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 ELTON JOHN NEWS ARCHIVE: November 2014 

Watford: Elton's coming home ...
Sunday, November 30 2014

... to open community stand in his name on December 13, 2014.

"You can tell everybody..." that Honorary Life-President Sir Elton John will be the Hornets' special guest to name Vicarage Road's newest stand in his honour. Watford FC is delighted to confirm that Elton will name Vicarage Road's newest stand in his honour when he attends the next home game as the club's special guest on December 13, 2014.

The Community Stand will then officially be known as 'The Sir Elton John Stand', in lasting tribute to the Honorary Life-President's huge contribution to the success enjoyed by the Hornets during his time at the helm. In accepting an open invitation from the club, Elton will be joined by loved ones to enjoy a typically family-orientated day inside Watford FC's Chairman's Lounge.

A presentation and naming ceremony will take place shortly before the 3pm kick-off against Wigan Athletic, the Hornets' Sky Bet Championship opposition on the day. It's the must-attend pre-Christmas event of the year - and, if you've not already made sure of your place at Vicarage Road, then you can purchase tickets right now for December 13, 2014.

Click here to buy online, visit The Hornets Shop or the Matchday Ticket Office for in-person sales or call the club's Ticket Office Hotline +44 1923 223023 from 9am on December 1, 2014.

More details about this very special day will appear soon here at watfordfc.com.

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Elton John and Darren Walker on race, sexual identity and leaving the past behind
Saturday, November 29 2014

It’s hard to imagine two people coming from worlds as different as those of Elton John and Darren Walker, reports the New York Times.

Elton, 67, emerged from a village outside London (where he was born as Reginald Dwight) to become one of the most successful recording artists of all time. Twenty-two years ago, he created the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has raised more than $300 million to date. (He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1998.)

Mr. Walker, 55, born in a charity hospital in Louisiana and raised by a single mother in rural Texas, became a white-shoe lawyer and investment banker, then a community activist and philanthropist. Last year, he was named the president of the Ford Foundation, where he oversees about $500 million in annual grants, and recently played a critical role in saving Detroit’s pensions and art collection in the city’s bankruptcy proceedings. He lives in Manhattan with his partner, David Beitzel, a contemporary art dealer.

Still, the two found much in common when they met in the presidential suite of the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, where Elton was staying. Surrounded by large photos of Elton’s two young sons, Zachary and Elijah, whom he is raising with his husband, David Furnish, the pair bonded over their childhood dreams and adult challenges; the way they came to grips with their sexual identity and outsider status; and their shared commitment to social justice and the elimination of H.I.V. and AIDS.

Philip Galanes: How we operate as adults so often boils down to how we feel about ourselves as kids.

Elton John: Well, I was scared stiff all the time.

PG: Always in trouble?

EJ: No, I was a good little boy, too scared to misbehave. But there was always tension in the house. My parents never should have gotten married, and I dreaded my father coming home. I knew there would be a fight, and it would be over me. My mother was more loving and lenient; my father was the real disciplinarian. He never wanted me to become a musician.

PG: I nearly fell off my chair during your husband’s documentary about you (“Elton John: Tantrums and Tiaras”), when your mother says: “I don’t think your father loved you very much.”

EJ: She was right. But it was more like he didn’t understand me. Still, he shaped the person I am today. My father’s been dead for 15 years, and I’m still trying to prove something to him. I’d love for it to have been different, for him to have said, “Well done.” But he never came to see me play. He never acknowledged my success. But I don’t hate him. He did the best he could.

PG: Darren’s childhood sounds rough in a different way: Born in a charity hospital, raised by a single mom who worked as a nurse’s aide.

Darren Walker: It was rough economically, but not emotionally. Listening to Elton made me realize: The last time I saw my father, I was 5 years old — and he’s still alive, still living in the same small town where I was born. But I wouldn’t know him if he walked through that door. But in some ways, it was liberating. My mother always told me she loved me. She affirmed my quirks and my differences, and that gave me confidence.

PG: And like Elton’s parents, she worked hard for your education.

DW: I remember standing on the front porch of this little shotgun house we lived in, and a lady walked up to my mother and said, “I’d like to enroll your son in a new program called Head Start.” It was the first year, and they were looking for children who fit my profile: poor, African-American, rural. My mother said: “Of course! Sign him up.” And there began my love of books and reading.

EJ: Same here. I didn’t grow up with much. We didn’t have much money. But the books and gramophone records I had, I loved them and kept them pristine.

DW: My grandmother was a domestic for a well-to-do family in Houston. And when we’d visit her, she would bring home things the family was giving away: a sweater with a Neiman Marcus label. Brooks Brothers, places I’d never heard of. But more importantly, she brought home all these books. I loved the art books. I’d get a brown paper bag from the Piggly Wiggly, and stuff it with books and clothes, and just luxuriate in them.

PG: It sounds as if these objects conjured up. ...

EJ: Another world! These objects I loved — the LPs, the singles, the books, the cowboy outfit — they took me out of where I was, and brought to a place I could only dream about.

PG: What were your first dreams for yourselves?

EJ: I played piano at a very early age. It got me attention, and I liked it. I like making people happy. But music wasn’t my dream until I discovered Elvis Presley in 1957. I was sitting in the little barbershop in our village, waiting to have my hair cut, and I saw this picture of Elvis. He looked like an alien — really weird but amazing. And by coincidence, my mom brought home a copy of “Heartbreak Hotel” that week. How weird is that? And after I saw Elvis and heard his music, there was no going back.

DW: I was always dreaming of being someplace else, someplace that wasn’t a small town. I remember watching “Green Acres” on television. You know the part where Lisa sings that she loves Park Avenue, but she’s going to the farm? I used to scream at the TV, “Don’t do it!”

EJ: I wanted to go to America. All the great music I listened to as a child came from here. I didn’t have any dreams of becoming a star. That’s just fate and life and God’s will.

DW: But when I got to the other world, I was petrified. My first days at the University of Texas at Austin, which was reserved for Texas elite at the time, pushed me so far out of my element. The first time I was presented with a full place setting at dinner, I had no idea what to do.

EJ: You didn’t know which one to pick up first. I was never taught that, either. Did people give you a hard time?

DW: People often say: “You were in the South. It must have been racist. You must have felt so excluded.” But I was embraced. I was class president and chairman of the Texas Student Union. But it was also confounding. I was at a party for students once at the governor’s mansion in Austin. And this lady walked towards me, and I extended my hand, and she said, “I’d like a gin and tonic, please.”

PG: How did you cope when reality began to exceed your dreams?

