Q's With: Elton John Band Guitarist Davey Johnstone Prepares For The End Of The Yellow Brick Road

3/04/2022
By: Deborah Speer

[www.pollstar.com]

Never can say goodbye...more dates:
Sun, Jul 24, 2022 - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Wed, July 27, 2022 – Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

Thu, September 8, 2022 - Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

Sat, October 8, 2022 - Levi's® Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

Sun, October 16, 2022 - Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA

Mon, October 17, 2022 - Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA

Sat, October 22, 2022 - BC Place, Vancouver, BC

Wed, November 9, 2022 - Petco Park, San Diego, CA

Fri, November 11, 2022 - Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ

Thu, November 17, 2022 - Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

Unbelievable, he's added a second BC Place show! Can't remember the last time a band did 2 shows there. Stones 89 and 94, Pink Floyd in the 80s and U2 in the 90s I think are the only ones.
3 shows at Rogers Arena across the street and now 2 in BC Place, this is the most ever by any band/artist in Vancouver.

Thats three shows at Dodger stadium now....Nov. 17, 19, and 20...the grand finale US farewell shows...
Or maybe not.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

[www.eltonjohn.com]

See ya all in Vancouver.

I saw him in Knoxville last Friday. Good show, but Thompson Boling Arena has terrible sound.

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NashvilleBlues
I saw him in Knoxville last Friday. Good show, but Thompson Boling Arena has terrible sound.

How was merchandise?

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DGA35
Unbelievable, he's added a second BC Place show! Can't remember the last time a band did 2 shows there. Stones 89 and 94, Pink Floyd in the 80s and U2 in the 90s I think are the only ones.
3 shows at Rogers Arena across the street and now 2 in BC Place, this is the most ever by any band/artist in Vancouver.

You going to Vancouver shows?

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babyblue

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NashvilleBlues
I saw him in Knoxville last Friday. Good show, but Thompson Boling Arena has terrible sound.

How was merchandise?

There was definitely some cool merchandise. Not sure how it compares to what you can get on his site. I especially liked the shirt with a cartoon Elton John at the piano with his legs flying out. Not too bad at $35.

There were also plenty of people with EJ glasses and headband lights that I assume were bought there.

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babyblue

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DGA35
Unbelievable, he's added a second BC Place show! Can't remember the last time a band did 2 shows there. Stones 89 and 94, Pink Floyd in the 80s and U2 in the 90s I think are the only ones.
3 shows at Rogers Arena across the street and now 2 in BC Place, this is the most ever by any band/artist in Vancouver.

You going to Vancouver shows?

Saw first 2 shows in 2019 and am going to the first BC Place show. Didn't bother getting tickets to second show. The 2019 shows were literally identical, down to the talking between songs. I'm sure these will be no different, just a bigger stage.

Madman Across The Water – 50th Anniversary Reissue Announced





[www.eltonjohn.com]

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bye bye johnny
Madman Across The Water – 50th Anniversary Reissue Announced





[www.eltonjohn.com]

Great album, but arguably the worst cover ever (the original). Looks so cheap and generic.

I'd always have liked if, similar to Harry Nilsson The Point, it was released as like a needlepoint cover.

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NashvilleBlues

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babyblue

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NashvilleBlues
I saw him in Knoxville last Friday. Good show, but Thompson Boling Arena has terrible sound.

How was merchandise?

There was definitely some cool merchandise. Not sure how it compares to what you can get on his site. I especially liked the shirt with a cartoon Elton John at the piano with his legs flying out. Not too bad at $35.

There were also plenty of people with EJ glasses and headband lights that I assume were bought there.

Oh same as 2019.

Saw hin in Norway tonight. Great performance. Sad Songs is very similar to Let It Bleed, espescially how it is played now
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

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BeastyBurdeny

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

Hey Burdeny, do you live in Vancouver area?

