Following is the complete set list of the Los Angeles (Tower Records) show on February 27, 2016.

1. The Bitch is Back
   
2. Bennie and the Jets
   
3. Looking Up
   
4. Blue Wonderful
   
5. Levon
   
6. Rocket Man
   
7. Your Song
   
8. Tiny Dancer
   
9. A Good Heart
   
10. Wonderful Crazy Night
    
11. Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me (with Lady Gaga)
    
12. Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

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Elton John will be performing a free concert in Los Angeles, Saturday, February 27, 2016. Watch it live exclusively on AOL.com.

Elton will be performing as a thank you to the city for its support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and its annual Academy Awards Viewing Party, which will go down again during this Sunday's show.

"At AOL we are committed to the live experience and its ability to bring offline moments online for audiences in a unique and immersive way," said Jimmy Maymann, EVP and President, Content and Consumer Brands at AOL in a press release. "We can't think of a better partner than Elton John - his iconic stature spans generations and we're excited for the opportunity to bring this incredible experience to his fans and our millions of viewers worldwide."

Tune in to AOL.com at 3 p.m. ET on February 27, 2016 to stream the concert live, and stay tuned to Billboard.com for coverage of the event. The performance will take place on the Sunset Strip at the former Tower Records location.

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This was one of Elton’s best television appearances. He did a fun interview and performed “Looking Up” and "Bennie And The Jets.”

And be sure to watch the additional song he performed, but not broadcast and is only available on the website, “Levon.”

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Having just learned about the death of Elton enthusiast and Mr. "Wrap it up!", Alan McCormick, I am sadened and still in shock.

Although we had lost touch in recent years, Alan has played a major role especially in the early days of the fan club. As a matter of fact, he hosted the very first fan meeting in his apartment in Cologne on April 8, 1989, giving the 15 attendees a chance to sample his vast collection of Elton John memorabilia, records, etc.

It's probably true that every real Elton fan has bought at least one item from Alan once he had set up "Wrap it up!" a few years later. A source for many Elton collectors the rule was "If Alan doesn't have it, it doesn't exist".

But Alan wasn't just the "business man" that would sell you the latest Elton rarity, he was also a very funny and caring person and I happily remember many "drunken nights in dark hotels" ...

All our love and thoughts these days are with Alan's wife Jenny and his family.

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David opens up about the Elton John AIDS Foundation 2016 Oscar party and strides the organization has made towards HIV/AIDS research.

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Elton John is one of the most outspoken musicians alive, and in a new Rolling Stone interview, he takes aim at one of the most popular female solo artists of all time.

Because he prides himself on giving his all onstage, Elton is sensitive to others he feels do not hold themselves to the same standards. "You know, f--king music magazines writing a review of Janet Jackson saying, 'This is the greatest show—four and a half stars.' It's f--king lip-synced! Hello! That's not a show!" Elton says. "I'd rather go and see a drag queen. F--k off."

Jackson, who is currently on a world tour in support of her eleventh studio album, "Unbreakable", has not yet responded to Elton's allegations; E! News has reached out to the 49-year-old "No Sleeep" singer's rep for comment.

More than a decade ago, Elton made similar lip-syncing claims about Madonna. "I say what I feel," he tells Rolling Stone in hindsight. "I probably went too far with Madonna, and I got very personal and I wrote her—she was very gracious."

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Following is the complete set list of a private show for IBM at MGM Grand in Las Vegas on February 24, 2016.

1. The Bitch is Back
   
2. Bennie and the Jets
   
3. Candle in the Wind
   
4. Levon
   
5. Tiny Dancer
   
6. Looking Up
   
7. Daniel
   
8. Philadelphia Freedom
   
9. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
   
10. Rocket Man
    
11. I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues
    
12. Your Song
    
13. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    
14. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
    
15. I'm Still Standing
    
16. Your Sister Can't Twist (but She Can Rock and Roll)
    
17. Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
    
    
18. Crocodile Rock

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"I cant’t remember the last time an interview was this easy – or rewarding", says Ross King from the Sunday Post.