EJ: The first five years of my career, there was so much work and enjoyment. I was in America and successful, meeting people I never thought I’d meet — in art and entertainment and politics. I was a kid in a candy store. But I was very naïve. I saw someone taking cocaine, and I asked my manager what it was. I had no idea what a drug was. And that was when my journey changed.

PG: What about the drugs appealed to you?

EJ: At school, I was never quite in the gang. So, when I got to the point when I was 28 and saw the cocaine, I thought, “Maybe I want to join the clique.” It was the worst decision I ever made. I thought, “I’ll join in, and they’ll accept me.” Remember, I hadn’t gotten my father’s acceptance, and that stays with you. It’s what drove me to work so hard and be so prolific. But cocaine got in the way.

DW: I remember the first time someone offered me a joint. I said, “No, thank you!” I knew the implications for a low-income African-American male who might be arrested. A friend got arrested for smoking pot, and his father took care of it — like that! But I knew no one would take care of me. So I never took a puff.

PG: Do you ever stop noticing that you’re the only person of color, the only gay person sitting in the powerful conference room?

EJ: Did you still encounter barriers?

DW: There were certainly barriers. But I have to be African-American, and I have to be gay. That’s what I am.

EJ: Hooray!

DW: At some of the tables I sit around, I have a lot of work to do, challenging stereotypes.

EJ: Pushing dominoes over.

DW: I was at a dinner party, and the person next to me was deriding all of the government’s poverty programs. And I said: “I benefited so much from the war on poverty. I was in Head Start. My college education was financed by Pell grants.” And his response sounded like, “Why can’t other black people be like you?” I had to remind him that even though talent is spread evenly across America, opportunity is not. There are a lot of people who think their success is completely a function of their talent.

EJ: It’s luck, and it’s following your instincts. Early on, I was playing in a band at this cabaret. And I’m thinking, “I don’t want to play to people who are eating fish and chips.” I was tubby and insecure, but something told me this was not going to be what I did. So, when I saw an advertisement for Liberty Records, I rang up for an appointment. I can’t think how I had the courage to do it. But I went in and said, “I can sing and write songs, but I can’t write lyrics.” And off the top of a pile, this guy pulls an envelope and says: “Well, this guy sent in lyrics. Take them home.” They were Bernie Taupin’s, and we’ve been writing together for 48 years. All because I took that leap of faith that’s inside all of us.

PG: But leaps of faith can be scary.

EJ: Of course! Fear holds us all back. It’s the most derogatory thing in the human race. Take the crippling problem of H.I.V. in the American South — one of the places our foundation donates a lot of money. A gay African-American male in the South is often afraid to say he’s gay. Then he gets H.I.V., and he’s afraid to say that, too. It’s a double whammy. And it’s because we don’t have enough role models like Darren in this country.

DW: Part of it is also the social construction of black masculinity: macho, low-riding pants. That’s one model — and not to knock it — but we need more. If your choice as a black man is to be an athlete or a rapper, what do you expect society is going to get?

EJ: Well, I want to make a difference in that. We both do. But changing big problems in this country is hard.

DW: This is what’s amazing about Elton — much more so than Elton the musician is Elton the humanitarian. He’s put his name on the line for 22 years though his AIDS foundation. And the path he chose is not the glamour path. He’s focused on the American South because that’s where the highest prevalence is, where the growth in new infections is — and sadly, in states with the frailest health systems.

EJ: And the poorest economies. If we leave people behind because of their circumstances, because they’re gay black men or incarcerated or intravenous users, then we give them no hope. And that’s the most evil thing I can think of.

PG: I was surprised to learn that it was Ryan White who opened your eyes about AIDS, Elton. Why not the thousands of gay men who were dying all around you?

EJ: I’m ashamed to say that when the AIDS epidemic started, I did nothing. I was taking a lot of drugs. It took this boy, Ryan White, who was being kept out of public school because he had AIDS, to open my eyes. He and his family moved me so much. They responded to their hardship with acceptance and forgiveness — with the same values as our current pope.

DW: Don’t we love the pope?

EJ: He’s my new hero.

DW: Mine, too.

EJ: So, I was in Indianapolis in the last week of Ryan’s life. My life was crap, and I hated myself. I would complain about this, complain about that. And this beautiful boy never complained about getting AIDS. This may sound like a sweeping statement, but he seemed like Jesus to me — kind and forgiving and full of love. It took a child to die before this country stood up and took any notice of AIDS.

PG: And within two years of Ryan’s death, you’re clean and sober, and you started the Elton John AIDS Foundation?

EJ: Yes, in 1992.

DW: And remember, Elton has a much harder job than I do at the Ford Foundation. Elton has to raise money every year to give away. We have a $12 billion trust that generates a lot of money.

EJ: And 96 percent of what we raise goes out to the people.

DW: That’s unprecedented. No other organization working on AIDS that has that record.

EJ: I see so many charitable organizations go out of business because they spend ridiculously. We’ve always kept it lean and mean. If people are going to give me money, I want to spend it wisely.

DW: Where we at the Ford Foundation and Elton’s foundation intersect is in our shared belief in the right of every person on this planet to live with dignity. It would be easier for Elton to focus on New York and San Francisco because that’s where the glamour is. But in rural Mississippi, in rural Georgia, there is very little support for people living with AIDS.

EJ: The people who are outcast are the ones who need support. We have to lift their spirits up, make sure they feel wanted. Because if you lose that, there’s nothing left.

PG: You see H.I.V./AIDS as an issue of social justice?

DW: When you look at the beginning of AIDS activism, it was galvanized by upper-middle-class white men in New York and San Francisco. But now that the faces are starting to look different — poor rural whites and blacks in Mississippi — continuing the momentum of that movement is hard.

EJ: We’re swimming faster, but we’re swimming against the tide sometimes. But I’m always optimistic. There’s much more good in this world than bad. You just hear about the bad. Remember: People were dying within six weeks of getting this disease in the ’80s!

DW: I’m like Elton: radically optimistic. My own improbable journey from a small town in Texas to president of the Ford Foundation is a uniquely American story. And there are many stories like mine in America.

PG: You’re both bridge-builders: Elton talking to Rush Limbaugh about gay marriage; Darren building a private coalition to help save pensions and the Art Institute in bankrupt Detroit. Did you have to train yourself to work with people who aren’t natural allies?

EJ: I’ve been sober for 24 years now, and one of the best lessons it taught me is to listen. When it comes to people like Rush Limbaugh, or people who might enrage you sometimes, dialogue is the only way. You have to reach out.

DW: And stop asserting ideology. That just lets us keep affirming our own beliefs.

EJ: Whether you make an impact in one year or 30 years, it doesn’t matter. You have to put your foot in the water and start the process.

DW: God knows, there have been times in my life when I was done an injustice, or had every right to respond with an expletive. But it’s better to hold back and keep trying to find common ground.

