with no release dates.
UPDATE:Tower.com shows both Deluxe Editions with release dates of April 1 and April 22. The discs with April 1 release date are described as single discs but the description shows two discs. The April 22 release date shows 2CD sets.
Who the hell knows...
Setlist for current tour
Local: Here's what Elton John is playing on his tour
The Canadian Press
Posted 12:57 p.m.
March 03, 2008
RECORD STAFF
Following is the basic set list of the songs Elton John has been playing on his current tour that hits the Aud in Kitchener tonight. Other tunes he has substituted into the list below include: The Bridge, The One, Burn Down the Mission and Crocodile Rock.
Your Song
Sixty Years On
The Greatest Discovery
I Need You To Turn To
Border Song
The Boy in the Red Shoes
Daniel
Honky Cat
Rocket Man
Tiny Dancer
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Nikita
Philadelphia Freedom
Sacrifice
Ticking
Roy Rogers
Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
Candle in the Wind
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Electricity
Carla/Etude
Tonight
Take Me to the Pilot
Blue Eyes
Levon
Bennie and the Jets
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
I'm Still Standing
Circle of Life
New VH1 series to feature Elton documentary
Elton John: Me, Myself and I will make its debut on VH1's new Rock Doc series;
VH1 gets into Monkey business
A documentary about music icon Elton John produced by London-based indie Monkey Kingdom is among seven new productions set to hit US cablenet VH1's schedule.
[SB decode wk 1 fri] Elton John: Me, Myself and I (1x60') originally aired on UK broadcaster ITV in September 2007. Touted as "a private insight" into the singer's life "unlike anything ever seen before in any television documentary," the one-off special features Elton John narrating the story of his life aided by rare archive material.
The documentary will air as part of VH1's Rock Doc strand on June 7. The channel has also greenlit an original Rock Doc to air on April 5.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Darwin Wants Elton
Darwin determined to see Elton
March 6, 2008 - 6:44PM
Darwin is determined - Sir Elton John is coming to town.
All it will take is a few banners, 10,000 signatures and a bit of luck, says NT Tourism Minister Kon Vatskalis.
The pop legend's plans to tour regional Australia went public a few weeks ago, when his promoter Michael Chugg revealed Sir Elton was trying to include the Northern Territory and Western Australia as part of his Asian tour.
Both regions missed out on seeing the Rocket Man on his Australian tour last year.
Mr Vatskalis today called on all Territorians to do they bit in getting the entertainer to the Top End.
The government has joined forces with a local company to encourage Territorians to register online in a bid to secure a performance by Sir Elton John in Darwin in May.
Unveiling 10 three metre colour banners urging people to support the push - to be erected at several vantage points around the city - Mr Vatskalis today said it was no time for complacency.
"Sir Elton John has expressed an interest in performing in Darwin not Sydney, not Melbourne, not Brisbane - Darwin," he said.
"And we want him to know how much we want him here.
"To do that, we need a minimum of 10,000 people to get on-line and register their support for a Darwin show."
Mr Chugg said that if the shows went ahead it could prompt other artists to rethink the way they tour Australia and the places they included in their itineraries.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Another Sudbury review
Elton John lives up to the hype
Date Published | Mar. 3, 2008
By Patricia Mills
“Laughing like children, living like lovers, rolling like thunder, under the covers . . .” From the song, I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Sudburians were laughing like children, smiling like lovers and they were definitely rolling like thunder at the Sudbury Arena Sunday night when Sir Elton John, Mr. Piano Man himself, sang and played his way into the psyche and hearts of his fans.
What a performance! What a night!
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Elton John started off the evening with Your Song, and I immediately thought of Ralph Grabowski, the winner of the Sudbury24 Elton John contest, who won the contest based on his interpretation of Your Song.
“He must be going out of his mind,” I thought, looking around the arena trying to find his seat.
Grabowski is a huge Elton John fan and he was nearly speechless the day he was presented with tickets to the event. I WAS speechless listening to Elton singing the song in person. It was amazing.
His piano skills were the shock factor in this concert. On a CD, or the radio, or even on television during a concert performance, it is very hard to grasp the incredible skill, talent and undeniable passion that emanates from those short, well-manicured famous fingers. It was totally mesmerizing watching his hands dance over the keys in renditions of his famous songs that we have never heard before.
The three-way cameras that recorded his every move, made it easy for us all to “see” the music as it was being played. Elton John didn’t just belt out his songs; he delivered them in a way that we have never, ever heard before.
And it moved us all.
As I looked around me, I couldn’t help but notice the number of people moved to tears by some of his songs. Candle in the Wind did it for me. Whenever I hear that song, I think of all the women in this world whose light was distinguished before their times, including Princess Diana.
Elton’s version of Rocket Man brought us to our feet a record five times throughout the song. As the intensity and variation escalated, the audience went wild.
He looked fine, too, in his black shiny tailcoat, with his red satin shirt and black pants, with the red stripe down the leg. He wore red shoes, another Elton vintage, and he had a diamond stud in his ear. Elton’s hair was spiked and blonde, and around his neck hung a necklace, that we were sure, was made of diamonds.
