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Elton John and band performed in Leeds on September 4, 2013
Thursday, September 5 2013 |
Fan report by Simon Owens.
Elton John returned to live action after appendix surgery with a triumphant performance in Leeds on September 4, 2013. As well as marking Elton's return to the stage, the event was also the first to be held at the new venue - The First Direct Arena. Although technical teething problems can sometimes be expected at a new venue, the sound quality at the venue was absolutely superb throughout the entire performance. The evening was also helped by a fantastic audience who danced, sang and applauded with great passion for their host.
Elton and the band played a similar set list to the most recent shows before Elton's enforced hiatus, with "All The Young Girls Love Alice" and "Take Me To The Pilot" removed to accommodate new tracks "Oscar Wilde Gets Out" and the emotional recent single, "Home Again". Both new songs were highlights of the show and were well received by the audience. Elton must have felt greatly encouraged by the audible number of audience members already familiar with "Home Again", who were able to belt out that wonderful chorous with gusto.
Less familiar to fans at this point will be "Oscar Wilde Gets Out". This is a very cool song with a fantastic piano riff and moody chord progression. It's a bluesy tune with a slow, irresistible groove, and both this song and "Home Again" are hugely encouraging pointers ahead of the parent record's UK release on September 16, 2013.
There were many highlights of the night, including "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", a moving solo rendition of "The One" and the rapturously received "Candle In The Wind". However, what must be of great inspiration to Elton is that it is one of his most recent numbers that has been regularly raising the roof with audiences over the last two years or so; "Hey Ahab" is the song, and once again it rocked and rollocked and threatened to bring down the house.
A great, classic piece of funk rock, both on record and on stage. Also popular tonight were classic numbers and sing-a-long favourites "Philadelphia Freedom", "Rocket Man" and "Goodbye Yellow Road". A non-musical highlight was the highly amusing moment when Elton decided to try to distract keyboardist Kim Bullard by throwing blocks of ice from his ice bucket at him during the tricky intro section to "Funeral For A Friend". In "Crocodile Rock", meanwhile, PG Woodhouse had "so much fun" tonight.
The band and backing vocalists continue to impress in this current line up, and the Two Cellos always do well with audiences, such are their musical abilities and shared sense of showmanship, traits that will no doubt have them held in high regard by Elton himself.
Elton, meanwhile, made several references tonight to how much he enjoys his work and playing to his audiences, and with performances such as this one, who are we to argue?
The bitch is back, Elton is still standing, and we are all the richer for it.
Following is the complete set list of the Leeds show on September 4, 2013:- The Bitch Is Back
- Bennie and the Jets
- Grey Seal
- Levon
- Tiny Dancer
- Holiday Inn
- Believe
- Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
- Philadelphia Freedom
- Candle in the Wind
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
- Rocket Man
- Hey Ahab
- I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
- Funeral for a Friend
- Love Lies Bleeding
- Oscar Wilde Gets Out
- Sad Songs (Say So Much)
- Daniel
- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
- The One
- Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
- I'm Still Standing
- Crocodile Rock
- Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
- Home Again
- Your Song
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