EJ: Better to build a bridge than a wall.

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Elton John pays tribute to Phil Hughes at concert
Saturday, November 29 2014

Elton paid tribute to tragic cricketer Phil Hughes at the Munich concert on November 27, 2014 and dedicated "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" to the sportsman.

Australia has been plunged into mourning after the Test match batsman was killed in a freak accident when the ball struck him on the head during a match in Sydney on November 24, 2014. He was rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital and underwent surgery for a cerebral haemorrhage but did not regain consciousness and died on November 27, 2014.

Elton, a huge fan of the sport, was saddened by the tragedy and he spoke out to honour Hughes and show support for bowler Sean Abbott at his gig in Munich that evening. Introducing his 1974 hit, he said, "I'm a big, huge sports fan and I love cricket, which you don't know anything about over here. Today an Australian batsman called Phil Hughes died of injuries he received while batting in Sydney in Australia, and the man who bowled the ball is a 22 year old called Sean Abbott, and it wasn't his fault, it was a freak accident. But I wanted to dedicate this song to the memory of Phil Hughes and to the Australian team and all the cricketers in Australia who knew him, because he gave me so much pleasure. And to Sean Abbott, all I can say is that it's going to take a long time for you to get over this but you have a huge future ahead of you so please don't give up. This is for you Phil, wherever you are."

Related News

  • Elton John and band performed in Munich on November 27, 2014
        Friday, November 28 2014 at 07:35:45


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    40 Years Ago: John Lennon makes his last concert appearance
    Friday, November 28 2014

    Dual legends initially grew up around John Lennon‘s November 28, 1974 appearance on stage with Elton John at Madison Square Garden: That he only appeared there after losing a bet. And that a backstage moment marked Lennon’s reunion with Yoko Ono, after his co-called “Lost Weekend.”

    One turns out to be true, while the other most certainly is not.

    Sadly, history replaced them both. The beauty of this night, the fun, and even the hagiography of a romance rekindled would be tragically obscured by Lennon’s awful murder a little more than six years later. A hail of assassin’s bullets ensured that this offhand stage performance — unannounced that night, until just before Lennon came on stage — would be the former Beatles star’s last.

    It began with the bet. Elton John sang and played piano on both ‘Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)’ and ‘Whatever Gets You Thru the Night’ for Lennon’s 1974 album ‘Walls and Bridges.’ To that point, Lennon had been the only former Beatle who’d never achieved a solo No. 1 single — a streak Elton suggested would be snapped by ‘Whatever Gets You.’ So confident was Elton, in fact, that he suggested a little wager.

    “He sang harmony on it and he really did a damn good job,” Lennon told David Sheff in 1980. “So, I sort of halfheartedly promised that if ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ became No. 1, which I had no reason to expect, I’d do Madison Square Garden with him. So one day Elton called and said, ‘Remember when you promised …’” “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night’ had moved past Bachman-Turner Overdrive‘s ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ that November to top the Billboard singles charts.



    At this point, 40 years ago, Lennon hadn’t made a full-length performance since 1972′s ‘One to One’ concert, also held at the Garden. To get over the pre-show jitters, he’d actually slipped into an earlier Elton John show at Boston. “I was thinking ‘Thank God it isn’t me,’ as he was getting dressed to go on,” Lennon told Scheff. “I went through my stage fright at Boston so, by the time I got to Madison Square, I had a good time — and when I walked on they were all screaming and shouting. It was like Beatlemania. I was thinking ‘What is this?’ ’cause I hadn’t heard it since the Beatles.”

    Carrying a black Fender Telecaster, Lennon performed a total of only three songs, opening with the new hit then following with ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ — which Elton John had recently covered with Lennon on vocals and guitar, releasing it just 10 days before this show — and a surprise nugget from even further back in the Beatles catalog.

    “He suggested ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’” Lennon told Scheff, “and I thought ‘great,’ because I never sang the original of that. Paul [McCartney] sang it and I did the harmony.” On stage, Lennon introduced the old favorite with an impish quip: “We tried to think of a number to finish off with so I can get out of here and be sick, and we thought we’d do a number of an old, estranged fiance of mine, called Paul. This is one I never sang, it’s an old Beatle number, and we just about know it.”

    Lennon later admitted his on-stage partner was in tears. “I just went up and did a few numbers,” Lennon told Pete Hamill in 1975. “But the emotional thing was me and Elton together. Elton had been working in [early Beatles music publisher] Dick James’ office when we used to send our demos in, and there’s a long sort of relationship musically with Elton that people don’t really know about. He has this sort of Beatle thing from way back. … Well, it meant a lot to me and it meant a hell of a lot to Elton.”

    The setlist was actually a point of contention, as Elton initially insisted that Lennon perform his 1971 anthem ‘Imagine.’ Lennon demurred, telling Scheff that he “didn’t want to come on like Dean Martin doing my classic hits. I wanted to have some fun and play some rock and roll — and I didn’t want to do more than three, because it was Elton’s show after all.” Their live take on ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ later appeared as the b-side to Elton John’s single ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ in February 1975.

    By then, Yoko Ono and John Lennon were back together — ending a separation that began in the summer of 1973. In truth, however, this concert provided only the first stirrings of reconciliation after a lengthy period away. That period, often referred to by Lennon as his “Lost Weekend,” was dotted with the headline-grabbing foibles of a single man on the prowl again. But Lennon had also been on a creative tear.

    Beyond the success of ‘Whatever Gets You,’ this same 16-month era of reckless second bachelorhood found him scoring a Top 10 hit with ‘#9 Dream’ and a Top 20 hit in his remake of ‘Stand By Me’; making important assists on a pair of other No. 1 smashes (David Bowie’s ‘Fame,’ as well as Elton John’s update of ‘Lucy’); giving away notable songs to Ringo Starr (the Top 10 hit ‘Goodnight Vienna‘), Johnny Winter (‘Rock and Roll People’) and Keith Moon (‘Move Over Ms. L’); and producing Harry Nilsson’s 1974 album ‘Pussy Cats.



    Most of that was obscured, however, in a haze of booze-soaked debauchery. “Suddenly, I was out on me own,” Lennon told Hamill. ‘Next thing, I’d be waking up, drunk, in strange places or reading about meself in the paper, doin’ extraordinary things — half of which I’d done and half of which I hadn’t done, but you know the game, anyway.”

    Lennon subsequently insisted that he was unaware that his wife was in the audience on this historic occasion at Madison Square Garden. But Lennon had actually arranged for tickets, and Ono in turn had sent the orchids that Lennon and Elton John memorably sported on stage. Nevertheless, what happened following the show was undoubtedly real. “She was backstage afterward, and there was just that moment when we saw each other and like, it’s like in the movies, you know, when time stands still?” Lennon said, “and there was silence. Everything went silent, y’know, and we were just sort of lookin’ at each other.”