He didn’t “look” like the sixty-something performer that he actually is. And although his voice may not have reached the high notes, no one really noticed or really cared. The fact that he played for two- and a half-hours without a break, told us that we were witnessing the depth and strength of a world-class performer who we may never see again.
view more photosThe people of Sudbury are to be applauded, too. Although our venue was small, compared to most of Elton John’s audiences, the thunder in the arena was real when he was applauded. The warmth for Elton was real, and the respect for this amazing entertainer was real. My hands are swollen today from clapping, my throat sore from yelling, and my joints a little stiff, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing about last night.
Elton John said he was coming back to Sudbury, and the next time, he’s bringing his band. I can’t wait!!!!
Grabowski “put into words” what many of us felt, on Sunday night.
He sent this email after the concert.
“THANK YOU .... SUDBURY24!!!!
I just got home from the concert ..... AMAZING .... the seats where FANTASTIC .... Elton John is a real showman. This is by far the best concert I have EVER been too . I am very PROUD of the people of Sudbury who turned out tonight ... and they yelled and screamed and cheered and gave Elton the welcome he deserves . Most performers would not even consider Sudbury, but he CAME ..... AND HE CONQUERED. He showed us the side of himself that we all love and that’s why we are fans.
Once again, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. ... RALPH.”
Patricia Mills is the Publisher of Laurentian Magazines and a former reporter with Northern Life.
Monday, March 03, 2008
(Finally) Elton plays Sudbury!
Elton John thrills appreciative fans
Posted By Bob Vaillancourt
Updated 10 mins ago
Elton John has been a composer, songwriter and performer for decades. During those years, he has mastered the art of staging a performance that wows audiences wherever he plays.
He did just that at Sudbury Community Arena on Sunday night, with more than 6,000 fans hanging on his every note - from his opening number, the classic ballad "Your Song," to a stylized version of one his most popular songs, "Rocket Man."
Since it was announced earlier this year, Sudbury's Elton John appearance has been the most anticipated concert in the city's history.
"It was awesome," said Dean and Jennifer Lanteigne.
People started gathering as early as 5 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert, with the area in front of the arena becoming a veritable party scene featuring fans wearing their own versions of Elton John attire.
After standing in line for more than 24 hours to successfully acquire tickets, Gloria Harju then began a search for her Elton John Concert wardrobe.
She started with a broad-rimmed hat complete with feather boa trim and from there completed the outfit with a pair of oversized dark sunglasses.
"I wanted to find a sequin jacket," she said, but met with no success.
She said she became a fan at age 16 and has followed John's career since. "I grew up with that music."
It was the second opportunity she has had to see John live. Her first concert was a few years ago in Washington.
At that concert, a band accompanied John. For the Sudbury show, John chose to take to the stage with just his piano.
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But that was enough to get Sudbury fans out of their seats for virtually every number he played.
At times, it seemed the light coming from cellphone video screens and digital cameras would overpower the strobe and floodlights set up for the concert.
Also taking in their second Elton John concert were Paul and Eileen Leishman of Orillia. Their first was in 1995 when Elton John and Billy Joel performed together on stage. "They were amazing," said Paul Leishman.
But every Elton John concert brings its own sense of excitement, said Lisa Rabski.
"There is just a feeling. He emits that on stage. Everybody feels it. It's just that sense of wow."
There was no question those lucky enough to scoop up tickets for the concert - the 6,000-plus tickets sold out in 45 minutes - knew they were at "an event."
Inside, beer sellers were doing a brisk business up until the claps and applause signalled that Sir Elton John was making his way to the stage.
With a bow to the audience, and dressed in a red shirt, a sequined long-tailed jacket and black trousers with red stripes on the side, John, the prolific musician, sat down at the piano and began playing a string of hits for the next two-and-a-half hours.
The power of the music was so intense that one could feel the floor of the 50-year-old Sudbury arena vibrate at times.
Occasionally, John would comment on the song he was about to play, but on several occasions he would simply stand, acknowledge the audience and move on to his next number.
It seemed to be just what his fans wanted as they roared their approval for every number.
Throughout the crowd you could see neon-glow glasses. On the arena floor, fans were waving neon-glow sticks in the air to the beat of the music.
Fans were taking away more than just memories from the event.
Jennifer Revel's souvenir booth was selling everything from $20 Elton John CDs, to $35 T-shirts and $100 fleece hoodies.
But her biggest sale of the night was a $400 Elton John leather jacket that one fan bought to remember the night the Rocket Man rocked the Nickel City.
editorial@thesudburystar.com
However i guess some people can never let go;
Apology is in order - Editorial
The city "would like to bring closure" to the controversy over councillors' access to tickets for the Elton John concert, said Chief Administrator Mark Mieto in a release.
Fair enough. But some issues must be resolved, first.
In the release, Mieto says the city was notified of advance promotional tickets for media outlets, which is standard practice. This appears to be an attempt to explain how he knew The Star had purchased tickets from the promoter. But he offered to show a Sudbury Star reporter receipts of tickets purchased on private credit cards. One purchase was made through a local private business. How did Mieto get these receipts? This is a serious privacy matter that must be explained.
