Mandy Moore did an album of covers a couple of years ago called "Coverage" and Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters was one of the songs on the album. Since I can't find that one online here is my favorite track from the album, a Joan Armatrading song
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Remember those Deluxe Editions?
Well now the release dates for both Tumbleweed Connection and Elton John Deluxe Editions is set for June 3. We'll see if that holds or if they are delayed again.
Disc 1
1. Your Song Album Version
2. I Need You To Turn To
3. Take Me To The Pilot Album Version
4. No Shoe Strings On Louise
5. First Episode At Hienton
6. Sixty Years On Album Version
7. Border Song Album Version
8. The Greatest Discovery
9. The Cage
10. The King Must Die
11. Your Song Demo Version
12. I Need You To Turn To Piano Demo
13. Take Me To The Pilot Piano Demo
14. No Shoe Strings On Louise Piano Demo
15. Sixty Years On Piano Demo
16. The Greatest Discovery Piano Demo
17. The Cage Demo
18. The King Must Die Piano Demo
Disc 2
1. Rock And Roll Madonna Piano Demo
2. Thank You Mama Piano Demo
3. All The Way Down To El Paso Piano Demo
4. I'm Going Home Piano Demo
5. Grey Seal Piano Demo
6. Rock And Roll Madonna Incomplete Band Demo
7. Bad Side Of The Moon
8. Grey Seal
9. Rock And Roll Madonna
10. Border Song BBC Session (With Hookfoot)
11. Your Song BBC Session
12. Take Me To The Pilot BBC Session
Disc 1
1. Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun
2. Come Down In Time
3. Country Comfort Album Version
4. Son Of Your Father
5. My Father's Gun
6. Where To Now St. Peter?
7. Love Song
8. Amoreena
9. Talking Old Soldiers
10. Burn Down The Mission
Disc 2
1. There Goes A Well Known Gun Previously Unreleased
2. Come Down In Time Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
3. Country Comfort Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
4. Son Of Your Father Previously Unreleased
5. Talking Old Soldiers Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
6. Into The Old Man's Shoes Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
7. Sisters Of The Cross Piano Demo Previously Unreleased
8. Madman Across The Water Original Version
9. Into The Old Man's Shoes
10. My Father's Gun BBC Session
11. Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun BBC Session Previously Unreleased
12. Burn Down The Mission BBC Session Previously Unreleased
13. Amoreena BBC Session Previously Unreleased
FEC Complaint filed against Elton/Hillary fundraiser...
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."
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.
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