Quite a knight

A quick exit poll at Impact Arena following Elton John’s concert on Thursday night suggested that those who’d also seen Sting the night before at the same venue found Sir Elton’s show more entertaining. I haven’t seen Sting in years, but Elton was absolutely in fine form.

Having the English pop heavyweights in Bangkok on back-to-back evenings was enough of a curiosity – both trusted veterans, both gifted songwriters, both outspoken on social causes, both with adopted names. But evidently Elton, with a longer pedigree and a full knighthood, pulled royal rank on the former Police man, a mere Commander of the British Empire.

It’s likely too that Sting only half-filled Impact because people who couldn’t afford both opted for the more famous attraction. Elton, who hasn’t been to Thailand in 11 years, pretty much packed the place.

Where Sting took his audience walking on the moon, Sir Elton was in full flight on an interstellar tour marking the 40th anniversary of “Rocket Man”, and even at age 65 and decades past his peak, galaxies of stars still make way for him. 

His 250 million records sold translate into at least that many fans. His trophy case sags with six Grammy Awards including a Grammy Legend statuette, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Tony and four Brits. He’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s famous enough to tell Madonna she “dresses like a [fornicating] fairground stripper”, though he’s cool with Lady Gaga.

Having tuned up with his customary stint at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Sir Elton rolled across Australia, then hit South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan amid five bounces around China. Ahead lie Russia and Brazil. It’s a helluva rocket ride, and little Zachary – the son he and David Furnish had in 2010 through a surrogate mum – is along for the trip. Zach must find the old man pretty amazing.

A bit of a “Madman Across the Water”, in fact, from which 1971 album we heard “Levon” and “Tiny Dancer”, played early on in a two-hour-plus roll call of 24 songs. The show was unevenly paced and saddled with a few toilet-break tunes like “Grey Seal” and “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”, but the last half built steadily in momentum. A couple of hundred fans mashed in toward the stage by the end.

The audience was keyed up from the outset and the lucky ones were beered-up too – lucky because it was [fornicating] cold in the arena. It was thrilling to see Elton arrive onstage beaming, mugging and snarling into “The Bitch is Back” and finding a nice stride with “Bennie and the Jets”.

“Believe”, “Philadelphia Freedom”, “Candle in the Wind” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” all got good crowd responses.

But the attention span seemed to have narrowed by the start of “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)”, which was so low-key it took a while to sink in that this was the cornerstone of the tour. The missile soared, but it was a largely uneventful journey.

“Hey Ahab”, which followed, had eyes glazing again, and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” was saved only when the band actually got bluesy toward its conclusion. 

Of immense help here was the quartet of back-up singers – Tata Vega, Jean Witherspoon, Rose Stone from Sly and the Family Stone and Rose’s daughter Lisa. The soulful ladies were underlit and under-amplified but shone nevertheless, lending credence to Elton’s professed esteem for gospel.

“Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” was the instrumentalists’ turn to break out, particularly Kim Bullard on the gothic keyboards. In the course of the night, the repertoire’s eclectic musical styles gave bassist Matt Bissonette, percussionist John Mahon, Elton’s long-time guitarist Davey Johnstone, and the band’s founding drummer, Nigel Olsson, their own meaty moments.

Moving along, “Honky Cat” was another chance to pee, “Sad Songs (Say So Much)” ironically improved the mood, and the warmly welcomed “Daniel” was utterly uplifting.

Then, rather suddenly – and somewhat unexpectedly at this stage of the proceedings – Elton stopped simply playing about and really took control, giving commanding, heartrending performances of “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”. He was singing rather than barking for the first time, and his bold phrasing finally rang true.

Having made his point about longevity, he bellowed it up front with “I’m Still Standing”, and that was the cue to kick off the shoes and really dance. “Crocodile Rock” spread its usual frenzied fever and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” was re-gloved for a Thursday brawl. Those not actually dancing must have at least been fluttering inside.

Everyone needed a break and got it, and then Sir Elton returned with the timeless promise of “Your Song”. It felt wonderful again to be in his world. The concert closed with “Circle of Life”, the Oscar-winner from “The Lion King”, and the circle closed once more.

It was a great show but, for the record, two important things were missing. The first was 2Cellos, the YouTube-sensation Croatian duo that’s been warming up Elton’s audience across Asia with a sweetly strung arrangement of U2’s “With or Without You” and some furious Nirvana and AC/DC, and then sitting in for Sir Elton’s set to add glorious cello effects. 

They must have gone home early – too early, obviously: this was Elton’s final show of 2012 with the band.

Far more importantly, I miss Elton’s falsetto range. The man can’t be blamed if he no longer even tries to hit the high notes. He’s getting on, after all, and it was a spell in hospital with respiratory infection that postponed this year’s Vegas gigs.

Thank God he can still roar like a lion king.

 

Stay tuned

_ Elton John’s current tour is built around “Rocket Man” and all the songs go way back, but he’s got fresh cards up his sleeve in the form of “The Diving Board”, his 31st album, already completed but not due for release until March. 

_ John’s long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin is the co-writer. Guitar wizard Doyle Bramhall II heads up a studio band that also includes Stjepan Hauser and Luka Šulic, aka 2Cello.

_ Watch a video clip at www.nationmultimedia.com.