The story that follows is as the little boy that sees his lifetime dream come true. For years and years I wanted to see Elton perform in the USA. The country that made him big, where he's known for his perfomances, where he's the most popular of all.
The Big Picture tour was announced late. Just a month before the first concert tickets went on sale and nearly every concert was sold out within a few hours. Some even within half an hour. Together with my longtime American friend Jennifer Hansman I planned to follow Elton around, totalling 9 concerts and approximately more than 8000 kilometers of driving. I took care of the logistical parts (routes, hotels etc) while Jennifer had to get tickets, and did so perfectly.
In the USA there are seating tickets only, no 'standing areas' so the chance of being in the first rows is a lot smaller than Europe where (as die-hard fan) you can wait at the gate ten hours before the show starts to secure a first row place. On the other hand are the stages in the US a lot lower and is the security not so prominent and disturbing as in Europe. Disadvantage of seating is that people during the concert go and get beer and food. Me, als die-hard fan, cannot understand that someone can just walk away while ELTON JOHN is playing! But maybe I would do the same thing at a Rolling Stones concert (though I prefer then not to go at all).
Jennifer accomplished to get front row tickets for Louisville KY and Ames IA, 4th row for Evansville IN, 6th row for Winston-Salem NC and balcony for Moline IL. We didn't had any tickets for 4 concerts (Virginia Beach VA, Charleston SC, Columbia SC and Charleston WV) but we counted on getting tickets at the venue on the date itself (from scalpers or not, we would be desperate enough by then).
Jennifer lives in Indianapolis so my flight went to that city on October 5th. After some relaxing days in Kentucky, we went on tour on October 9th for Winston-Salem. A 10-hour cardrive. In Winston-Salem we (co-incidently) met Luca Zerbini. Luca is head of HERCULES Italy and visiting the shows in WS and Virginia Beach so we decided to travel together these days.
Elton's BIG PICTURE tour mainly went to smaller cities and consequently smaller venues. The average capacity was around 15.000. The concert in W-S took place in the Lawrence Joel coliseum. I will not mention the setlist(s) because maybe some of you don't wanna read about it before they go to a concert themselves.
Before the concert I was able to get an autograph of John Jorgenson (who I've met before on several occassions during the past 3 years and must hate me by now (no just joking. He's really a very nice guy who always makes time for a talk) and John Reid (when I asked him for an autograph for some reason I just expected him to walk away. But in fact he nicely said 'hi' and signed my tourprogram).
During this tour Elton wears kind of 'normal' Versace suits. One colour suits with a black t-shirt. The suits came in green, yellow, red, blue, white and orange (these are the colours we've seen anyway). During all concerts I had my Watford-scarve with me and as we were in the front rows most of the time, he generally noticed my scarve and our enthusiasm each show and acknowledged it with a 'thank you' gesture several times.
Every concert lasted for about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Virginia Beach VA (concert #2) was the only outdoor concert of the tour. For this concert we eventually got 6th row tickets (left side, so good).
The beautiful thing about concerts is meeting other fans. During this tour I met a lot people I also met last year in Cleveland at the East End Lights expo, and I also got to meet a lot 'new' fans.
After Virginia Beach Luca went back to Italy (through Miami) and we went on for Charleston SC. A beautiful city and again we were lucky to get good tickets (7th row). At nearly every concert several radio- and tv-stations were present, interviewing people etc. AFter the concert it always was fun seeing reactions on TV and getting some concert footage. Before the concert in Charleston I got John Mahon's autograph.
For Columbia SC we even got 5th row tickets (left at the aisle) and I knew this was a good opportunity to get Elton's autograph. I knew I couldn't just walk to the front, as I would be sent back by the security and they'd keep an eye on me for the rest of the show. So I had to wait for Elton to come to the front of the stage and had to get his attention before that. And after I don't wanna go on... he indeed walked to the front. I held up my Made in England tourprogram (by now signed by Paul Buckmaster, John Jorgenson and John Reid) and a pen. He saw it and waved me to come forward. I did so, the security tried to stop me but I asked him to look to Elton who was now waiting for me. I could walk on, gave me tourprogram which he signed, he looked at me, gave Jennifer a hand (she had followed me) and walked back to the piano. Amazing, Still 5 concerts to go and my tour was already more than a success.
