Elton John, Mt Smart Stadium, 16 February 2020: Concert Review

0

Elton John brought it all to Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday night – an astonishing catalog of hits, brilliant showmanship, his longtime band and a gloriously curated visual show – to an audience he clearly adored. And then, nearly two hours into the set, the show was cut short when he lost his voice. Did the fans get what they came for?

The air in Mt Smart Stadium was electric – the sold-out crowd vibrant with anticipation – all ages, from parents with young children to some probably in their eighties all eagerly anticipating the arrival of one of the master showmen of the last half century.

I’d somehow got a bit lost on my way to my seat and found myself entering by the front of the stage, just as Elton John appeared – dapper in sequin trimmed tails and his trademark glittering red sunglasses – grinning like a madman, clearly overjoyed to be here – and just a few metres from where I stood! He plunked himself down at his glistening grand piano and dove into an infectiously joyful rendition of Benny & the Jets – getting the crowd on its feet. If his voice was a little ragged, he pounded the keys with the same energy he delivered back in 1973 when Goodbye Yellow Brick Road flew off the record shop shelves and made him a mega-star.

He followed this with another cut from the album, All the Girls Love Alice, a tender rocker about a 16 year old lesbian suffering from the ‘Momma don’t love me’ blues.

Warmed up, Elton turned to face us and said he’d been diagnosed with walking pneumonia this morning. But he was here cos he “just didn’t want to miss this!” And there was no doubt he meant it as he thanked us all – for everything. Cheers from the audience were deafening. The love went both ways.

Next up – I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues. One of those songs you can’t help singing along to and Mt Smart Stadium rang with 40,000 voices, each one powered by some personal memory attached to his 80’s ‘comeback’ classic.

Border Song (Holy Moses), from his 1970, eponymously titled second album followed. Elton described how dear this song is to his heart because Aretha Franklin heard it and immediately recorded her own version – which gave him and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin so much confidence. His take on it tonight was somewhere between his original and Aretha’s a deeply soulful rendition calling for us all to live in peace – a message even more relevant in 2020 than the day it was released, 50 years ago.

Tiny Dancer got the crowd revved again, Elton’s voice a bit stronger, though worryingly, he paused to cough occasionally. Still he drew us into the wistful song as emotional video played behind him. Longtime guitarist Davey Johnstone took a dazzling solo on his double-necked guitar as the audience swayed along.

I was a little surprised that Philadelphia Freedom made the cut for this final tour. While the song was a huge hit, I’ve always felt it was a bit of a blooper, mere mainstream 70’s pop. But I’ve mellowed over the years – it’s a bloody good pop song that proved a real crowd-pleaser.

Elton JohnAll this while I’d been right up front by the stage, but at this point the ushers decided it was time for our slightly unruly dancing crew to make our way to our seats, which turned out to be quite far back on the stadium floor. It seemed somehow fitting that he played his tragic Indian Sunset, as we were whisked from the intimacy of the front to the anonymity of the middle of the venue. A lament over the destruction of the native American way of life – it provided an opportunity for drummer Nigel Olsson to shine as he invoked indigenous rhythms while Elton indulged in a dreamlike piano solo.

Sitting so far from the stage, I could appreciate the incredible visual presentation accompanying every song. Up close, there was no reason to look at anything other than the master at work. But now it was a spectacle unfolding on three enormous screens, with impeccable resolution and crispness.

Elton John, alone on stage, with his piano – stars, asteroids, planets all fading into a dreamy blue as he launched into Rocket Man. And again, the crowd was on its collective feet, dancing, singing – the love as palpable here as it was up front. “It’s lonely out in space…” There was more rocking soul with Pilot, Elton taking a delightful jangly piano solo. Then he was on to the mournful Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, a beautiful tune drenched in (pre-recorded) violins. Elton sat at his piano under a rain of shimmering white light that fluttered to the stage like tears from heaven.