"I’ve spoken before about how some celebs can be a bit shy, distracted or just seem to have taken some sort vow of silence. The brilliant Sir Elton John was, thankfully, just the opposite. I’d barely said hello and he’d started talking about how he’s loving life, how he’s coping with parenthood – and how he’d always wanted a daughter," King continues.

"Can it be like this every week? Some newspapers reported on our chat through the week there but Elton and I had a good old natter about a lot more besides. Including how his good pal Rod Stewart is raging – with Elvis!", says King.

“Rod’s album did really well in Britain and we’ve been emailing each other all the time,” chuckled Elton. “He’s been doing well but is absolutely devastated Elvis Presley of all people kept him off the No. 1 album spot! But Rod’s actually gone platinum with the album, Another Country, in less than seven weeks – which proves there’s a market for us creaky old things!”

Elton’s got a new album of his own out called Wonderful Crazy Night – which doesn’t sound like the type of record a 68-year-old man should be producing.

“I’ve enjoyed playing in the last two years more than I’ve ever done,” explained Elton. “I’ll be 69 at my next birthday so I wanted to do something up-tempo and joyous. This turned out the most rock and roll record I’ve ever done. I’m very happy. David and I have been together for 22 years and we have two sons who are incredibly happy. I’ve had a great career, we have wonderful friends and I have a wonderful family.

“I’ve got nothing to complain about! This is the happiest I’ve ever been. I always try to live in the moment and I have done since I’ve been sober.”

So Elton doesn’t seem to be planning on stopping soon. Someone who’s that rich, it makes one wonder… why keep on going?

“I’ve done 3,000 shows so there’s a lot of mileage in my fingers!” said Elton. But when I start to feel there’s a tapering off in the quality of my playing then I’ll stop, because financially, I don’t have to keep going. A lot of performers feel they have to keep going as they’re not sure what else to do but I’m lucky as I’ve got my two boys. It’s nice that later in my life I have two young boys and hopefully as they go into their formative years they’ll keep me young.”

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The football-loving music legend has thrown his weight behind attempts to get the surviving members of England's 1966 World Cup winning squad.

Elton is the latest superstar to join the Sunday Mirror’s fight to knight the remaining heroes of the 1966 World Cup. Elton, who has had a lifelong love affair with football, told how the Wembley victory was one of the defining moments of his life. The Honorary Life President of Watford FC, said: “Like millions of other English people, our World Cup win was absolutely one of the defining moments of my life. I think they should definitely be honoured with a knighthood.”

The musical icon and lifelong Watford fan first stood on the terraces watching his beloved team at the age of six. He took over as chairman of the club in 1976 and he and future England manager Graham Taylor led them from the fourth division to top flight success. His partner David Furnish and sons Zachary and Elijah recently attended a match to witness a stand being named after the singer.

His call comes amid growing calls for the issue to be debated in Parliament. July 30, 1966, cemented the starting 11’s names in history as England achieved its greatest ever sporting triumph by beating West Germany 4-2. But just two, Bobby Charlton and hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst, have since been knighted. The Sunday Mirror’s campaign calls for Gordon Banks, 78, George Cohen, 76, Ray Wilson, 81, Martin Peters, 72, Jack Charlton, 80, Nobby Stiles, 73, and Roger Hunt, 77, to be given the same honour.

A host of leading sporting figures and celebrities including Gary Lineker and Simon Cowell has joined the newspaper in urging Prime Minister David Cameron to create a fitting memory of the team’s inspirational win. The appeal aims to secure the honour for the other seven surviving players – many of whom are now suffering in old age from severe ill health.

The Football Association, former England boss Graham Taylor and West Ham United have also pledged their support, as has Lady Elsie Robson, widow of the late England manager Sir Bobby. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch is behind it and support is growing in Parliament after MP Graham Stringer put down an early day motion which MPs can sign calling for the players to get knighthoods.

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However, Elton admitted that he admired the stars for continuing to produce new music - something that prevents him from "going crazy".

