What a great show, 30 Songs that were three hours of Elton John performing live.
Wow.
When I read the Hampton Court set list (17.06.2003) I got jealous, because I didn't think he would play so many songs in Germany, he normally does around 26 here. But I was wrong and that was one of the few times I was glade having been wrong.
Thanks!
A nice summer day, so it was easy to sit and wait in front of the concert place. An open space between two museums on the so called Museums Mile, the stage and the audience was covered with a kind of permanent big tent roof, but that was not necessary today. As it was no seated event, first come first get the best places in front of the stage. The entrance sign said no photos but that can't stop a Fan of getting a little memory of an attended concert.
Finally one hour before the concert started, they opened the doors to let uns in, but did check all bags. That took, at the gate I was checked, a little longer and so I did only end up in the third row. But right in front of the Piano. The final hour to wait was quick gone. During that time the piano was once again checked and whipped clean with a towel, the poor guy got a big applause. When he took of the setlist at the piano and replaced it with an other one, I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers that this new setlist wouldn't be shorter, than that one that was there before.
The show started right in time, at 19.00 o clock. Elton came out in a black suit the revers was surrounded with sequin (that's what my dictionary told me to be the english name) and over the left arm was a sequin pattern. Underneath he wore a black T-shirt. Green tinted glasses, an earring and the Peace sign on a chain around his neck finished his outfit.
Elton did talk quite a bit between the songs.
He introduced Border Song as a song of the seventies, that seams like yesterday.
The usual talking for Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes, that it is from the new album and about someone that loses his fight against Aids,and that Reagan didn't do enough against Aids in the 80'th.
A long and really rocking Honkey Cat.
A great middle part of Rocket man.
The crowd went nuts with I'm still standing, everyone was clapping and having more than a great time.
The next song is from the Caribu Album and the lyrics are as relevant today as they were back then it's called Ticking.
I Want Love first single of the new Album.
From thousands of songs to cover I picked Mancini and Mercer's Moon River, from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's. Elton's versions is really very beautiful as the song is itselfe.
The next song is from the album The Fox and the first song leads directly into the Second, Carla / Etude
A great long intro for Take Me To The Pilot
For the second encore he changed into a dark blue adidas jogging suit with red stripes. At the end Elton thank the crowd of 8000 people (it was a small place) as having been such an amazing crowd and that he want's to give back the love the audience gave him.
It was wonderful to see that during the up tempo songs everyone was moving and clapping their hands. But it was sad that during slower songs especially the Carla / Etude people started to talk. The set list is a little bit strange, up tempo songs are followed by slow songs.
He only signed two T-shirts and only because they where thrown on stage, the barrier between stage and crowed was two big.
All in all a great night.
Visit Andrea's web site for photos!
Set list of that night: Your Song Border Song The Greatest Discovery Someone Saved My Life Tonight Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes Daniel Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Honky Cat Rocket Man I'm Still Standing Ticking Tiny Dancer I Want Love Nikita Philadelphia Freedom Candle in the Wind Moon River Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues Original Sin This Train Don't Stop There Anymore Carla/Etude Tonight Take Me to the Pilot The One Blue Eyes Bennie and the Jets Crocodile Rock --- Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me --- Circle of Life
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