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Elton John says goodbye for good to Philly on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour

The flamboyant rock icon played his final Philly show on Friday, delivering such favs as “The Bitch Is Back,”
“I’m Still Standing,” “Crocodile Rock” and, of course, “Philadelphia Freedom."

by Shaun Brady

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Philadelphians had their third and final chance to say goodbye to Elton John at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night as the legendary showman opened the last North American leg of his valedictory Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Rock and roll retirements are a notoriously retractable prospect, though Sir Elton sounded genuine as he thanked the stadium full of fans for their “loyalty, love, and kindness” near the end of his 2½-hour performance. “America made me famous,” he continued. “How could I ever forget you?” Equally genuine was the weariness in John’s voice as he noted that there were still more than 100 dates left in the tour, which kicked off in September 2018. The veteran singer had planned to be a private citizen by now, as the original three-year tour has been extended to nearly five by pandemic postponements, delaying the day when he can stop to spend more time with his children and husband, as he explained his plans. Noting that this was his “52nd and last concert in Philadelphia,” he recalled his first, in September 1970 at the Electric Factory. Given that history, the 1975 hit “Philadelphia Freedom” arrived with remarkably little fanfare as the second song of Friday’s set. A far greater response greeted the first song of John’s encore, “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” which he sang alone to a backing track that included Dua Lipa’s vocal quoting “Rocket Man.” The song was a No. 1 hit for John last year in the U.K., which the 75-year-old marveled at achieving at his age. Those accumulated years failed to dim John’s exuberant spirit throughout the evening, though they did take their toll on his vocal range. He no longer attempts the high notes that once were routine, robbing songs like “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocket Man” of some of their drama. Still, he sounded strong within the confines of his current range, and summoned powerful emotion through classics like “Levon” and “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”

The concert began with a relaxed “Bennie and the Jets,” Elton clad in a rhinestone-trimmed white jacket with tails. His skilled six-piece band featured several veteran collaborators, including drummer Nigel Olsson, animated percussionist Ray Cooper, and guitarist Davey Johnstone, who was too often buried in the bass-heavy mix but unleashed blistering solos on “Levon” and an extended jam appended to “Rocket Man.” The stage was surrounded by a gold, rose-bedecked frame, evoking a more glamorous variation on the brick-and-plaster border of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album cover. A plexiglass awning arced out overhead between huge video screens that occasionally revisited key moments from John’s history but too often beamed Gap-ad-style montages that proved more distraction than accompaniment. One of the more egregious showed a series of models sporting T-shirts featuring rock and/or civil rights icons as the band performed an otherwise impassioned rendition of “Border Song” from 1970?s self-titled Elton John album. Beforehand, the singer took the opportunity to sing the praises of Aretha Franklin, who covered the song later that year, dedicating the tune to the Queen of Soul.

While the majority of the set was, unsurprisingly, a parade of hits (and there are plenty in John’s history to choose from), he did reach a little deeper into the catalog for a few surprises that proved to be highlights, in part because they haven’t become quite so routine over the decades. “Have Mercy on the Criminal,” from 1973?s Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, was especially moving, while both “All the Girls Love Alice” and “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” were new additions to the setlist. The piano glided across the stage as John sang his Marilyn Monroe tribute “Candle in the Wind,” signaling a brief intermission while storm clouds played across the screens, heralding the cinematic overture of “Funeral for a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)” — and a costume change, with John reemerging in a powder-blue jacket sporting a diamond-studded kitten’s silhouette on the back. The second half roared to its conclusion with “The Bitch Is Back,” “I’m Still Standing,” “Crocodile Rock,” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” the latter still as chainsaw-edged as ever. Following “Cold Heart,” John segued from his most recent hit to his first for a tender “Your Song” before bidding adieu to Philly with one last “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Shedding the pink sequined bathrobe he’d donned for the encore in favor of a personalized tracksuit, Sir Elton ascended in a hydraulic lift to exit through a door atop the stage and into a video screen Oz. It felt like an appropriately over-the-top exit for one of rock’s most flamboyant figures.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-07-17 07:07 by Hairball.

^^Thanks Hairball.^^

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babyblue
See ya all in Vancouver.

I think I’ll head to one of the BC Place gigs.