    After the concert, however, Lennon and May Pang — the assistant with whom Lennon had been in a relationship while living and working in Los Angeles — actually left together for a party at a New York hotel. There was even a rumor that the couple was planning to buy a home in one of the city’s buroughs, before Lennon returned to Ono. In the interim, Lennon reportedly wooed Yoko as if they were unwed singles, taking her to a exhibition of work by Man Ray, and to the movies.

    Years later, Ono would admit that it was actually McCartney who had played a critical role in saving this marriage. She says Paul and his wife Linda visited Ono in early 1974, and the subject of reconciling with John loomed large. McCartney then traveled to L.A., advising him to return to New York and work on his relationship. McCartney might have figured that Ono was the only one who could save his old friend. Certainly, a drug-fueled attempt at collaborating — also, alas, Lennon and McCartney’s last together — had gone nowhere.

    After the release of Lennon’s oldies package ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ also in February 1975, he filmed a three-song television appearance in honor of latter-day Beatles music publisher Sir Lew Grade, which aired that summer. In the fall, Ono gave birth to their son Sean — on the elder Lennon’s birthday, no less. A five-year retirement followed, as Lennon focused on being a father, and then a short-lived comeback before he was tragically gunned down by a lunatic fan on the streets of his adopted hometown.

    John Lennon would never perform on stage again — making his first words after the Elton John collaboration eerily prophetic. “When I came off stage,” Lennon told Scheff, “I said to the waiting journalists, ‘It was good fun, but I wouldn’t like to do it for a living.’”

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    Elton John and band performed in Munich on November 27, 2014
    Friday, November 28 2014

    Fan report by Stephan Heimbecher.

    Almost exactly six years after Elton took "The Red Piano" to Munich's Olmpic hall, he returned to the major concert arena of the Bavarian capital with his "Greatest Hits Live" tour on November 27, 2014 - for which turned out to be my 119th Elton concert since May 1984.

    I have to admit that I was a bit sceptical at first as the setlist I had seen him perform during the European shows so far wasn't the most exciting for a die-hard fan with that many previous concert experiences. And as much as it hurts to put it that way, I wish I had a fast-forward button for songs such as "Daniel", "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" and even "Tiny Dancer". I simply heard those too often.

    Earlier in the day the concert announcement in the local newspaper had put a condescending smile on my face as they treated Ray Cooper as a regular member of the Elton John Band - I wish! But then there he was, not on stage I'm afraid, but sitting in the audience just two rows behind me, obviously enjoying the show, which began at 8.00 pm sharp.

    Bright Light Bright Light had started the evening with a 20-minute set at 7.30 pm before Elton came on after what felt like the shortest stage conversion ever. And he wouldn't leave until 10.35 pm and a set which - despite my aforementioned "let's skip this" attacks - was quite entertaining and energetic.

    The first real highlight for me was "Rocket Man" - another song that I have probably heard too often, but tour after tour Elton and the band manage to give this opus a whole new touch. This time it wasn't only for the new piano intro, but much more for Elton's singing style that gave me goosebumps during the song.

    Another highlight was his brief solo set of "The One" and "The Greatest Discovery", which I like to refer to as the David-Zachary-Elijah double feature. "The Greatest Discovery" certainly isn't a crowd pleaser, but it's an island of joy for the real Elton fans. The general public, however, was becalmed by songs such as "Your Song" and "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" shortly afterwards.

    Elton came on stage with one of those grumpy faces that makes you fear that he will throw a trantrum over whatever the next minute and cut the show short. However, sucking up the energy of the 12,000+ in the audience, which he later referred to as "Bavarian roar", he soon warmed up and was extremely thankful for the support he had received from his German fans over the 46 years of his career.

    So all early scepticism aside, I could book another great Elton John concert experience in Munich last night thanks to an enthusiastic Elton and band. Sadly, Davey seems to have not overcome his back problems yet and was taking a seat during many of the slower songs. Get well soon!

    Following is the complete setlist of the Munich show on November 27, 2014:

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. The Greatest Discovery (solo)
    17. Your Song
    18. Burn Down The Mission
    19. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    20. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    21. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    22. The Bitch Is Back
    23. I'm Still Standing
    24. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    25. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    26. Crocodile Rock
    27. Circle Of Life/Can You Feel The Love Tonight

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    Statoil Masters Tennis 2014
    Wednesday, November 26 2014

    With a week to go until the Statoil Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall, Elton John and Billie Jean King have selected their teams for finals day on December 7, 2014, when a special Mylan World TeamTennis charity match will be held.

    The charity match – Mylan WTT Smash Hits presented by Walgreens and AmerisourceBergen – will pit Team Billie Jean against Team Elton, with proceeds from the night going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. This is the first time the event will be held outside the United States in its 22-year history.

    Team Billie Jean will be represented by Kim Clijsters, Tim Henman, Sabine Lisicki and Jamie Murray, who is in for the injured Greg Rusedski. In the ATP Champions Tour draw earlier in the week, the 2002 Wimbledon semi-finalist Xavier Malisse will replace Rusedski. On Team Elton John are Andy Roddick, John McEnroe, Martina Hingis and Heather Watson.

    The match will feature men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. The order of play is:

    Women’s doubles: Hingis/Watson (Team Elton) vs Clijsters/Lisicki (Team Billie Jean)

    Men’s doubles: McEnroe/Roddick (Team Elton) vs Henman/Murray (Team Billie Jean)

    Women’s singles: Watson (Team Elton) vs Lisicki (Team Billie Jean)

    Mixed doubles: McEnroe/Hingis (Team Elton) vs Murray/Clijsters (Team Billie Jean)

    Men’s singles: Roddick (Team Elton) vs Henman (Team Billie Jean)

    To view the full order of play for the week, please go to statoilmasterstennis.com/schedule/.

    The Statoil Masters, an IMG-owned and staged event which is now in its 18th year, runs from 3-7 December, 2014. It features Roddick, Henman, Fernando Gonzalez, Thomas Enqvist, Xavier Malisse and Sergi Bruguera in an ATP Champions Tour event, with McEnroe taking on Pat Cash and Henri Leconte in exhibition matches. Mansour Bahrami, Jamie Murray, and former British Davis Cup player Ross Hutchins are all part of the doubles field.

    The Statoil Masters Tennis has enjoyed record ticket-sales so far in 2014 and the last remaining tickets are still available, with prices from £18.50 per person, at statoilmasterstennis.com/tickets/ or by calling the Royal Albert Hall box office on: +44 (0) 20 7070 4404. Hospitality packages are also available via www.statoilmasterstennis.com/hospitality or by calling +44 (0) 20 8233 5854.