The concert in Charleston WV was for us the 'worst' as far as seating is concerned. We 'only' had 12th row centre tickets. But as said: 1 out of 9 is not bad at all and there're about 12.000 with worse seats and probably many many more with no tickets at all. On the day of the concert I met Charlie Morgan in the mall and got his autograph too. Before the concert we also got Guy Babylon's autograph.
Now we could look forward to Louisville (concert #6) as we had front row tickets for that show. And unforgettable it was. A collegue of mine always kept me updated (through email, faxes or phone) about Watford's results and they lost that they home to Millwall. So I made a little not saying: MILLWALL SUCKS, hoping I could hand it to Elton. That opportunity came rather fast, during the first part already he came over and signed my Candle in the Wind 1997 sheet music and read my note. He understood it and gave a little smile. I tried to ask him a question but because of the audience he didn't understood it and answered: 1-0. The result of the game, but that was not my question. I quickly gave him the Hercules membershippass which Sharon Kalinoski had asked me to give, which he accepted before he walked on to the other side of the stage to receive other gifts (he gave everything to Dennis McManues (stage manager) after that).
After Levon people were allowed to go forward to the stage and as we already were front row it only take two steps to be 2 meters away from Elton. Everybody that experienced how I am during concerts, knows that I'm very enthusiastic. I sing along every word, combined with plenty of fanatism and so does Jennifer. Fortunately Elton appreciates this more than anybody else and reacted to our enthusiasm on a regular basis.
During Don't let the sun.... I waved to Davey
if I could get a guitar pick . He approved and 2 songs later he came over and
gave one to me. The most amazing thing had yet to come: during the bitch is
back Elton started asking questions to me. And not in the
microphone but directly so it took lip-reading to understand but I did:
EJ: how many concerts are you seeing?
I
showed him nine fingers.
EJ: what's your next
show?
I yelled: MOLINE.
After that he did Your Song, said goodbye and gone he was. As always Jennifer and I don't leave immediately and we hang around a little bit untill most of the people have left the hall. Suddenly Dale Sticha (piano-assistant) comes to me and asks me to write down my name so I would get backstage passes for the next show....WOW. He also asked for a phone number where we could be reached. I gave Jennifer's home phonenumber as we would be heading back for a couple of days before going to Moline. We were feeling fantastic, incredible, delighted etc. That may be obvious. After concerts many people always came to us and said: you two are great. You know all the words. Wonderful.
Once back home at Jennifer's we anxiously awaited a phonecall but nothing came.
Kind of stressed we left for Moline for concert #7. For that concert we had 'balcony' concerts but that didn't really was our first priority now. In the afternoon at the venue I asked the security to ask for Dale but they refused to. So I became desperate and walked around for a while. Then I saw the crewbus arriving and I saw Dale leave the bus. I ran over and called him. He asked if me if Keith (Bradley) had phoned me. I said no, so he went inside, came back, and asked me to write down my name again and there would be passes before the concert.
At six o'clock we went back to the venue but no passes at the boxoffice. Luckily at a few minutes to seven, they finally came. Yes, an envelope with our names and with the message: GUEST OF ELTON. Amazing, was the big dream finally coming true?
The gates went open at 7 and we headed for the backstage area straight away. We saw some bandmembers hang around. Davey and Billy signed our tourprograms. We had a little talk with John Jorgenson and Guy Babylon and also were greeted by Charlie Morgan. The band went to the cateringroom for dinner. There were another 5 people walking around with the same passes that we had, so we figured we would have to line up, Elton would come, shake hands, sign autographs, maybe a photo and that's it but that would still be enough for us. We wouldn't be able to eat anyway so we waited in the hall. Bob Birch came over and made a little talk and gave Jennifer a bunch of guitarpicks.
At a quarter to eight Keith Bradley came to us and said: "Come on, you two!" We followed him into a room. I look left and see Elton's dressing room with several Versace suits hanging there. Wow. Another door, we turn left, I walk inside and see: Elton sitting on a couch, watching television (baseball). He turns around, looks at me and says: Hi Arjen. Everybody knows that I'm a fanatic fan and Elton to me is God, so if he names me personally than is that beyond everything I could have ever imagined. Years and years I thought of questions I would ask Elton if I ever got to meet him. Despite the more than 5 minutes we were able to speak with him, I didn't ask any of those questions. My whole talk went mainly about football.
