Hopes & Expectations of FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD

[dougs]

What are your hopes and expectations of Elton's FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD tour?

Being Elton's last tour and, really, his last live statement musically for the world to see and enjoy, what do you "realistically" hope and expect from what is really an historic Elton tour?

I'll start with a few thoughts:

1.  New renditions to songs that haven't seen any real change for over a decade:  "I'm Still Standing" and "Philadelphia Freedom" and "The _itch is Back" to name a few.
2.  At least 3 or 4 well known songs added to the set list that have been long absent or rarely played: "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "Empty Garden" and "Simple Life."
3.  One or two classic but rarely played album tracks in band concerts or recent tours:  "Tonight" and "One Horse Town" and "Hercules."
4.  Recognition for Bernie Taupin:  I hope that something in the show is fully dedicated to Bernie Taupin.
5.  Staging: Substance matters more than flash but hopefully this final tour has impressive staging & lighting; it has been a long time since something visually creative or original - except Vegas.
6.  Expanded band: a 2nd guitarist or someone who can play sax plus backing vocalists to round out the sound.

Elton mentioned that the concerts will be about 2:15 in length - similar to recent band concerts. Amazing how long he still plays!

One song that I would personally love to see and hear is "Empty Sky" - opening song from his debut album.  Being a long lesser-known album track from 1969, I doubt EJ has the confidence to play it.  He has in recent years mentioned how much he liked and continues to like this particular track.  It sounded awesome on those 1975 and 1976 tours.  This is where the Elton John journey really began...

Your thoughts?

Doug

[BiteUrLip]

I'll comment on your points:

1. I doubt this will happen only to one or two songs.
2. Maybe "Empty Garden" could happen, but I highly doubt the other two.
3. I'm expecting something from Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection or Madman. I don't believe he will do anything special post -76.
4. I don't think this will happen, maybe only in a special place like MSG.
5. I think this has good chances to happen, although Elton usually concentrates to the music only.
6. Not good chances to happen. We could get different musicians, like the 2 Cellos.

[dougs]

BiteUrLip:

Unfortunately, I agree with you.  Being such an important tour it would be nice to see something truly special in terms of set list and band line-up as we saw when EJ did his 60th Birthday and 60th Concert at MSG in 2007.  Even ONE NIGHT ONLY saw some long overdue songs played and the inclusion of two drummers.  Recent tours have shown that change is rare;  one or two additions but essentially the same core of songs dominated by a familiar 1970 to 1984 set list. The good thing is that we have been treated to special moments like the extended scorching version by EJ and the band of "Levon."

Doug

[rocketman]

My hopes and expectations are dissimilar, but one never can tell:

Hope: Incorporate classics/deep cuts that have not been played recently
Expectation: Classics will be played, but largely from GBYBR and songs that he has played recently such as Alice and Have Mercy.

Hope: Expanded band with added guitarist and/or drummer
Expectation: Same band

Hope: Backing vocalists such as during the Peachtree Road Tour and other tours where backing vocalists were added
Expectation: I do think it's possible that backing vocalists will be added

Hope: Extra Instruments such as a horn section or small orchestral section such as the two cellists
Expectation: Unlikely

[dougs]

rocketman:

Good thoughts.  Your hopes are certainly similar to mine and are pretty much realistic but you are probably right in all that you said.  It would be great to have someone who could play sax as John Jorgenson did on "Little Jeannie" and "Club at the End of the Street" on the ONE NIGHT ONLY concerts.  A full horn section (1974, 1985-86) would add so much power to songs like "Philadelphia Freedom" and "The _itch is Back."

Wasn't it great hearing "Come Together" at those ONE NIGHT ONLY concerts?  The 2007 Birthday/MSG concert had great album tracks like "Hercules" and "Madman Across the Water" and "Where to Now St. Peter?" and "High Flying Bird."  Those concerts were special.  I hope that the same energy and freshness has been built into the FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD concerts too.

September 8th is sneaking up on us.  Are you going to any of the concerts? 

Doug

[newloneranger]

I'd like to hear songs that haven't been played very often. I hope he drop songs like Daniel, Bennie and the Jets and a few others. I consider those songs bathroom breaks. I tried to get tickets but they were sold out in the first minutes by other ticket companies that will raise the prices. I'd like to go but I'm not gonna waste my money on a bunch of songs I've hears a hundred times.I'll watch it on You Tube for free..