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    "Billy Elliot The Musical Live" DVD/Blu-ray
    Tuesday, November 25 2014

    What could be better than seeing Billy Elliot tap his little heart out on stage?

    How about 25 Billy Elliots tapping their little hearts out on stage? This extraordinary musical moment came in a recent one-off show that was broadcast live around the world - topping the UK box office in the process.

    Past stars, including all three original Olivier Award winning Billys (James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower), are joined by current stars Elliott Hanna, Bradley Perret, Ollie Jochim and Matteo Zecca for this show-stopping number.

    And now you can enjoy all the leaping about from the comfort of your own sofas with the home entertainment release of Billy Elliot The Musical Live.

    Billy Elliot The Musical is, of course, based on Stephen Daldry's smash hit film from 2000. Daldry himself gives a special introduction to this unique filmed performance. The film made a star of Jamie Bell and featured the fabulous Julie Walters as his cranky dance teacher in a small northern mining town in the midst of the 1984/5 miners' strike. West End star Ruthie Henshall plays the role in this special production.



    Billy Elliot the Musical has been packing them in at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre since 2005. The show has been seen by more than 10 million people in productions around the world and has won 10 Tony and five Olivier Awards.

    With music by Elton John, its tale of a young boy’s struggle against the odds to make his dream come true takes Billy out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever.

    "Billy Elliot The Musical Live" is out on DVD, Digital Download and Blu-ray on November 24, 2014.

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    Lady Gaga: Sir Elton John 'saved' me
    Sunday, November 23 2014

    Lady Gaga has revealed Elton John "saved" her, following her two-year battle with a drug addiction.

    Lady Gaga was "saved" by Elton John. The 'Pokerface' hitmaker - who battled a drug addiction for two years - has revealed how he helped her through the hard times.

    She said: "It's pretty messed up being friends with people who used to have drug and alcohol problems, like Elton. He got me on the straight and narrow. He was telling me: 'Gaga, you're smoking too much'. He saved me."

    Lady Gaga - who is the godmother of Elton and his partner, David Furnish's son Elijah - has revealed that she realised she needed help for her addiction at her best friend, Bo O'Connor's wedding last year. She said: "I've been friends with Bo for 20 years but when she got married I was her maid of honour. I was going through a really hard time and I was high and I was f***ed up throughout her whole wedding. For the rehearsals, for the planning, for the day - and I look back on that day and I remember it, but I'm really sorry I was f***ed up at her wedding because she deserved a sober maid of honour."

    Meanwhile, the 28-year-old singer has revealed that she is still on the road to recovery. Speaking at her artRAVE tour in Sheffield, England as reported in the Sun newspaper, she said: "I'm sober now. Sometimes. Not always. Just when I'm on stage."

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    Elton John and band performed in Paris on November 19, 2014
    Sunday, November 23 2014

    Following is the complete setlist of the Paris show on November 19, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. The Greatest Discovery (solo)
    17. Your Song
    18. Burn Down The Mission
    19. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    20. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    21. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    22. The Bitch Is Back
    23. I'm Still Standing
    24. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    25. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    26. Sacrifice
    27. Crocodile Rock

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    Billy Joel to set Madison Square Garden record
    Saturday, November 22 2014

    The 65-year-old piano man will surpass the record set by his former tour mate Elton John with a show on July 1, 2015, which will be part of his residency at the New York venue.

    Billy Joel will set a record for the most performances by any artist at Madison Square Garden with this upcoming 65th show scheduled for this summer. Tickets for the record-breaking show, as well as his performances scheduled in May and June 2015, will go on sale to the general public on November 22, 2014.

    The Grammy-winning artist was announced last year as the first-ever music franchise of the Garden. The July 1, 2015 show will be the 19th performance as a part of the residency, which has included monthly concerts from the singer songwriter throughout 2014.

    Related News

  • Madison Square Garden honors Elton for 'Most Performances by Any Artist'
        Friday, December 6 2013 at 18:22:41


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    ABC to celebrate Disney musicals on Broadway with TV special
    Friday, November 21 2014

    Disney will celebrate 20 years of making Broadway magic with a prime-time, hour-long special next month on ABC that highlights many of its musicals, including "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Aida," "Tarzan," "The Little Mermaid," "Mary Poppins," "Newsies" and "Aladdin."

    "Backstage with Disney on Broadway: Celebrating 20 Years," will air December 14, 2014 at 7 p.m. It will be hosted by Jesse Tyler Ferguson of "Modern Family" and have performances by Elton John, Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen ("Nashville"), Ashley Brown ("Mary Poppins") and Adam Jacobs ("Aladdin").

    Viewers will get to see the touring cast of "Newsies" prepare for opening night in Philadelphia, see backstage during a performance of "Aladdin," and witness a special rehearsal of "The Lion King."

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    Elton fan gathering in Munich
    Thursday, November 20 2014

    With Elton and band performing two shows in the south of Germany on November 27, 2014 (Munich) and November 29, 2014 (Nuernberg), there is the opportunity for a fan gathering on November 28, 2014.

    When we proposed to have a bigger fan convention back in the summer (see "Elton Fan Convention in Munich?") the feedback was rather disappointing. By far there were not enough people to justify the organisation of a major event. However, we don't want to cancel these plans altogether.

    So if you will be attending the Munich show on November 27, 2014 and if you will still be in town the following date, let me know if you are interested in an informal fan gathering in Munich on November 28, 2014. Simply drop me a mail at stephan@eltonfan.net. And if you are local, please feel free to recommend a place to meet, or if you are from abroad, let me know what kind of Munich experience you would be up to.

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    Would you like to buy Elton John's Ferrari?
    Tuesday, November 18 2014

    A Ferrari originally owned by Elton John is set to fetch around a quarter of a million pounds at auction on Sunday, November 30, 2014.

    The Dino 246GT Coupe - in Hornets' yellow - was bought new by the former Watford FC owner-chairman for an undisclosed sum in November 1972, the month he entered the record charts with "Crocodile Rock". Six months later, on June 15, 1973, Elton "gifted" the car to his loyal drummer, Nigel Olsson.

    Since then the car has had five other careful owners but has done only 29,200 miles in 42 years. Elton clocked up 5,600 miles were during the six months he owned it. Now the car is up for sale again and it is expected to fetch between £220,000 and £280,000 at Bonhams in London.

    The auctioneers say it is "a rare opportunity to acquire a fully documented, low-mileage example of this iconic V6 Ferrari, possessing the additional cachet of A-List celebrity ownership".

