Sir Elton John - Music Royalty

Towards the end of last year, Sam and I were lucky enough to watch music royalty, in the intimate setting of the Lyric Theatre in Sydney. The man was Sir Elton John and the music blew us away. We had never spent so much money on concert tickets, but our centre seats just 9 rows from the front, were worth every cent. Elton John was brilliant. To think that he is over 60 and still belting out his hits like a 20-something year old is quite phenomenal! I got caught up in all the emotion of his music and when I wasn't singing and bopping along, I was sitting there crying. I may have been a tad hormonal emotional. 

I just think that Bernie Taupin and Elton John are amazingly gifted - they have a knack (if that is even an appropriate word) for marrying melodies and lyrics to produce unforgettable music pieces - many of which have been the soundtrack to our lives. I was pleasantly surprised that Elton performed so many of his popular songs - that's what an audience wants and that's what he delivered!

I think I first started crying when he sang Tiny Dancer. Just magical. What a beautiful song. Daniel and Sacrifice also had me teary eyed. But then I really blubbered when he performed Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (dedicated to George Michael who was seriously ill in hospital at the time). I cried because I now associate this song with our late friend Trent Skinner. A karaoke favorite of his, they played it as the recessional hymn at his funeral...so to hear it live sung so poignantly by Elton, whilst thinking of Trent (and his beautiful family) was quite special.

Another special song was Candle in the Wind. Long before Candle in the Wind was reworked and made popular as Princess Diana's farewell song, it was a favourite of mine. Due to its association with Diana and the new version, I didn't think it would make the play list. But again, Elton didn't disappoint. I sat there in awe listening to it. How many times had I listened to and played this song growing up? - and here I was listening to it sung by Elton himself. It's hard to even describe the feeling.

This was his 3000th+ concert in over 50 years of performing so obviously he couldn't perform all his songs. Probably the only one that he didn't play that I would have loved to hear was Something About the Way You Look Tonight. It was our wedding dance song. "Our song" is actually a Frank Sinatra number but we thought we would pick something more modern and mainstream for our wedding dance, so Elton got the gig :) Like so many of his songs, it holds  special memories.

And the encore? Always such an important number, I was wondering what it would be. Well, after describing his love affair with Australia and the important milestones in his life that have occurred here (including his first marriage), he dedicated Your Song to us. He often uses the song as an encore and it's just perfect. Another one that always makes me cry.

Elton was brilliant. His band were brilliant. His support act and backing vocalists were brilliant. So, so glad we got to experience the magic that is his music in an intimate setting. I have a new found respect for the Lyric Theatre as a concert venue. It felt like we were in a private recording session - up close and personal. Unforgettable.

Do you have a favourite Elton John song?