And Mieto still hasn't explained why he warned The Star the concert was in danger due to negative publicity when it clearly wasn't, why he implied that tickets were improperly obtained by The Star when even a cursory examination of the facts shows otherwise, or why he told The Star his job would be in danger if word of an off-the-record meeting with The Star got out, when that later proved not to be the case. Mieto and Mayor John Rodriguez have since admitted the mayor knew about the meeting in advance.
As the city's top bureaucrat, Mieto must be a trusted adviser to - and servant of - council and the public. He has yet to make a public apology for his actions. He should do so.
What do you think? Visit the Sudbury Star's website at www.thesudburystar.com and add your voice to the discussion. Or send us your opinion in a Letter to the Editor at 33 MacKenzie St., Sudbury, P3C 4Y1, or fax it to 674-6834 or e-mail it to letters@thesudburystar.com
Friday, February 29, 2008
More Elton in Canada?
A Captain Fantastic idea
Halifax could be in running for an Elton John indoor concert
By DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter
Thu. Feb 28 - 5:12 AM
The Rocket Man could be touching down in Halifax this year.
Elton John is considering performing three or four concerts in Atlantic Canada, says concert promoter Riley O’Connor of Live Nation.
Mr. O’Connor told CTV News that Mr. John is looking at suitable locations in the Maritimes and Newfoundland.
Live Nation is promoting two shows in Ontario and several in the United States.
Mr. O’Connor says it’s not feasible for the legendary singer to play a single concert in the region. He says Mr. John prefers to play indoor venues.
Mr. O’Connor told CTV he’s interested in playing cities that are not "your typical triple-A five-star attractions." Nothing is finalized, but he says the concerts could happen any time before December.
He told the Sudbury Star a few days ago that September would be the most likely time.
Mr. John will play a sold-out concert this Sunday at a 6,000-seat venue in Sudbury, Ont. Ticket prices there range from $87.50 to $129.50
The 10,000-seat Metro Centre in Halifax is the largest indoor venue in Atlantic Canada. "I’d be happy to see him anywhere as long as it is in Halifax," said Coun. Dawn Sloane (Halifax Downtown).
Ms. Sloane could not confirm Mr. John’s promoters have been in touch with Halifax, but she’s heard rumours. "I had a call last week," she said. "We’re on the list now."
Ms. Sloane said Halifax can now draw "triple-A" acts and the acts know that fans here will shell out for the tickets.
About two weeks ago, Creative Entertainment Group confirmed it has a contract with Halifax to pursue big-name acts capable of filling the Halifax Commons, which has a capacity of 40,000. Creative Entertainment president Sharon Kim-Dion said only about a half-dozen acts on the planet can fill that kind of venue.
Creative Entertainment, based in Europe with offices in New York, has worked with Mr. John in the past, according to the company’s website.
According to eltonjohn.com, his North American tour begins today in Portland, Maine. So far, there are only two Canadian concert dates, Sudbury on Sunday and Kitchener on Monday.
He will be performing in the United States until June 22. His schedule includes two stints in Las Vegas from March 19 to April 6 and then June 3 to June 22.
From June 28 to July 13, Mr. John has several concerts scheduled in Europe and England. Then his date book appears to be wide open until a performance in France on Dec. 9.
Mayor Peter Kelly, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening, said this month that Halifax lost out in a bidding war for an Elton John show last year.
In November, Celine Dion backed out of a concert for this summer on the Commons, citing mixed public reaction.
"I believe that’s water under the bridge and we’re moving forward," Ms. Sloane said.
Indeed, a month after the Quebec-born singer cancelled her Halifax date, the city snagged Australian superstar Keith Urban, who will headline Country Rocks 2008, an eight-act concert on the Commons on Aug. 30.
( djeffrey@herald.ca)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Review: "Rock Of The Westies"
I know this album isn't liked by many people here, but it remains a standout for me; being Elton's first and only real "rock & roll" album and remains his hardest rocking release to date. But it's not just about the "rock"....
As for Bernie's lyrics on this record, I don't get all the venom as the lyrics are clever, rhythmic and, in some cases, stunningly powerful.
Yet for all intents and purposes, the goal with "Rock Of The Westies" was to showcase Elton and Bernie's new band and to let loose with a rock & roll fervor that was evident on the stage during their debut performance on June 21, 1975 at Wembley (which can be heard on the Deluxe Edition of the "Captain Fantastic" album). The album was recorded in about a week's time following the Wembley show.
As Bernie told me in one of my interviews with him:
"Actually, 'Rock Of The Westies' is one of my favorite albums; I just love that record. I think we really achieved what we wanted to do at the time. We wanted to put a rock & roll band together, and that's what we did. We went to Caribou Studios in the Rockies (Colorado); it was a good place, it was a funky place, and it was basically a +$!%#%-up band [laughs].