[latitude]

Of course we'd all love to hear some rare songs, and I have a slew of them I'd like to hear. But, thing is, this tour isn't particularly for the hard core fans, it's for the masses. Therefore he's most likely going to play his most famous songs, and songs that give him the greatest responses and cheers. The most I can hope for is, like Doug said, new renditions to songs that we've heard countless times. One thing I wonder, and would not be happy about, is---will he have guest performers at some of these shows? Good grief, I hope not. I like all Elton! Anyway, I'm curious as heck as to what the set-list really *will* be. I'd like to be wrong in what I said, and would like to hear something like 'Mona Lisa's 1&2' and a long rendition, but I'd faint if he did that. lol

[dougs]

Latitude:

Agreed, it will certainly be a hit-filled show.  But, what I'd really like to see is some hits that he hasn't played with a band in ages;  songs like "Nikita" and "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "The One" and "Something About the Way You Look Tonight."  Even "Pinball Wizard" hasn't been played for awhile.  Rather these than "Daniel" and "Take Me to the Pilot" or the predictable "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues."  I would take this last song if they changed it up and played it like they did in the mid-80s with "Blues Eyes" in the intro and outro.

We will see.

Doug

[latitude]

Yes, you'd think they'd at least stretch it that far and play the songs you mentioned. Also, 'I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That' would be great. I'm sick of the same songs that you're sick of, and most hard core fans are sick of. But the general public just loves those songs, so I can't imagine them not being in the set-list.

[rocketman]

DougS, Unfortunately I was unable to get tickets. I did see one of the shows from the WCN Tour two years ago, but unless I can somehow score a ticket without paying an arm and a leg, I probably will miss out.

Will you be going to any of the concerts?

[dougs]

rocketman:

Sorry to hear that you missed out on getting tickets.  Yes, I am going to one of the Toronto concerts.  I got my ticket from eltonjohn.com; they gave special pre-sale access to long-time members at cost - just over $229.  Not cheap but comparable to other big artists.  That was very generous as I got tickets 10 rows from the front - in the centre. I noticed that on Ticketmaster that their "Platinum" tickets in my area are selling for $1700 a pair.  Insane.

I did see only one WONDERFUL CRAZY NIGHT concert - right at the very end;  Bangor.  "Levon" and "Have Mercy on the Criminal" (not usually one I like a lot) were the highlights that night.

Have faith as I do believe that towards the end of this long 3-year tour, there will be a bunch of USA and Canada shows added to the itinerary.  I'd imagine that places like Toronto and New York will be added right at the end.  Be ready to try to get tickets to these concerts if they do, in fact, get added.

Doug

[dougs]

OK, about one week to go to the September launch of the FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD tour:

Question: WHAT SONG DO YOU BELIEVE THAT EJ AND THE BAND WILL "START" THE CONCERTS WITH?

In the past, songs like "Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding" and "The _itch is Back" have been the most frequent show openers.  Occasionally, "Pinball Wizard" and even "I'm Still Standing" (1995) have opened shows.  So have "Tiny Dancer" (1984) and "Your Song."  

This being a special and farewell tour; what song do you think that EJ will start these concerts with?  Later this week we can ask which song will they END the shows with - try to save that until later.

Your prediction?

Doug

[latitude]

I think he could and should open with the best opener of all time---FFF/LLB. Also 'I'm Still Standing' would be appropriate. As would 'The Bitch is Back'. I can hardly wait to see what that set-list will be. What do you think the opener will be, Doug?

[dougs]

latitude:

I would think it will be "Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding" or "I'm Still Standing."  It would be nice if this final tour wasn't predictable so "I'm Still Standing" with an intro like 1995 would be great.

Wouldn't it be incredibly cool if EJ and the band came out with a rocking extended version of "Empty Sky"?  The reason would be that this song was the first song on EJ's first album and this is his last tour looking back on his entire career.  He likes the song, too. The music critics would be totally impressed, I think as would long-time fans who always shout for album tracks!

We'll see soon enough.  Less than a week to go.

Doug

[dougs]

OK, we are now down to a few days before the start of the FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD tour:

Question:  WHAT SONG DO YOU BELIEVE THAT EJ AND THE BAND WILL "END" THE CONCERTS WITH?

Let's basically say, last "encore" song.  Which one?  Will it be Elton alone doing "Your Song" or will it be a great extended "Rocket Man" or will he and the band push the envelope and do "We All Fall in Love Sometimes / Curtains"?  Will he, for the first time do "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" as his farewell finale?  "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" has the drama and power to end a concert nicely...

What are your thoughts on this one?

Doug