Elton told a US radio interview the legendary group featuring Mick and Keith Richards should return to their roots of blues music. He claimed artists who simply play a hits package “go crazy”, explaining: “What I think the Rolling Stones should do is a great blues record, and go back to what they used to do - and do things like 'Come On' - the Chuck Berry song like they did in their early career. That is what they should do. I think Mick wants to still be relevant on the radio - well they are not. And I think Keith would love to do a record like that. And that is what they should be doing.”

But he applauded the band for continuing to record new music, saying that he also has to keep producing new albums to stay sane - and to provide new parts of his live shows. He added: “People like Billy Joel, who is a great songwriter and one of America’s finest, say there is no point because people don’t want to hear them. And I kind of get that as well, but it is very frustrating that you play new songs that people don’t want to hear but I can't not try and have a go. Usually when you play a new song people hurtle towards to the toilets quickly, but you have to play new songs.”

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Hillary Clinton is assembling a squad, and it boasts music mavens Katy Perry, Elton John and Andra Day.

The three will take the stage at Radio City Music Hall with the Democratic presidential hopeful on March 2, 2016, the day after Super Tuesday.

Clinton announced the concert on Twitter; both former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton will be present at the event. Tickets (at $125 each) will benefit the Hillary Victory Fund.

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Elton John band percussionist John Mahon talked to our partner magazine "East End Lights" and answered some questions about the final tour and the recording of Wonderful Crazy Night.

1. So this “final curtain” tour is supposed to be the last big tour for Elton. What’s the feeling amongst the band, the crew etc?
JM: We are all excited about the last tour because it is going to be a big show in great cities all over the world. I don’t think about it being a farewell tour and never do another show with Elton - I just think it will be the end of touring year round.

2. What are you going to miss the most about being on tour?
JM: I will miss my road family of course and really miss playing those amazing songs night after night. We get to see some spectacular parts of the world and I will surely miss the exotic travel.

3. Turning to the new CD ‘Wonderful Crazy Night’: What’s the feel (sound, tempo, fast/slow songs etc) of the new CD?
JM: When we started the project Elton said to me, “let’s keep these songs up and lively". And that they are - I did my best to create grooves in bright tempos when the opportunity arose. The album is very organic sounding and the lyrics as always quite amazing. Bernie never fails to surprise with a story or idea that always comes out of left field. I’ve written many lyrics and he is truly incredible.

4. Its been a long time since Elton has recorded an album with the band, what was it like finally getting back into the studio again?
JM: It is always a memorable experience to watch Elton write a song. To be part of the process is an honor and to sit right in the room with him while he creates is magical - and sometimes you get to see him struggle which makes him human. He does not linger long on a song that’s not working out. He’ll move on quickly - for Elton, I think the flow is either there or it isn’t.

5. I heard that there is a lot of guitar on the album? Maybe you’ll have to bring back John Jorgenson for the tour to help Davey carry the load.
JM: Davey always plays a lot of guitar parts. He’s so creative in the studio Elton just lets him record for hours. But not all of the parts turn out to be so noticeable in the mix. They are layers or sound FX or doubles. In this day and age between samplers and electronic guitar synths we can replicate anything Davey did and play it via keys or drum pads. I don’t think we’ll add another guitar player. Davey will play the standout parts himself and the other parts we’ll cover if need.

6. Elton has said that the recording of the album reminded him of recording in the 70’s, the songs being done in one or two takes.It that correct?
JM: Yes, one or two takes when the tape started to roll. Of course we would run through the song and sort of learn it while Elton was writing it. And of course there were plenty of times we would stop the take before it went all the way if the feel was not right or the tempo was off or God forbid - someone made a mistake! But most of the songs were really done in a a couple takes - a couple songs were done the 1st time for Elton’s part.

7. Elton said this was a live album. Does that mean you all recorded your instruments at the same time or did you layer them one or two at a time.
JM: There were a good number of songs that were recorded with all of us playing. Usually it was Elton’s piano, bass, drums and maybe guitar. Other songs would start with just Elton’s piano, my percussion and bass all the way through to set a consistent groove. Then Nigel's drums would be overdubbed later. Kim would sometimes play organ during the take and go back afterward for overdubs or fixes. Davey did lots of overdubs like acoustic guitars and solos that work better when recorded separately. Every song was different but always started with some type of ensemble feel.