"We were all at the high point there of abusing ourselves to the max. It was Jack Daniels and lines on the console, and somehow we got it done. I don't remember anything about the sessions, and I don't think anybody in that band will remember them either, but for some reason with that album, it paid off. Luckily, we're all still alive to tell the tale.
"What was happening at that time, and probably the reason we were flying so high, is that we had done everything. There was no mountain to scale or to conquer anymore. We had filled the biggest stadiums; there weren't any places that were bigger. We had seven consecutive Number One albums, and you can't go to anywhere else, except down. And at that time, Elton John farting would have sold, and that's intense pressure to be under because you suddenly realize that there's no other place to go but down.
"And that pressure and the slow long burnout of all the drink and drugs manifested itself in the next album, "Blue Moves," which was so introspective. But the 'Rock Of The Westies' period was a great time and, like I said, that's still one of my favorite albums."
There also seems to be people who just don't seem to get Bernie's lyrics on "Rock Of The Westies," that they're somehow not of any quality of all. I have to disagree as I think there's some very strong lyrical content; especially when realizing that they went into the album to write a rock & roll record.
Medley [Yell Help, Wednesday Night, Ugly]
Always hated the use of "Medley" in the title of the song, rather than the three separate lyrical concepts that Elton pulled together as an homage to his then-favorite band, Little Feat, who created a similar musical mosaic on "Tripe Face Boogie" from 1974's "Feats Don't Fail Me Now." Lyrically, it's also an interesting word-painting created by the bringing together of different songs; not unlike what the Beatles did with Lennon's medley on "Abbey Road" or what Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings did with the tying together of two separate songs on the Guess Who's major hit, "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" from 1970.
The lyrics effectively serve up a landscape of dispair and isolation--feelings that almost always lead to misguided acceptance of superstitions-and then the tying together of superstitious voodoo and New Orleans makes for an interesting travelogue of a fateful journey in search of the perfect ideal (in this case, the comfort of a mundane Wednesday Night).
Needless to say, the inventive music, band performance, and aggressive vocals from Elton makes for one of the most interesting (and definitely most original) songs in the entire Taupin/John catalog.
Dan Dare (Pilot Of The Future)
Bernie's tribute to Britain's famous 1950s comic book hero, Dan Dare. Pretty much unheard of in America-Dan Dare is the equivalent to America's Buck Rogers-there was a bit of confusion about this song at the time of its release in the States, but the stuttering bassline and another fine performance from the band (especially the excellent vocal interplay) has stood the test of time.
Lyrically, Bernie's words definitely appeal more to the English audience as he does an excellent job of painting a musical portrait of Dan Dare's cartoon universe. He also pulls a surprising climax by noting at the very end of the song that he in fact "liked The Mekon" (who is the equally famous alien creature who was Dan Dare's lifelong arch enemy). A nice Taupin-like twist.
Island Girl
A very clever lyric of a New York streetwalker from Jamaica wrapped around the poppiest melody Elton brought to the album. Some have mistakenly dubbed this lyric misogynistic or racist, when the lyrics only detail a black john who wants to save the "big girl, she's standing six foot three" from her white pimp ("the racket boss"), but ultimately the "cause is lost."
Bernie's touched on the ladies of the night before, such as with the classic and brilliant "Sweet Painted Lady" from "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."
Grow Some Funk Of Your Own
A witty rock & roll tale of a guy who gets into a scuffle over a girl in a border town. Elton's vocal is the perfect mix of humor ("oh, it hurt so much") and aggression that the lyrics call for; as the character finds himself alone in the battle as his friends leave him behind to deal with the situation on his own. Fortunately, for the protagonist, it was nothing more than dream.
I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)
Another one of Bernie's ode to America's Old West that he first did so well back on "Tumbleweed Connection." And while mapping the entire song to the little-known character of "Robert Ford" (the coward who shot his friend the outlaw Jesse James in the back) left some people a little mystified, those familiar with Ford's legacy could best feel the emotional impact that Taupin's lyrics bring to bare.
It's always difficult to put one's own shame and blame behind the destruction of a relationship into song, Bernie does it brilliantly on this album centerpiece.
Street Kids
Lyrically, Bernie talks of his teenage years, hanging out and seeing the juvenile delinquent gangs in those same "East End nights" he wrote about an album earlier in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight", and includes some outstanding cinematic lines-"I've been bottled and been brained" and "If you think you've seen gasoline burning in my eyes".
He also notes the insidious nature of street gang involvement, "I'd like to break away from the rut I'm in," only to fall back into the comfort of the only thing you know ("but beggars can't be choosers and I was born to sin").
The only real problem for me on this tank-blazing guitar rocker is that it just goes on too long. I've done a simple edit that brings it down to a much-more-compact four-and-a-half minutes, without losing any of Bernie's lyrics or Elton's muscular swagger.
Hard Luck Story
Written under Bernie and Elton's pseudonym Carte Blanche and Ann Orson (the same credit they used for "Don't Go Breaking My Heart")-and then recorded first by Kiki Dee as a single in 1974 (which Elton co-produced)-this tale of domestic turmoil in a blue-collar household is one of Taupin's most powerful lyrics about ups-and-downs of marriage. When temporary bitterness over one's lot in life comes screaming to the forefront of a troubled relationship. Bernie's lyrics really paint an amazing portrait of what goes on in those little houses down the street. Brilliant.