    Nigel Olsson owned the Ferrari for less than a year before selling it to a Mr Doug Hodson in May 1974. Mr Hodson kept the car for five years until May 1979, when he sold it to Mr J.J.Baynes, of Surrey. Five months later, in October 1979, Mr Baynes sold the car to a Miss V.J.Carlaw, of Glasgow. Miss Carlaw held on to it until December 1993, when she sold it to Mr R.J.Matthews, of London. Mr Matthews sold the car to its present owner - whose name has not been revealed by auctioneers Bonhams - in 2002.

    At Christie’s in London, on June 5, 2001, Elton John sold 20 of his cars - including three other Ferraris - for almost £2 million. These included his 1986 Ferrari 412 Sports for £42,300; his 1987 Ferrari Testarossa for £49,350; and his 1992 Ferrari 512TR for £89,550. His 1978 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe - which Elton once had re-sprayed in the yellow and black colours of his beloved Hornets - sold for £80,750.

    It was comparatively inexpensive to run a Ferrari Dino, when Elton John bought the car new in 1972, because in a gallon of petrol - a gallon, not a litre - cost just 36 pence.

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    Elton John and band performed in Stavanger on November 16, 2014
    Monday, November 17 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the Stavanger show on November 16, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    21. The Bitch Is Back
    22. I'm Still Standing
    23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    24. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    25. Crocodile Rock
    26. Circle Of Life/Can You Feel The Love Tonight

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    Elton John and band performed in Oslo on November 15, 2014
    Sunday, November 16 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the Oslo show on November 15, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. Border Song (solo)
    17. The Greatest Discovery (solo)
    18. Your Song
    19. Burn Down The Mission
    20. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    21. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    22. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    23. The Bitch Is Back
    24. I'm Still Standing
    25. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    26. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    27. Sacrifice
    28. Crocodile Rock

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    Elton John and band performed in Gothenburg on November 14, 2014
    Saturday, November 15 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the Gothenburg show on November 14, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    21. The Bitch Is Back
    22. I'm Still Standing
    23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    24. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    25. Sacrifice
    26. Crocodile Rock

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    Elton John and band performed in Copenhagen on November 12, 2014
    Thursday, November 13 2014

    Fan report by Ulrick from Copenhagen.

    As my wife and I were off to Copenhagen for the second Elton John show in Denmark this year, our expectations were pretty high. He did an awesome show this summer in Aalborg and once again in Forum, Copenhagen he proved the high level of performance quality.

    With a total of around 7500 people this was quite a small venue. We had seats in the front row, but as they were pretty much to the right of the stage we did not see Elton that much. However this gave us the opportunity to focus on the brilliant band – and they are brilliant!

    After the 30 minutes show with Bright Lights Bright Lights Elton entered the stage to the beginning of “Funeral For A Friend”. What was new to me was that he did not walk all the way across the stage as he normally does when he enters the stage, but we first saw lights on him when he started playing the song.

    He wore a red suit with Captain Fantastic on the back and a white shirt. I tend to believe that he wore these colors due to our national flag being red and white. Maybe also because Davey is married to a Danish woman and that she and her Danish family were in the audience (Elton said so).

    He was in a very good mood and I can truly say that there are version of songs I have never heard with such long piano solos and I have seen him perform more than 30 times. He got standing ovations from the audience several times and you could feel that he really enjoyed being here!

    Not only did Elton have a good time but the band too! They were all making lots of internal jokes, jumping around and also got standing ovations when introduced by Elton. Elton’s voice sounded great, then band sounded great and all in all another top class performance.

    Elton took time to sign my tour book properly, he singed my wife’s t-shirt and we both shook hands with him. He even agreed to have a picture taken with two guys letting them come up on stage with him. Furthermore I was lucky to get a drumstick from John Mahon and my wife a guitar plectrum from Davey Johnstone.

    Elton ended the show thanking us for this amazing evening, our loyalty and support, and pretty quick left for the airport and a private jet back to London. Thank you for another amazing performance to Nigel, John, Kim, Matt, Davey and Sir Elton John!

    Following is the complete set list of the Copenhagen show on November 12, 2014:

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Grey Seal
    19. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    20. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    21. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    22. The Bitch Is Back
    23. I'm Still Standing
    24. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    25. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    26. Sacrifice
    27. Crocodile Rock

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    Elton John and band performed in Helsinki on November 10, 2014
    Wednesday, November 12 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the Helsinki show on November 10, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    21. The Bitch Is Back
    22. I'm Still Standing
    23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    24. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    25. Sacrifice
    26. Crocodile Rock

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    Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 2014 - Special News!
    Tuesday, November 11 2014

    Nigel Olsson, John Mahon, Bobby Kimball and Giorgio Onorato Aquilani are teaming up to deliver their tribute to the 40th Anniversary of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

    To many people - whether die-hard Elton fan or not - "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is one of Elton's masterpieces if not the ultimate Elton John album of all times. For that reason it's not surprising that not only Elton himself is looking back to his musicial creation from 40 years ago, but many fellow musicians and fans do as well.

    In this regard, Giorgio Onorato Aquilani from Italy makes no difference. Some of you might remember Giorgio as he was the winner of the Hercules Composer Competition 2005, when we asked fans to put music to "Dogs in the Kitchen", a poem which is included in the "Captain Fantastic" lyric book, but which has never been recorded by Elton.



    Giorgio has come a long way since. On March 25, 2010 he released the album "Party of the Century" featuring ten of his own songs plus a cover version of Elton's "Friends". On that album he was being helped by a number of famous musicians including several members of TOTO, but also by current Elton John band member John Mahon and former Elton John band member Charlie Morgan. The album is available on iTunes or CDbaby.

    Now Giorgio is taking a next step with the release of two cover versions of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" - dedicated with love to Elton John and Bernie Taupin. And once again he has assembled a great line-up of musical friends, some of which he already worked with on "Party of the Century".

    Current Elton John band members John Mahon and Nigel Olsson are providing backing vocals on the first track, which is a duet of Giorgio and Bobby Kimball, singer and founding member of TOTO. John's and Nigel's work on this track is outstanding in many aspects: Their colloborative singing is building a bridge between the 1974 version of this Elton classic and this most recent cover. The two generations of Elton John band inspire this new recording with the spirit and feeling from 40 years ago without being just a simple plagiarism of the original recording.



    The duet cover version overall is doing great in managing the tightrope walk of being close to the original version but breathing new life into the track at the same time without destroying the song. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is such an Elton John signature song that not many dared to cover it over the past 40 years. In its original key, it's a tricky song to sing and sure has been tortured a lot in karaoke bars all over the planet.