8. Was Elton more hands on with this record since he “co-produced” with T Bone Burnett?
JM: Elton was very hands on. He is full of ideas and usually open to trying different things when it comes to guitar or keyboard parts. He knows what he likes and all his ideas bounce off of T-Bone and the band members too. T-Bone of course drives the direction of the recordings but when we get on a roll he let it go and did not try to interrupt the flow.

9. Did Elton only play the piano while Kim Bullard handled all of the other keyed instruments?
JM: Mostly yes, there were a keyboard parts that were not piano sounds that Elton played to create an idea. On this record, Elton liked to just play the piano and the other keyboard parts were overdubbed as we went along.

10. Elton said you recorded a song a day. Did he write one song a day as well? Were they written on the spot or did he come in with demos?
JM: It sort of goes like this. Elton shows up in the morning and goes directly to the piano. With the tape running he picks a Bernie lyric to start creating a song with. He will pretty much stay at the piano until he has written a song in it’s basic form. Sometimes we will join him in the room by the piano and let him bounce suggestions off of us - melody, harmony, tempo, groove, song form etc… From there we decide which instrumentation will be the best way to record the song. This all happens in the 1st hour or two. Once the basic song is recorded he will record the lead vocal. After that is done it’s time to add the other instruments that were not recorded in the first go around. Then it’s overdubbing more parts where needed, and usually last is vocal harmonies. By the end of the day we have a song in the bag. Pretty much a 12-8pm day.

11. How did you figure your parts in coordination with Ray Cooper and his work?
JM: Most of the record was done before Ray came over to America so he added parts where they were needed on some of the early recordings. I believe he was there for the writing of the last four songs, and I want Ray to do what he does before I decide to “muck it up”! I will just add color when there’s a need for it. It’s difficult to not want to play your part but sometimes there’s just not the right space. Ray is genius in the studio so it’s always just a learning experience for me.

12. Was the album recorded quickly during the tour i.e. did you record a song and then jump on a plane to that night’s gig?
JM: We had a few weeks in the studio in blocks. Three weeks here, two weeks here. Maybe a few days we jumped back in but it was mostly done in about a two months window between touring.

13. If you only did the recording and not during the touring was it just show up to the studio and hang out for a day and work like a 9-5 job?
JM: Well yes. I am usually the last person to overdub my percussion parts so there were a few late nights but we tried to keep it civilized. I think the recording engineer works harder than anyone else. Some of us like to just hang around after Elton leaves and experiment with parts or maybe have late dinners. It was nice recording in LA because you could go home and not to a hotel afterward.

14. Is there more camaraderie during making an album? Or does everyone just go home and back to work the next day?
JM: It can be intense in the studio but we are always puling for each other to come up with something that elevates the song musically. It’s good because we can be very honest with each other and that’s where the camaraderie comes in. You need to be able to take criticism from all levels. If you cannot do that, then just pack up and go home!

15. Was there a lot of spontaneity on the record?
JM: When you record a song a day there is always spontaneity. Elton loves when something odd happens and it is a good thing. For example we have a handclap on "Guilty Pleasure". I don’t remember who suggested it but next thing I know T-Bone takes us upstairs to this massive old room and four of us, I think Davey, Matt, Nigel and myself did a "Crocodile Rock" hand-clap that sounded like it was in a church! Elton is spontaneous with harmony parts - he will hear something in his head and run right to the mic to record it.

16. Any extra guest performers on the record? Any duets? Who did the backgrounds?
JM: There are no guest performers on the record or duets. U2 was rehearsing upstairs - maybe we should have tried to get Bono on something? Elton did quite a bit of the background vocals himself. The rest were done by Davey, Nig, Matt and I.