Feed Me
It's truly amazing that this incredibly powerful lyric was written a year before Bernie would climb out of the "Crazy Water" that was engulfing himself, Elton and the band at the end of the "Blue Moves" recording sessions. It was only then that Bernie split from Elton and took off to Mexico to "dry out, because I think we were all killing ourselves."
Interestingly enough, "Feed Me" gives some hints of where Bernie's head was a full year before. One of rock's most powerful lyrical examples of drug abuse written DURING that timeframe; not through hindsight, but when one finds himself in the midst of the insanity itself.
In the lyrics, Bernie feels the pull of addiction (needing to be fed), but was also well-aware of where their "life in the fast lane" was heading. Still, he wasn't ready or yet capable of walking away. Paranoia, sleeplessness, encroaching madness and hallucinations are all very much a part of a body and mind embroiled in a steady over-indulgence of drink and drugs, and no rock lyric has ever spelled out the pain, fear and isolation as well as Bernie does here.
Billy Bones & The White Bird
Bernie's love of characters comes through again with this song about Billy Bones, the fictional pirate in the literary classic, "Treasure Island." The mysterious seaman who happens upon a seaside village with a mysterious sea chest. While no one truly knows his real story, his drunken exploits and less-than-amicable antics actually turn him into a bit of a local legend. His equally mysterious death within a year only adds to his legend.
Bernie's lyrics push beyond the legend (in admittedly obscure fashion) and Billy Bones rides again on the "sea" (which Bernie beautifully describes as "the field these old jack tars have sown")….incidentally, for those without any knowledge of seamanship or ancient voyages, "jack tars" is an old british slang term for seaman or sailors.
While these are the most oblique lyrics on the album, they are engaging, fun wordplay that Bernie has always engaged in and Elton's melody is uplifted by the "kitchen sink" instrumentation and production. Hardly the album's highpoint, it's once again a thousand miles away from what went before.
Historical Overview
Overall, Bernie's use of literary, fictitious and historical characters throughout "Rock Of The Westies" is something that Bernie has done time and time again throughout his career. Whether through the characters in "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," for some reason, it hasn't been recognized on this much under-valued and overlooked album.
If nothing else, "Rock Of The Westies" shows Elton and Bernie pulling out all the stops and not trying to copy any of their work that went before. It was a bold album then, and it remains within their illustrious catalog as their most adventureous and definitely their most straight-ahead rock & roll collection. It's almost their "White Album," where anything went and they followed their creative muse wherever it took them, relying on inspiration instead of stagnation and opening doors that most felt were closed to them. A marvelous mutt of an album that deserves far more praise than it gets around these parts.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
He made the right choice...
Did Elton John Drop His Pants for Charity?
Sharon Stone sure knows how to get people to pay up.
She was a guest auctioneer at Elton John and David Furnish's Oscar gala benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation. And while coaxing one fella to bid $1 million for a 1971 Stingray Corvette donated by her family, Stone sneered, "Don't be a p--sy!"
Sir Elton joined Stone onstage to try to get even more money for it. "Elton and I will sing a duet," Stone joked.
Better yet, John announced, "I'll take my trousers off."
Also up for bid was a rare black-and-white print by the late photographer Helmut Newton. X-Men: The Last Stand director Brett Ratner bid first with $150,000. When bidding hit a high of $900,000, the auctioneer pleaded with Ratner to go for a million. "You have the money," the auctioneer said.
Ratner didn't bite.
Around 9:50, John started the night's performance with "The Bitch Is Back." Here's what else went down...
A maybe pregnant Minnie Driver moved closer to the stage, swaying back and forth with a male pal. If she's expecting, her Empire-waisted gown hid her bump well. (My gossip cohort Hollywood Party Girl reported earlier that when Driver was asked on the press line if she was going to be a mommy, she simply answered, "No comment.")
At about the same time, I saw conservative media baron Rupert Murdoch and his wife, Wendi Deng, checking out the Chopard jewels on display. One of the many gays at the bash told me, "God, I was so tempted to trip him."
John's performance continued with surprise duets, including Jack Shears of the Scissor Sisters and Mary J. Blige.
Sitting at the head table with Stone, designer Donna Karan was suddenly but playfully accosted by a man in a gold shirt and tight black pants. He jumped on a chair behind her and started dancing, and he ended up gyrating against the back of her head!
More stars, like Tom Wilkinson and Jeremy Piven, arrived around 10:30. And then came Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart. They were escorted to a spot not far from the stage, where they danced arm in arm to John and Blige singing "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues."
Heidi Klum was a late arrival, along with hubby Seal. She'd changed from the red John Galliano dress she wore to the show into a metallic minidress.
Then Prince made his entrance—with three women. They immediately took a seat on the couch, surrounded by four security guards.
The very last celeb I saw make it in was Best Actress winner Marion Cotillard. She and her friends were taken to the couch where Prince had been sitting and toasted with champagne. She had to have been in heaven, don't you think?