I saw him in Watford 2 weeks ago when the Stones played in Hyde Park.For me it was the right decision. He spoke to the audience from the bottom of his heart. Because he was the chairman of Watford FC. He said for instance, I was 6 when I came the first to Vicarage Road later I was the chairman...... When this tour is over I have more time to see here with you football matches. The the show together with the crowd was incredible!

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

Hey Burdeny, do you live in Vancouver area?

Yes, I am! Are you as well?

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BeastyBurdeny

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

Hey Burdeny, do you live in Vancouver area?

Yes, I am! Are you as well?

Yes, I live out in the valley. Several others live in the area like Babyblue, Paddy and Treaclefingers. From other posts, I know MrDDDD lives near Bellingham and CRHolmstrom lives in Seattle.

I'm glad he's changing up a couple songs in the setlist. Going to see the Black Crowes in Abbotsford tonight.

Received an email last week that Elton added a show at Allegiant in Las Vegas for Tuesday November 1. Bought tickets last Friday in the presale.

My wife and I decided a few days in Vegas with a midweek show seemed optimal at that time of year. Much easier to walk from the hotel across the bridge to Allegiant vs. our original plan to attend one of the LA shows later in November and contend with the traffic and the Dodger Stadium parking lot.

Looking forward to the show based on the reviews and feedback in this thread.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-07-17 22:10 by jmd.

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

Hey Burdeny, do you live in Vancouver area?

Yes, I am! Are you as well?

Yes, I live out in the valley. Several others live in the area like Babyblue, Paddy and Treaclefingers. From other posts, I know MrDDDD lives near Bellingham and CRHolmstrom lives in Seattle.

I'm glad he's changing up a couple songs in the setlist. Going to see the Black Crowes in Abbotsford tonight.

Oh awesome. Good to know that. Hopefully catch some of you at a show soon. Have fun at the show tonight.

I'm out east temporarily, in Ontario, awaiting major surgery. Was supposed to happen tomorrow, but my surgeon has covid, so it's been delayed.

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BeastyBurdeny

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

Hey Burdeny, do you live in Vancouver area?

Yes, I am! Are you as well?

Yes, I live out in the valley. Several others live in the area like Babyblue, Paddy and Treaclefingers. From other posts, I know MrDDDD lives near Bellingham and CRHolmstrom lives in Seattle.

I'm glad he's changing up a couple songs in the setlist. Going to see the Black Crowes in Abbotsford tonight.

Oh awesome. Good to know that. Hopefully catch some of you at a show soon. Have fun at the show tonight.

I'm out east temporarily, in Ontario, awaiting major surgery. Was supposed to happen tomorrow, but my surgeon has covid, so it's been delayed.

Hope all goes well with your surgery.

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BeastyBurdeny

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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DGA35

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BeastyBurdeny

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drewmaster
Anyone else catch Sir Elton's concert last night in Philadelphia? Absolutely incredible show. I'm still floating from the experience. Elton is going out on a high note, with style and grace.

Drew

Wasn't at the show, but I'm catching him in Vancouver in Oct. Glad to see he added Alice and Mona Lisas into the set last night.

Hey Burdeny, do you live in Vancouver area?

Yes, I am! Are you as well?

Yes, I live out in the valley. Several others live in the area like Babyblue, Paddy and Treaclefingers. From other posts, I know MrDDDD lives near Bellingham and CRHolmstrom lives in Seattle.

I'm glad he's changing up a couple songs in the setlist. Going to see the Black Crowes in Abbotsford tonight.

Oh awesome. Good to know that. Hopefully catch some of you at a show soon. Have fun at the show tonight.

I'm out east temporarily, in Ontario, awaiting major surgery. Was supposed to happen tomorrow, but my surgeon has covid, so it's been delayed.

Good luck on your surgery! Was it something that couldn't be done in Vancouver?

I was thinking about seeing him, but he is playing in the old baseball stadium and top deck tickets were $389 each. I like Elton but not that much. I'd pay that for the Stones, but those are lousy seats and overpriced. See ya, I saw its pretty hot in England this weekend, in DC we have been in the 90's F most of the time and thunderstorms every day. Very humid all day long. Stay safe everyone