Concert was held on Saturday April 24, 2010 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan
For 2010, Elton John has stated that he would be playing dates in some "secondary markets", which included a stop in Grand Rapids. According to local reports, Elton had not been in Grand Rapids since around 10 years ago (this would be the third time Elton had performed in Grand Rapids).
Not being a "huge" fan, I had only recently discovered the variety of music Sir Elton had written over his career. I had basically put him into the category of generic soft rock piano guy, but he would prove me very wrong.
The concert was an "evening with..." show, which meant no opening act (which is a good thing). Elton and his 5 supporting band members came out promptly at 8pm and entertained us with almost 3 hours of hits. Opening with "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" was a highlight right off the bat, as I've read he had not been playing that piece over recent years. But, that was a tip to things yet to come. He continued with all the hits that most of us know him for: "Bennie and The Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Levon", "Daniel", "Crocodile Rock", and on it goes. Sir Elton John has never had a "great" voice, but he did deliver exactly as expected. He wasn't going for the high range notes, rather favoring the lower register harmonies. However, his band mates were able to cover the higher parts for him, faithfully recreating all needed parts. The only real "hit" that we can think he missed was "Island Girl", but he may have left that behind years ago.
For me, highlights were his fantastic piano playing, and the "extended versions" of many of his known hits. Most songs went well past 5 minutes, with many approaching 10 minutes. Much of this time was taken up with piano solo jam sections, or extended guitar solo sections from longtime Elton guitarist Davey Johnstone. But, playing piano is what Elton does best, and he definitely made that clear. Elton offered one new song in the set, which he said was from an upcoming release featuring a collaboration between himself and Leon Russell. Elton explained how Leon was a hero of his for piano and songwriting, and how Elton had patterned much of his style after Leon (which made sense when I thought about it - although I had not connected that beforehand).
There were many fantastic musical moments, not to mention the amusing LED backdrop visuals. Animated versions of dancing girls and crocodiles created a fun atmosphere, while the screen also worked well for creating "sunsets" and other ambient lighting effects. The stage had plenty of open space, and the sound mix was acceptable for an arena show (at least, from our side seats).
Overall, I'd say Elton gave everyone exactly what they wanted - the hits performed by the legend himself. Say what you want about Elton's personal life, but there are few musicians that are at his level of both performer and entertainer.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Setlist:
Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding
Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting
Levon
Madman Across The Water
Tiny Dancer
Philadelphia Freedom
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Daniel
Rocket Man
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Take Me To The Pilot
Something About The Way You Look Tonight
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Candle In The Wind
You Are Never Too Old To Love Somebody
Honky Cat
Burn Down The Mission
Benny And The Jets
The Bitch Is Back
I'm Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Your Song
Circle Of Life
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