—Filed by Marc Malkin
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Elton raises $5 million with a little help from his friends
16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Party Celebrating The Academy Awards Raises $5.1 Million
LOS ANGELES, Feb 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Sir Elton John and David Furnish hosted the 16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Academy Awards(R: 58.88, -2.21, -3.61%) Viewing party. The event was held on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at the Pacific Design Center and was co-sponsored by Chopard and VH1. EJAF's party to celebrate the Academy Awards(R: 58.88, -2.21, -3.61%) was one of the night's most attended parties and raised a record breaking $5.1 million.
The annual gala continues to be the leading fundraising event in Hollywood on Oscar night. This year's gala brought some exciting moments including a live performance by Sir Elton John with his entire band. Special guests Mary J. Blige and Jack Shears of Scissor Sisters added excitement to an important fundraising evening.
This year's guests included Hollywood luminaries such as: "Best Actress" Winner Marion Cotillard, "Best Supporting Actor" Nominee Tom Wilkinson, "Best Supporting Actress" Nominee Amy Adams, Ellen DeGegneres & Portia De Rossi, Sean Penn, Patricia Clarkson, Calista Flockhart & Harrison Ford, Josh Groban, Faye Dunaway, Sean Combs, Seal & Heidi Klum, Prince, Kate Beckinsale, Billy Joel, Courtney Love, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Petra Nemcova, Jeremy Piven, Roberto Cavalli, Minnie Driver, Simon Cowell, Herbie Hancock, Natasha Henstridge, Larry King, Erick McCormack, Jason Lewis, Johnny Lee Miller, Brett Ratner, Jason Retiman, Rupert Murdoch, Jennifer Coolidge, Russell Simmons, Cheryl Tiegs, John Waters and Ziyi Zhang among others.
As is tradition immediately following dinner, auctioneer Jamie Niven led the evening's live auction with some of the best items to date with proceeds benefiting the Elton John Aids Foundation. Items included, Chopard sunglasses custom-designed by Julianne Moore, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Brooke Shields; George Condo's "The Laughing Comedian" 2007; 1974 vintage Corvette from Sharon Stone's personal collection; and the vacation package of a lifetime -- "Around the World in 80 Ways" -- to celebrate the 80th year of the Oscars.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Elton's Oscar Party
Elton John is the belle of the Academy Awards parties
By SOLVEJ SCHOU Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES—With Vanity Fair sitting one out this year, the belle of the Oscars balls was a piano playing, "Rocket Man" singing, silver tie wearing Elton John.
The singer's 16th annual viewing dinner and after-party benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation topped other bashes on Sunday with 750 guests and a bevy of A-list stars who sipped on cocktails and feasted on a four-course meal under the Pacific Design Center's red-draped tent before John himself took to the stage.
Vanity Fair's lavish, celebrity-drenched annual shindig, typically the peak party of Academy Awards night, was canceled weeks earlier before the end of the 100-day Hollywood writers strike.
Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, after greeting every table, John pounded out the first of 11 tunes, his first time in several years playing a full set with an entire band at his own party.
Wearing an ornate Yohji Yamamoto black suit and black-framed glasses, he pointed at the crowd, banged on his piano and even had the likes of Sean Penn moving along.
The crowd howled and clapped in approval when John broke out hits like "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer."
One-time Oscar nominee Patricia Clarkson, in a fitted cocktail dress, mouthed the words, her arms in the air. Calista Flockhart swayed next to her beau, Harrison Ford. Supermodel Petra Nemcova jumped on a few chairs and shimmied with joy. Faye Dunaway bopped her head. Stevie Wonder grinned, weaving his neck to the music.
Mary
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J. Blige dueted with John on one number, as did Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, who wore a bright neon yellow-green suit, jumped on John's piano and did the twist.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Grounds for Thought - John Jorgenson Quintet
John Jorgenson and quintet heats up Grounds for Thought
By: Laura Lee Caracciolo
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Pulse
Most coffee houses limit themselves to espresso and the occasional donut. Some might add chess and CDs to the mix. Grounds For Thought offers all of this and much more.
The popular coffee shop and bookstore, located at 174 S Main St, has been putting on free live shows once a month for the past several years.
Grounds owner Kelly Wicks came up with the idea nearly 18 years ago but it wasn't until recently that he decided to bring free live music to the Bowling Green community on a regular basis.
Past shows have drawn in an average of 150 people, but last Friday the John Jorgenson Quintet played to an audience of over 200, according to Wicks.
"It was the biggest crowd we've had to date," Wicks said. "In December we had a crowd of 170, so people seem to be responding really well to what's going on."
The Quintet performed two one-hour sets of lively gypsy jazz to an all-ages crowd which included many regulars.
Wicks rearranged the book cases to accommodate around a hundred seats, but the venue was so packed that many enthusiastic audience members stood in the aisles and the back of the room.
The mostly instrumental music was fast-paced, animated and created a comfortable atmosphere. The result was a very involved crowd - shouting, cheering and clapping during songs and after.