    Hunter Hayes did a decent job on the 40th Anniversary Celebration (Deluxe Edition) release of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and Giorgio and Bobby don't need to be ashamed of their version either. To many the problem with any cover version of this song is that as soon as you recognize the classic opening chord sequence you automatically hear Elton's voice in your head. So any other voice starting to sing afterwards will sound "wrong" at first.

    With this is mind, Girgio's solo cover of the song - also with backing vocals by Nigel Olsson and John Mahon, but overall a different arrangement than the duet version - has it easier as it only features one "unexpected" voice. But be sure to stay tuned after the final chord of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" for Giorgio's hidden track, another one of his own compositions.

    Giorgio has been kind enough to provide free downloads of the two songs to visitors of eltonfan.net. Just click on the links below:

    1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (duet by Giorgio & Bobby Kimball) WAV mp3
    2. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road / Birds (Giorgio solo version) WAV mp3
    Besides the music one also has to pay attention to the wonderful cover artwork. The painting “Beyond the yellow brick road” is by Joseph Watchman Kaliher, a renowned contemporary artist. His works can be found in many prestigious Art collections such as the Fondazione Enrico Coveri and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Villa Demidoff in Florence. In his atelier in Florence Kaliher has collaborated with Paloma Picasso as well as with famous architect Michele Bonan. Amongst his admirers are many illustrated individuals and collectors, such as the Marquis Lodovico Antinori, the Prince Colonna of Naples, the Count Walfredo Della Gherardesca, the jewelers Vennari and the industrials Demico and Collini, the Ferragamo and Modestini families and many more. You can download a high resolution version of his “Beyond the yellow brick road” artwork by clicking on the cover above. More about his works can be found on Kaliher's website.



    Overall, Giorgio's project is a great example for the ongoing enthusiasm, devotion and love of Elton fans all over the world towards Elton and his musical legislating. Giorgio is not a professional musician, but he has put together (yet another) musical tribute with great passion, which for sure will please Elton and hopefully you, too. Even more, Giorgio's example might encourage some other of the musical talents amongst the Elton fans to become part of the next Elton fan tribute project: We won't reveal the details yet, but it will be an opportunity for musically talented Elton fans to pay tribute to Elton himself. Stay tuned!

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    Elton John and band performed in St. Petersburg on November 9, 2014
    Monday, November 10 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the St. Petersburg show on November 9, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One (solo)
    16. Nikita (solo)
    17. Your Song
    18. Burn Down The Mission
    19. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    20. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    21. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    22. The Bitch Is Back
    23. I'm Still Standing
    24. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    25. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    26. Sacrifice
    27. Crocodile Rock
    28. Circle Of Life/Can You Feel The Love Tonight


    Related News
  • David Furnish on Facebook
        Monday, November 10 2014 at 06:48:52


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    David Furnish on Facebook
    Monday, November 10 2014

    Following Elton's performance in St. Peterburg on November 9, 2014, David Furnish posted the following on Facebook.

    Elton performed in St. Petersburg Russia tonight. When he last performed in Moscow, he bravely spoke out about the horrific anti-propaganda laws that discriminate against LGBT people in Russia.

    He met with LGBT groups on the ground there and they supported his visit and praised his speech. Some artists have chosen to boycott Russia altogether, but the LGBT groups we spoke to were against that. They said a boycott would further isolate them and push them deeper into the cracks of society.

    They asked Elton to return and to continue to speak out in their support.

    Here is a transcript of what he said on stage in St. Petersburg tonight:

    "I'm not big on technology, but I love my i-Pad. They’re amazing…aren’t they? They way they can connect us to the things and people we love….

    How dignified that St Petersburg should erect a memorial to Steve Jobs, the remarkable founder of Apple.
    But last week it was labeled ‘homosexual propaganda’ and taken down!

    Can this be true? Steve’s memory is re-written because his successor at Apple, Tim Cook, is gay? Does that also make i-pads gay propaganda? Is Tchaikovsky’s beautiful music ‘sexually perverting’?

    As a gay man, I’ve always felt so welcome here in Russia. Stories of Russian fans - men and women who fell in love dancing to’Nikita’ or their kids who sing along to ‘Circle of Life’ -- mean the world to me.

    If I’m not honest about who I am, I couldn’t write this music. It’s not gay propaganda. It’s how I express life. If we start punishing people for that, the world will lose it’s humanity.

    Hate is ugly. Love is beautiful."

    Elton's speech was met was thunderous applause and at the end of the night he received a standing ovation.
    Love is beautiful indeed!

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    Sotheby's auction to benefit the Elton John Aids Foundation
    Monday, November 10 2014

    As collectors brace themselves for the sure-to-be astronomical sales figures at next week's New York auctions, it's nice to be reminded that not everything is about making a profit.

    To wit, leading contemporary artists have generously donated no less than 12 artworks, all of which will be auctioned off at Sotheby's to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF).

    The Contemporary Art Day Sale on November 12, 2014 will mark the fourth time that the auction house has partnered with the EJAF. The participating artists are Allora & Calzadilla, Martin Creed, Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Elrod, Urs Fischer, Jonathan Horowitz, William Kentridge, Joel Meyerowitz, Rob Pruitt, Ed Ruscha, and Frank Thiel. Their pieces are currently featured in a public exhibition preceding the auction.

    “Thanks to the generosity of caring people like these artists and the buyers who purchase their work, EJAF was able to award more than $7.3 million in grants to 114 worthy organizations during 2013," said Elton John in a statement. “Their gifts helped support programs assisting homeless teens in New York City, enabling poor people to access the treatment and care they need in the Deep South, providing housing and medical assistance to HIV-positive parolees in the Bronx, serving the urgent needs of HIV-positive people in Haiti, and so much more. This sale at Sotheby's will help us to continue expanding on these efforts."

    Among the expected highlights are Urs Fischer's large-scale bronze, Naked Arrest (with an estimate of $250,000–350,000); William Kentridge's Indian ink drawing Huilboom ($40,000–60,000); and Allora & Calzadilla's woodcut print Intermission (Halloween Afghanistan: Still Life II) ($80,000–120,000). The full proceeds from the sales will fund EJAF's grant initiatives.

    In addition to the works donated to benefit the EJAF, Sotheby's is featuring an unusually wide selection of Andy Warhol's iconic silkscreen portraits of female celebrities during next week's sale, with canvases featuring Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Debbie Harry, among others (see "A Constellation of Warhol Starlets at Fall Auctions").

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    EJAF announces nearly $1.5 million in new grants
    Friday, November 7 2014

    The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) announced nearly $1.5 million in new grants today, including a new program aimed at addressing the rampant stigma against HIV-positive people and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community.