Elton JohnIt turns out that of his 30 studio albums, the 9th, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Cowboy is his favourite. It’s probably his most autobiographical, with Bernie Taupin’s astonishing lyrics exposing Elton to the world. And of this remarkable set of songs, Someone Saved My Life Tonight has a stark clarity, danger and affection and deep loss – all of which poured forth in beautiful harmonies, as Elton John bared his soul yet again. “You’re a butterfly, And butterflies are free to fly, Fly away, high away bye bye…”

And then it all went quiet and the stage went dark, just one light shining on Elton John as he sat on his bench facing away from the piano. There are hushed whisperings around me, “Is he OK?” He’s been full of energy, singing full on, in great form. He’s been the Elton I came to see. There are medics, and I think they gave him some oxygen, hard to see from where I was. People are crying out, “We love you Elton!” from all over.

And then he’s back! He’s unstoppable! And just a little bit short of breath delivers us a powerful Levon full of solo jams, a few Easter egg riffs – was that The Beatles’ Day Tripper making a brief cameo? And I was sure they were going to segue into Saturday Night’s All Right for Fighting. A triumphant Elton stands to face us and does a King Kong on his chest – yes, he’s still standing!

Candle in the Wind comes to us with a much weakened voice, but no one seems to mind, certainly not me. His ode to Marilyn Monroe and later Princess Diana is poignant and beautiful, accompanied by a lovingly crafted video tribute to Marilyn.

But again the stage goes dark and I start to doubt he’s going to go the distance. This is a very sick 72 year old man, delivering a performance with the energy of a man half his age. But after a few minutes video returns, thundering skies, lightning and the aethereal strains of Funeral for a Friend waft over us.

Elton’s had a costume change, into his Rocket Man jacket and shifted across the stage to an upright piano. Stunning video of a thousand candles illuminate the stage. And, as on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, he morphs into Loves Lies Bleeding. But now his voice is quite weak, muddy. I don’t see how he can go on, where he can possibly draw strength to continue.

But he walks back to his grand piano and the mellifluous opening to Daniel begins. But when Elton John opens his mouth to sing, nothing comes out. His voice is completely gone. Clearly gutted, he is in tears, sobbing, whispering into the microphone. “I’m so sorry, I’ve lost my voice. I have to go home.” And he’s helped off stage.

Elton John

And as the house lights come up and a recording of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart plays over the sound system, there is nothing for us to do but go home.

I’m not going to ponder whether the show should have been cancelled. I am grieving that I didn’t get to hear Elton John play Daniel, I’m Still Standing and what surely would have been the show closer, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

But I feel so privileged to have heard him play for nearly two hours, with his long-time band – Davey Johnstone on guitar who’s been with him from the beginning, as has Nigel Olsson (drums) and Ray Cooper (percussion), along with percussionist John Mahon, Kim Bullard (keyboads) and Matt Bissonette on bass – virtuosos all.

If the ending was sadly unexpected, the show itself was exactly what I came to see – great songs by a great artist, a wonderful spectacle in a well-organised venue. Sending my love and hope that Elton has a quick recovery and can play the shows scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. And… if I can scrounge up a ticket, I’ll be there in a heartbeat!

~Veronica McLaughlin

Update: The Tuesday night show has been shifted to Wednesday. Full details HERE.

Click any image to see a gallery of photos of both Elton John and opener Tate Sheridan. All photos by 13th Floor photographer Chris Zwaagdyk.

Elton John

Tate Sheridan

Set List
  1. Benny & The Jets
  2. All the Girls Love Alice
  3. I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues
  4. Border Song (Holy Moses)
  5. Tiny Dancer
  6. Philadelphia Freedom
  7. Indian Sunset
  8. Rocket Man
  9. Pilot
  10. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
  11. Someone Saved My Life Tonight
  12. Levon
  13. Candle in the Wind
  14. Funeral for a Friend
  15. Love Lies Bleeding
  16. and not quite… Daniel
Veronica McLaughlin
Latest posts by Veronica McLaughlin (see all)