Between numbers, Jorgenson, who has recorded and toured with artists such as Elton John, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, would explain his inspirations and reasons for writing certain songs.
Fans lingered when the show was over to speak to the band and support them by purchasing merchandise. The energy of the music continued even after the band stopped playing which is a good sign of a successful show.
Each month Wicks hopes to appeal to a variety of audiences by bringing in bands of different musical genres.
The next show at Grounds is on March 19 and features the Chicago-based jazz ensemble, Eddie Shaw and the Wolfgang.
For more information on upcoming shows check out the Grounds For Thought Web site at www.groundsforthought.com.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Didn't I suggest Elton release an EP?
That's "Extended Player" for those of you scratching your heads...From Billboard;
Mraz Rolling Out New Album With EPs
Jason Mraz
February 21, 2008, 1:25 PM ET
Katie Hasty, N.Y.
Jason Mraz isn't so much releasing his upcoming effort as he is rolling it out. "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." will be available as trio of EPs, with each to hit shelves on different dates.
"We Sing" and "We Dance" will be released March 18 and April 15, respectively, while the third EP is merely bundled with the other two when the full-length debuts May 20. Purchased separately, the individual sets will come packaged with bonus alternate versions of the songs.
"We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." features Mraz' new single "I'm Yours," which appeared originally as a demo on an EP that accompanied his last album, "Mr. A-Z." The track resonated with fans and bred more than 300 user-generated music videos online. Mraz also tapped fellow songwriters James Morrison and Colbie Caillat to contribute to the album.
Mraz will perform Feb. 28 for iTunes Live: London Sessions in England in support of the album. Additionally, he's in the midst of planning a North American tour and already has dates slated for Europe, Australia and Asia.
"We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." is the follow-up to 2005's "Mr. A-Z," which debuted at No. 5 in 2005.
Elton and Mary J. Blige to duet at his Oscar party...
Mary J. Blige will join Elton John onstage for a duet at John's AIDS Foundation party Sunday after the Oscars.
John's annual Oscar party has raised more than $15 million over the past 15 years. Blige's AIDS-awareness efforts date to 2000, when she worked with MAC Cosmetics on its Viva Glam fund-raising campaign.
The "queen of hip-hop soul" has worked with John previously. He played piano on her single "Deep Inside." No word yet on what song the two will perform at the Oscar party.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
SeeqPod - Sugar On The Floor
Pretty cool new music search engine called SeeqPod.com which finds and plays just about anything. Here is one of the best "B-sides" ever;
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Sudbury scandal goes on...
That's why they call it the blues in Sudbury: Elton ticket flap angers some fans
18 minutes ago
SUDBURY, Ont. - Sorry seems to be the hardest word, after an Elton John ticket flap in Sudbury.
Local hoopla over an upcoming concert by the pop music legend turned to scandal when it was revealed that city councillors got first crack at buying tickets, resulting in an apology from the mayor. Local media coverage prompted accusations of unfairness, with some citizens vowing revenge at the polls.
"They raise our taxes, do almost half of the meetings in camera," one anonymous poster griped on the Sudbury Star website.
"These people have been voted in with our trust and when that trust is broken it's time to go. Where would you draw the line?"
John's hotly anticipated March 2 show - one of just two Canadian stops on a greatest hits tour - saw 6,000 seats sell out in less than an hour in the city of roughly 85,000.
But disappointment turned to anger for some empty-handed fans when the Sudbury Star reported that 100 advance tickets were made available to city councillors.
The ruckus forced Mayor John Rodriguez to issue an apology last week before a city council meeting.
"My decision to offer so many advance purchase tickets to council was rushed and not given sufficient consideration. For that I apologize," Rodriguez said in his address, adding that the practice was not so unusual.
"These tickets are not free: the cost is paid in full by the councillor. This same practice occurs in the City of Kitchener, where Elton John is also playing next month."
Rodriguez did not immediately return calls for comment Tuesday.
A spokesman for concert promoter Live Nation says it's common practice among most venues to let city officials have first dibs at tickets.
"Their practices are no different from all the other arenas I deal with in this country, whether it's privately owned or city owned," Riley O'Connor, chairman of Live Nation Canada, said from his Toronto office.
"I don't even know what the big deal is."
O'Connor said the Sudbury arena has sold an extra 1,200 seats for the pop star's show, including those located behind the stage and at the extreme sides. A typical front-of-stage set-up offers only 4,800 seats, he said.
"In fact there was more tickets available for this concert than any concert in the history of that arena, probably since 1978, April Wine," he said.
The manager of the Kitchener Auditorium says 61 advance tickets were sold to councillors in that city, plus another 382 advance tickets were made available to other city staff, venue suppliers, concert sponsors, and arena tenants like the minor hockey team.
"When somebody doesn't get access to something, I'm sure they're upset," manager Kim Kugler said from Kitchener.
"It does limit people's access but we try to make it as open and as available to people via (sales on the) Internet, phone, and in person."
Just over 6,500 tickets were sold in Kitchener, but Kugler said ongoing renovations to the auditorium could make more seats available for the March 3 concert.