    With this round of grant-making, EJAF is awarding seven new and six renewal grants that fund innovative projects addressing the health and human rights challenges facing LGBTQ people, and supporting cutting-edge advocacy work on drug policy and HIV decriminalization. The new funding amounts to $1.456 million, bringing EJAF's grant investments for 2014 to date to nearly $2 million.

    In particular, EJAF's new LGBTQ Community Initiative will engage directly with marginalized voices within the LGBTQ community to identify urgently-needed new approaches in our ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS. Specifically, the Initiative will work to address the lack of knowledge surrounding HIV among gay Americans, to create a more transparent culture in LGBTQ communities affected by HIV, and to fight the severe lack of access to welcoming medical care available to LGBTQ people in this country.

    "This has been a year of great triumphs for LGBTQ Americans. However, rates of HIV infection are still increasing in the community. That's why we are investing an additional $1.0-1.5 million across our second and third grant cycles to support new, dynamic, innovative programs by LGBTQ organizations and organizations working to confront the AIDS crisis in the community," said EJAF Chairman David Furnish. "The health and equality of gay people will continue to be top priorities for the Foundation."

    A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation examined the understanding of HIV among gay and bisexual men, and their results further underscore the importance and timeliness of EJAF's LGBTQ Community Initiative. The survey revealed that few gay and bisexual men report discussing HIV with their friends and sexual partners; most are not getting tested for HIV as regularly as they should; and more than half report that their doctors have never recommended that they be tested for HIV and that they rarely ever discuss HIV with their doctors.

    The Initiative also includes a particular emphasis on programs for transgender people.

    "Transgender people are sidelined within the broader movement to end HIV and in the fight for expanded access to healthcare," said EJAF Executive Director Scott Campbell. "We look forward to working directly with advocates from the transgender community who can help us ensure that our grants continue to go where the need is highest."

    "The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to confronting HIV/AIDS where it exists," said EJAF Founder Sir Elton John. "We recognize that the health needs and rights of LGBTQ people, and particularly transgender people, are critical components to ending HIV in the United States. The Foundation also recognizes the lack of funding and leadership in this area and is rising to the challenge to meet this need."

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    Elton John and band performed in Minsk on November 6, 2014
    Friday, November 7 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the Minsk show on November 6, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (solo)
    19. Nikita (solo)
    20. I'm Still Standing (solo)
    21. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (solo)
    22. Crocodile Rock
    23. The Bitch Is Back
    24. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    25. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    26. Circle Of Life/Can You Feel The Love Tonight
    27. Sacrifice

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    Elton John and band performed in Krakow on November 5, 2014
    Thursday, November 6 2014

    Following is the complete set list of the Krakow show on November 5, 2014.

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Grey Seal
    19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    21. The Bitch Is Back
    22. I'm Still Standing
    23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    24. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    25. Sacrifice
    26. Crocodile Rock
    27. Circle Of Life/Can You Feel The Love Tonight

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    Elton John and band performed in Bilbao on November 2, 2014
    Tuesday, November 4 2014

    Fan report by Julio from Spain.

    After succeeding in Madrid the night before, Elton appeared in Barakaldo, Bilbao, for the first time in history. The venue chosen for the show was the BEC! Arena, a very good place for concerts. Again, the doors opened at 7:00 pm and the opening act was Bright Light Bright Light.

    Elton took the stage at 9:00 pm again, this time with a beautiful red jacket with the name Captain Fantastic on his back and a blue shirt underneath. Elton looked more rocker than the previous night in Madrid, starting the concert with the same songs, including a lovely version of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" with an incredible video clip projected on the screen behind the stage.

    Another beautiful song was "Grey Seal" as well as a magnificent version of "Believe", which received a lot of applause from the audience. This time Elton signed more autographs and even posed repeatedly so fans could take pictures during the concert.

    The only tantrum that occurred was during "Sacrifice" when Elton hit the keys on his piano and was not getting any sound. His anger began to hit his technical team, but as a great professional, he finish singing the song without the piano, only accompanied by his band, and the audience thanked him with another great effort applause.

    At the end of this technical problem, he said "I never again play Yahama pianos" but I guess that would be the cause of his momentary anger. In the end, I guess because of his anger, Elton decided to finish the show with "Crocodile Rock", skipping the final "The Lion King" encore.

    It was a magical concert, a great night with the piano man, surrounded by his classics!

    Following is the complete set list of the Bilbao show on November 2, 2014:

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Grey Seal
    19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    21. The Bitch Is Back
    22. I'm Still Standing
    23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    24. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    25. Sacrifice
    26. Crocodile Rock

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    Elton John and band performed in Madrid on November 1, 2014
    Sunday, November 2 2014

    Fan report by Julio from Spain.

    Elton decided to start his Fall & Winter 2014 Tour in Spain. The first stop was in Madrid, at the Barclays Card Center, formerly Palacio de los Deportes. It appeared that would be an incredible night...and was!

    At 7:00 pm the organizers opened the door to get inside the arena and it was gradually filled completely. At 8:20 pm the opening act jumped on stage, Bright Light Bright Light, a band led by Rod Thomas, and played five songs, quite successful among the audience.

    With British punctuality, Elton came on stage at 9:00 pm, with his black jacket and blue shirt, with the usual song for his shows with the band shows, "Funeral For A Friend".

    He got the audience out of their seast on several occasions, with great applause, with songs like "Believe" and "Tiny Dancer". One of the best tracks, personally, was when he played "Burn Down The Mission" and "Hey Ahab", that sounded soooo much Rock! After "Saturday Nights", Elton signed only 2 or 3 autographs ... and finished the show playing masterfully "Circle of Life / Can You Feel The Love Tonight".

    In resume, a very good start of tour, but two or three songs from his latest album, The Diving Board, were missing.

    Following is the complete set list of the Madrid show on November 1, 2014:

    1. Funeral For A Friend
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Bennie And The Jets
    4. Candle In The Wind
    5. All The Girls Love Alice
    6. Levon
    7. Tiny Dancer
    8. Believe
    9. Daniel
    10. Philadelphia Freedom
    11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    12. Rocket Man
    13. Hey Ahab
    14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    15. The One
    16. Your Song
    17. Burn Down The Mission
    18. Grey Seal
    19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    21. The Bitch Is Back
    22. I'm Still Standing
    23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    24. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

    25. Sacrifice
    26. Crocodile Rock
    27. Circle Of Life/Can You Feel The Love Tonight

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    Elton John sale
    Saturday, November 1 2014

    I'm continuing to sell parts of my extensive Elton John collection.

    Listings can be found at heimbecher.net/sale. I am still adding new items.

    If you are attending Elton's show in Munich on November 27, 2014, place your order now and save on postage: You can pick up your items at my place while you are in town.

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