17. What was working with T-Bone like? Are you free to play what you want or does he define each part etc.
JM: T-Bone Burnett was the consummate producer. He lives and breathes music. He knows when a take is not working or when he thinks we can do better. He is mostly about getting the best performance from his musicians and artist. He is supportive and suggestive. He will not say that sucked when maybe it did. He will inspire a better performance out of you and make gentle but intuitive corrections, always keeping the mood light and fun. And he burns wood in the studio - odd but cool. I look forward to working with him again.

18. What’s your favorite song on the record? Elton said it’s a 1970’s feel yet very 2015 , what’s your take?
JM: I don’t like to put music into categories of dates and genres. It either floats your boat and moves you or it doesn’t. You will be tapping your foot on this album - I guarantee that. Elton said he wanted a push to keep it uptempo and he got that from me when I could. These are his songs and the band is there to add what he feels makes the song what he hears it to be. We want him to be the best so we give him our best. Favorites that come to mind are "The Open Chord", "Tambourine", and "Wonderful Crazy Night".

19. Since it was recorded quickly, did you feel enormous pressure on your work?
JM: I always feel pressure to do my best. Of course I want to come up with the perfect part but it’s not always possible. Elton writes from the melody down where some artists start with the beat. It’s a challenge to add a percussion part after all the instruments have been added. Sometimes the best part is no part! But the reality is after this many years as a musician your instincts kick in and you will you know quickly what is going to work or not.

20. How do you think these songs will translate live? Do you look forward to playing them verses Diving Board material?
JM: These songs are going to be fun to play live. They are lively and the subject matter is surely a shift from the last album. It’s also very different playing songs that you actually recorded as opposed to recreating another musicians parts. There’s a fine line between respecting what another musician played and trying to make it sound better so it works live. You don’t want to insult the other player but of course want to put your own touch on the part. We’re going to have a good time playing this record.

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Elton John and David Bowie's friendship never recovered from comments the Ziggy Stardust made forty years ago.

In a new interview, Elton reveals that when David died aged 69 last month they "were not the best of friends" - despite once enjoying wild nights out at gay clubs with T-Rex frontman Marc Bolan. He said: "David [Bowie] and I were not the best of friends towards the end. We started out being really good friends. We used to hang out together with Marc Bolan, going to gay clubs, but I think we just drifted apart. He once called me 'rock’n’roll’s token queen' in an interview with Rolling Stone, which I thought was a bit snooty. I wasn’t his cup of tea. But the dignified way he handled his death, I mean, thank God. I knew he’d had a heart attack on stage in Berlin years ago, but not about the cancer. Everyone else take note of this: Bowie couldn’t have staged a better death. It was classy."

Elton first touched upon David's scathing comments in a 1976 interview with rock mag Rolling Stone. The mag reported: "Currently, Bowie appears to be trying to start up a feud in Playboy, admitting in an interview that he had referred to Elton as "the Liberace, the token queen of rock. Says Bowie, 'I consider myself responsible for a whole new school of pretensions — they know who they are. Don't you, Elton?'"

He told Evening Standard's ES Magazine: "I was in Los Angeles, asleep. It was 3am and the phone rang. It was David [Furnish]. I immediately panicked, as when you get a phone call at three o’clock in the morning you think something is wrong. I thought of the kids, something has happened to the kids. And David said, 'I thought I better let you know, David Bowie has died.' And I was shocked... I couldn’t go back to sleep."

However, he can't help but praise Bowie for selling so many records even after his death. He added: "The best thing to happen to your records is for you to die. Death is very popular. Obviously, no one wanted David to die, but it’s astonishing how many records he’s sold since — something like two million in two weeks. And that’s CDs."

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Elton John says he is willing to risk his life to speak out about human rights abuses as he prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said it was not just gay rights he was passionate about, as he wanted to leave the world a “good place to live” for the sake of his children. He also told ES magazine he was not embarrassed at being tricked into believing he was speaking to Mr Putin in a prank phone call by two Russian TV presenters last September. He said: “You have to have a sense of humour about these things. The next day the Kremlin got in contact and were extremely embarrassed about the way I’d been treated. And within a couple of days I did have a call from President Putin at my home in Windsor and we had a 10-minute chat. Soon I’m going to go to Moscow to talk to him face to face over a cup of tea — what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not just gay rights. I’ll take on anything and go anywhere to help those in need. I am not afraid."

