Sufu wrote us:
First off, the bad news: I didn't get to meet Elton John. The good news? I got about ten minutes one-on-one with Billy Joel.This concert season is just heating up and there are plenty of passes for great shows still out there. If you haven't become a member of BackstagePassDirect, sign-up today.
He told me what it was like touring back in the 70s and how so much has changed since then. This was great for me since my band wants to go out on the road and he helped me understand what we should and should not expect. BJ was really, really great.
But on to the show.
It was everything I could hope for, a sing along to a barrage of timeless rock classics.The voices of both performers are as strong as ever, and the musicians behind each of them were equally worthy of the massive applause that each song received. With a total performance time of over three hours.
The cheering grew loud at 7:45pm as BJ made his way on from stage right, and EJ from stage left. Their pianos slowly emerged from underneath the stage, and for the next 20 minutes the two were seated across from each other as they played a brief, but intimate set of songs. EJ took the reins shortly after, breaking into crowd favorites like “Crocodile Rock” and “Rocket Man”. Elton’s set was of course largely piano driven, but there was plenty of guitar to be heard from Davey Johnstone, a great player who stole the set away into several periods of intricate solos. Drummer Nigel Olsson was all smiles as he pounded the skins with all the vigor of a man half his age. The positive energy and the feel-good mood that was so prominent on the stage didn’t take long to penetrate into the crowd; most fans were on their feet and there was plenty of dancing in the aisles and elsewhere to be seen. Elton’s piano licks were impressive to say the least, at times it seemed as if something was bound to explode. As for his attire, it was kept rather low key – low key for EJ, that is. Gold shoes, his trademark glasses, and a dragon embroidered jacket were all part of the evening’s wardrobe, but there were no flashy hats or constant changes in dress.
The crowd’s applause for EJ’s electric performance merged with the applause of greeting as BJ walked onto the stage and opened up the piano and keyboard driven instrumental half of “Prelude/Angry Young Man”. Starting his dialog with the crowd by introducing himself as his own father, BJ took the crowd for a wild ride of memorable hits, delivering each one with a deep passion in his voice. He took to his feet and played guitar during the catchy “We Didn’t Start the Fire”, and gave a particularly energetic performance of “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” by tossing his microphone stand clear above his head and later aiming it into the crowd in order to let one lucky female fan sing the final words to the song.
BJ departed the stage, but before too long both performers re-emerged and finished the evening off with an extended set of with vocal and piano harmonies. The stage was almost crowded as the backing bands for both musicians shared the platform, providing a very full and rich sound. Alternating each other’s hits and sharing the lead vocals of each song, both EJ and BJ enjoyed themselves as much as the crowd. Just when it felt like all the hits had been played, the two would rip into another sing along classic – a true testament to their enduring legacy as musicians. Finishing off with Elton’s “Candle in the Wind” and Billy’s “Piano Man”, the evening ended with the performers in a warm embrace to an effusive applause. It was a truly heartfelt performance, and by its end the entire arena was singing along and feeling the passion of the songs. Years have passed since EJ and BJ first made it big, but the music they created is timeless.
All words fail to express my gratitude to BPD for giving me this experience of a lifetime.