John, whose hits include "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," "Bennie and the Jets," "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" and "Rocket Man," follows up the Ontario shows with a string of dates in Las Vegas.
-By Cassandra Szklarski in Toronto
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Could Sudbury be cancelled?
Maybe...
Elton John concert in jeopardy over ticket grab
Posted By Denis St. Pierre
The raging controversy over city council's self-awarded "perk" of scores of Elton John concert tickets is now jeopardizing the concert's fate, according to city officials.
The Star has learned that city officials fear the public uproar over the ticket fiasco is causing so much concern for the event promoter, the March 2 Elton John concert could be cancelled.
Furthermore, city management also fears the controversy will damage Sudbury's chances at securing major acts in the future, The Star has learned.
Thousands of Elton John fans came away empty-handed earlier this month when tickets available to the public sold out within 45 minutes. The city's website received one million hits during that brief period from would-be ticket buyers.
One week later, The Star reported city council had jumped the queue and given itself first crack at more than 100 tickets, which prompted a deluge of public protest and anger. While councillors took an average of eight tickets, the actual numbers ranged from as few as two tickets to a whopping 22 purchased by one councillor, sources have told The Star.
The public furore has continued virtually unabated over the last week as several city councillors refuse to disclose how many concert tickets they obtained, while the municipal administration steadfastly refuses to divulge precisely how many tickets were available to the public.
All city council members were contacted Friday with regard to the latest startling revelation uncovered by The Star - that the controversy may be jeopardizing the Elton John concert as well as other major events in the future.
In an e-mail message sent to the mayor and councillors, the politicians were asked if they shared the concern that the ticket controversy is jeopardizing the Elton John concert and future events.
They also were asked if the disconcerting news might compel them to disclose how many concert tickets they purchased and what they have done with those tickets.
As of press time Friday night, none of the councillors responded to The Star's invitation for comment. There was one response sent from the city, indicating Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan is away and not available for comment.
To date, the following council members have disclosed how many tickets they purchased: Mayor John Rodriguez (10), Ward 4 Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac (13), Ward 7 Coun. Russ Thompson (eight), Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan (eight), Ward 3 Coun. Claude Berthiaume (seven), Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann (three), Ward 6 Coun. Andr‚ Rivest (two).
Friday, February 15, 2008
How about "Keyboard Hero: Elton John"
New Guitar Hero gives sweet emotion to Aerosmith fans
By Scott Hillis 30 minutes ago
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Activision Inc on Friday unveiled a new "Guitar Hero" video game focusing on the rock band Aerosmith, taking the billion-dollar franchise in a new direction.
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Called "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith," the new game will arrive in stores this summer, a surprise to many analysts and fans who had expected the next title to come out closer to the year-end holiday shopping season.
Aerosmith, known for hits such as "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion," is the top-selling American rock band of all time, with sales of 66.5 million albums in the United States alone.
The game will feature about 30 Aerosmith songs as well as others from various acts that have opened for the band. The price has not yet been set.
"The premise is that it's going to cover the 30-plus years of the band, from high school all the way through the rock superstardom of today," Kai Huang, head of Activision's RedOctane unit, which guides development of the franchise, told Reuters in an interview.
In the "Guitar Hero" games, players try to press colored buttons on a guitar-shaped controller in time with notes cascading down the screen. If the notes are hit, the song plays properly, and the player earns points.
Since the original "Guitar Hero" was released in late 2005, the series has gone on to sell more than $1 billion. Depending on the version, a bundle including the game and a controller costs from $80-$100, while the stand-alone game costs $40-$60.
When Activision reported quarterly earnings last week, analysts grilled the company on its plans for the franchise, expressing concern that sales would slow this year because many players who bought earlier versions with guitars would opt to buy the lower-price stand-alone game disks.
Huang said Activision had not yet decided whether it would offer a special controller with the Aerosmith game.
NEW DIRECTION
The focus on a single band marks a new twist for the franchise, whose three main titles featured dozens of artists spanning classic rock, grunge, metal, punk and other rock subgenres. Last year, Activision also released "Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s" with songs from that decade.
"It's just a completely new way to interact with this music and with Aerosmith, and we think there's more opportunity to do that in the future," Huang said.
By spotlighting a single band, the company has also come up with a way to counter rival music game "Rock Band" from Viacom Inc unit MTV and Electronic Arts Inc, Activision's top competitor.
"Rock Band," which includes drums and a microphone as well as a guitar, each week has offered new songs that can be downloaded to consoles like Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's PlayStation 3.
The music industry is eyeing "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" as a way to revive flagging sales. "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero 3," both launched last fall, have together sold millions of songs at about $2 each via download.
Speaking of Aerosmith's willingness to work on the project, Huang said: "They recognize that it can deliver their music in an innovative and new way. It's a new distribution platform for them."
To recreate the sense of attending an Aerosmith concert, developers held motion-capture sessions with band members, including energetic frontman Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry.
"As you play," Huang said, "you're going to be seeing Joe and Steven doing their moves onstage."
(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
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