He asked us questions, where we came from. How we got those good tickets all the time (Jennifer explained that to him) Told us how great it is to see true fans in the front rows because he gets annoyed with (corporate) people sitting there as if they're at a funeral. In the meantime Bob Halley and Bruce Hunt (security) had entered the room but nobody else was there. I think Elton was just glad to be able to talk about football (soccer) and so was I. Because 4 weeks in the USA means 4 weeks of no football whatsoever, not a second. Elton said he had seen that Watford scarve everywhere. I replied with "you won't see it tonight, we got bad seats" so Bob immediately asked Keith: do you have any tickets left? And we had 6th row tickets a minute later. We took photo's, Elton signed Jennifer's hat (a straw boater as during his 1984 period). Keith Bradley said we would also get a 'goodie bag' but that had to wait untill Ames IA because he didn't know where to find it now.
The Moline concert went passed me as a dream. I don't think I consiencely 'lived' that concert. The only thing I could think off were those 5 minutes with Elton.
The next day we had the photo's developed and: DISASTER. The two photo's were totally empty. Nothing on there. How? What? A once in a lifetime opportunity and then this. How stupid. Unbelievable. But after a few hours of crying we had to be realistic and admit we still had met him and that's more important than some foto's.
Before the concert in Ames IA we had front row tickets again. And this time I made a note for Elton again. I wrote that (despite our photo's failed) we had a wonderful evening and will remember it for all our life. Thanks for everything and have fun skiing in Fargo (he mentioned in our conversation that it was snowing in Fargo and that he hated that) and see you in Evansville (our last concert). I gave it to him during the concert and he put it in the pocket of his jacket. Quite extraordinary because usually as said before he always gives everything to Dennis McManus.
During the concert in Ames nothing much exciting happened as far as I can remember.
Our last concert was in Evansville IN. We had 4th row tickets and as at
every concert we soon were able to let Elton know where we
were with our Watford scarve. After Levon we rushed forward again and
were front row again (this time with help from Bruce Hunt).
And it happened again: During the bitch is back Elton
started asking questions again. In the beginning I didn't understand him but
then I did:
EJ: are you going to the show
tomorrow?
I answered him with my hands: no, this is the last
show, goodbye. Evansville was on Tuesday, my plane for Holland left on
Thursday. So if I went to a concert on Wednesday I would have to rush home on
Thursday to catch my flight.
He went on with Your Song but in the corner of my eye I saw
Dennis McManus and Keith Bradley pointing at
me. I looked and Keith waved me to come over. Initially I
hesitated (can you imagine) because I never left an Elton show
/ song before, especially not when I'm in the first row(s) but I was to curious
to let go.
Keith asked: do you want to go to the
show tomorrow?
I hesitated and said my flight goes on
Thursday. Where' s the concert?
He said: Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
I quickly pictured my roadatlas in my mind and figured it
would take all day to get there.
He said: I can get you front row
tickets and a chance to redo your pictures.
EHHH. Done. We
will be there.
The next day we left at 4AM and arrived in Grand Rapids at 4PM. We waited again at the box office and yes: again an envelope. This time two front row tickets and two passes.
At seven o'clock we went backstage again, talked and joked with Billy and other bandmembers. Then Keith came to us, said Elton would first see a group of record company people (about 15) and then would see us. The group stood outside again after just one minute. Apparently Elton did not grant them much time.
Then we were allowed to enter. Elton already changed into his suit (at the first meeting he was casually dresses (sweater etc)). He smiled and said: I hope you brought a good camera this time! In fact we had brought two, just to be sure. Bob and Bruce took the photo's. Elton and I talked a bit more about football and then we had to leave again. Can you believe this. Elton actually had invited us to another concert and even a second chance / meeting. Ain't this a fairy tale, but a true one.
I'm sure I forgot to mention a lot of things but right now I'm still suffering from a jetlag but I wanted you all to know this as soon as possible. This story proves that Elton is more than any other artist. If not musically then still certainly as a human. He cares about his fans as my story proves. I admit, this story is probably unique and we had the necessary luck and 'circumstances' but still: meeting Elton doesn't have to stay a dream.
ARJEN BUIKSTRA buikstra@worldaccess.nl
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