“I will speak out. What are they going to do to me? If they shoot me, they shoot me. I don’t care. I am a fan of the human being. I don’t like seeing dead children washed up on the beaches of Europe. But I am an optimist. There’s more good in this world than bad.”

Elton paid tribute to David Bowie and revealed that the news of his friend’s death was broken to him in a 3am phone call from his husband David Furnish: “I knew he’d had a heart attack on stage in Berlin years ago, but not about the cancer. Everyone take note of this — Bowie couldn’t have staged a better death. It was classy.”

He said he would love to have a daughter but was “too old” to have any more children. Meanwhile his sons Zachary, five, and Elijah, three, “beat the s**t out of one another”. He added: “I hate being away from my kids. We FaceTime but it’s not the same. They are wonders ... I look forward to being closer to them. That is the way I want my future life to go. I want to give them a childhood they can love, and be a parent they will miss. I want to leave them a good place to live.”

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A musician with Fox Cities roots is feeling the Bern all right. So much so that Appleton native Mel Flannery and her husband, Danny Sher, who live together in New York, put their talents into "Hold Me Closer, Bernie Sanders," a song that's a Sanders-centric take on the Elton John classic "Tiny Dancer."

Flannery, Sher and a few friends — who for this venture have called themselves Punned It — wrote and recorded the song on February 7, 2016, "when everybody else was watching the Super Bowl," Flannery said. They timed its release for after the New Hampshire primary. "We wanted to give those feeling the Bern something to celebrate with," Flannery said.

Here's a sampling of the lyrics:

You’re the closer, Bernie Sanders
Fix the wage gap, schools and highways
End the school-to-prison pipeline
And bring the troops back home today



Punned It also features Alex P. Wernquest, Lindsey Poleck and Wesley Nichols. The whole thing, video included, came together in a span of 48 hours. It was recorded straight to tape at Wernquest's Basement Floods studio in Catskill, New York.

Flannery, an Appleton East High School grad, fronts Mixtape (dubbed "a cover band for hipsters") and also leads the original band Mel Flannery Trucking Co. The idea for the song came after a Mixtape gig. "Tiny Dancer" was on and Sher sang along, subbing the presidential candidate's name in the chorus. It got some laughs and they ran with it from there. "It's a tribute to both Bernie and Elton John and made out of love and adoration for both," Flannery said.

It just might be the best take on "Tiny Dancer" since Phoebe Buffay's "Hold Me Close, Young Tony Danza."

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Italy's popular Sanremo Music Festival, boosted on its opening night by a performance by Elton John, captured nearly half of the TV audience share for State broadcaster RAI on February 9, 2016, with an average number of 11.135 million viewers.

Elton took the stage in dark glasses at the Ariston Theatre for just over 15 minutes. After performing his classic "Your Song", Elton reflected back on his career in response to questions from the festival's host Carlo Conti. "I still like to play, above all live, more than ever," Elton said. "I never thought the journey would have lasted so long. And I never would have thought I'd become a father, to have the life that I've had, it has all been very positive," he said.

Elton was referring to his sons with husband David Furnish, who wasn't in attendance. He finished his set with the single "Blue Wonderful" from his new album "Wonderful Crazy Night”.

The performance came amidst an impending vote in the Italian Senate on a civil unions bill, which prompted artists Noemi, Arisa, and Enrico Ruggeri to take the stage waving rainbow flags in support of the measure.

Second-time host Conti on Wednesday said he was "very happy" with the viewership for the festival's opening night. In his debut last year, the first-night broadcast garnered nearly the same number of viewers, taking in a 49.34% audience share. "We should have put the soundtrack from Mission Impossible, because repeating it wasn't easy," Conti said. "I'm particularly happy, but we have to get to Saturday," he said of the five-evening festival.

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