Elton John - Toledo, OH - September 28th, 2016
My review for Elton John's show at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio on September 28th, 2016. The show ran approximately from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM with the encore "Candle In The Wind" and "Crocodile Rock". This review is mainly a reflection of my own personal concert experience and will explain my own journey rather than a generic review on any ol' website. It's more personal! This..... show... okay. Where do I begin with words? How should I begin my sentence? Hmmm... let me just think. I haven't been doing that at all since Elton hit the stage. Well, I should begin there then, shouldn't I!? Lest I forget to tell to that I am a 17 year old girl. This is my very first Elton John concert, along with my dad who is in his 40s. Elton John's music connects ALL ages. From 5-90... there's a range so big I swear it looked like I was at DisneyLand or something. Families from all over the states came to see this very man perform. I don't blame them, I would do the exact same. Because if you experienced what I experienced that night, you'd give your right arm to be in my place. I am the most luckiest girl on the planet. Okay, not quite, but I certainly feel like it! The adrenaline in me was kicking in so badly when the light began to dim and the long, intense intro to Funeral For A Friend bellowed through the amplifiers! The ground shook, the audience roared, and Elton walked out on the stage so majestically in his brightly sequined suit... always a gentleman and waving to the audience kindly. By this point I was already standing on my chair JUMPING up and down and screaming like... well you get the idea. A 17 year old girl can produce some deafening screams! I had seats in Row 13- isle seats to be exact- right on the left side of the stage where his piano was. It was an INCREDIBLE view. Golly, he was probably just a good couple of yards away from me. I could see him sing under the bright spotlight so effortlessly, so smoothly... I actually had to ask myself, "Am I sure I'm not dreaming? Really!?" It felt SO SERENE and REAL. And it really was!I I was REALLY there just a couple yards from the great piano god, Sir Elton John! It was an honor and blessing to be there and have the privilege to see this "holy" man. But it only gets better. Love Lies Bleeding, as expected, followed, and that's when I got my first chance to bust out my moves. Hey, I'm not a dancer. But I am a kid. And I have the speed and energy of a horse, I'm GONNA USE IT! Busting out grooves as each note hit... the beat of my heart in perfect sync with Nigel's drums... it all just added to the thrill! I didn't stop dancing until the music stopped. But it barely stopped! Almost 70 years old, and Elton John is too damn badass to have an opening act. He's too badass for a break. He's too badass to drink his water. I'm being dead serious- this man gave it HIS ALL. I was SO impressed, I actually was beginning to wonder if maybe he was actually a 40 year old man wearing a costume? Because he looked, acted, and sounded like he was 30 years younger. But music has that potential to make you feel young again, want to move, and dance, and feel good! I had a hard time believing he's going to give up his music any time soon. Nobody buying his records? Excuse me, but fuck that! I'm 17 and I just began my Elton obsession! I've got so much to learn and love and know! And there are plenty of fans in my place! And I definitely let Elton know just exactly how I felt that night. I was suffering from a bad cold before the show. I had tried everything but I was worried that I still might feel ill. But no. I did not feel sick at all. Each time Elton would play a song... Bennie & The Jets, Looking Up, A Good Heart, Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, Levon, Philadelphia Freedom, etc... I would be in a high. Like I was in heaven. Screw the drinks, the only thing I rely on to have a good time is Elton John. He drugs me up quite a lot. Hahaha! So who has time to worry about blowing your nose and sneezing when THE ultimate piano GOD is up there on stage, in the same room as you, so close you could see the reflection in his eyes? Throughout the show I danced and danced, and made many friends. Of course the average age of everybody there was about 50, but I didn't care. I talked to everybody and I had such a wonderful time! Elton John fans, I must say, are some of the most friendliest fans I have ever met. I actually wasn't even able to go to this concert originally, but with the help of some random Elton fans (at the time, now we're friends) they donated me several hundred dollars to see him live before it was too late. So I'm EXTREMELY thankful for that! Thank you! Thank you!!! Because what I went through was one of the best experiences for me EVER. One really nice guy next to me gave the Elton John showbook for this tour... FANTASTIC images of the show and some GREAT stories. I honestly was so grateful for that too, because I was just a random person to him. He was nice enough to give that to me, and now it's my cherished souvenir from the show. I love it forever, what a gift from a wonderful stranger! Some ladies in the row behind me were encouraging me to get up and dance, stand on my chair, and not give a damn. It was all the courage I needed. I did some pretty crazy, brave stuff at this concert. At first, I was being "risky" just standing on my chair. I was desperate to have Elton see me!! I love that man SO much! But the security kept on telling me "no standing on the chairs" and pounding it in my head. But today I was a little rebel! I'm pretty sure some folks mistaken all my energy for me being drunk. But nope, like I said, the only drinks, drugs, and other niceties I need is Elton John, a piano and my youthful energy! And bingo, you got a grand ol' time! I knew in advance that Elton did autograph signings after Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting. I didn't really know how many people were able to go up there, but I tried. I walked up with a couple of folks and they denied me and told me that only the first 3 rows got to participate in the signings. But me, being the rebel I am, and the stubborn brat I am, I said "oh heeeelll no", and I did some extraordinary shit. I've been to punk rock concerts. I've seen crazy crowds. So Elton's crowd was like a walk in the park for me! I excused myself out of the way, and walked down to the other side of the whole entire section to avoid the security guard. I found myself in the middle section, literally, RIGHT in front of his piano. I inched my way up into row 8 or so. I was crazy close, but I quickly got the attention of other fans with my energy fast. They all smiled at me, and let me get as close as possible. They held me and lifted me over the seats so I could be in row 7 or 6. I couldn't believe it at all! I was really sneaking my way up into the front of the stage! I'm actually a very shy person, and it was totally out of my nature to talk to random strangers on my own like that and trust them. But I had no choice. I was under Elton's love spell. We all were! I didn't meet one mean soul at that show. Except the security. Okay, he wasn't being "mean", I shall say- he was just doing his job. But I HATE his job, haha! The security was ON ME. Big time. I mean they were right behind me, trying so so so hard to get me to go back and take me out. Literally. I admit was a bit clumsy and stuff, and they probably didn't think I was 17, which was why they were rude to me. But I don't take things personally. I was having THE TIME OF MY LIFE- I really didn't have any time to think about any bitches at the show. The security insisted I go back but more random strangers pitched in and convinced the security to let me stay. My risky behavior was paying off! One of the people sitting next to me told me that this was the closest seat I was going to get and I should just enjoy the view from there. Well I did for a minute or two, but I STILL wasn't settling for just that. I made it all the way from row 13 to row 6, I wasn't going to stop now until I was as close as possible to Elton John, my hero I love so deeply and so much! During this entire time, Elton had finished his autograph signings and was playing Candle In The Wind as an encore. so I just chilled out for a second and recorded the view for myself to keep and love forever. I was so incredibly close... okay his voice was so crisp, clear, and STRONG. Sounds a million times better live than on video.. you can hear his deep mellow voice through the microphone... so soothing and gentle on Candle In The Wind. It was unlike any performer I ever heard. His piano had a phenomenal, bright, tinny sound. He did extraordinary, mind-blowing solos throughout the whole show, most notably the intro to Rocket Man and the outro to Levon! So when it hit me that I was so close to Elton John, and I was ready to get even CLOSER, I snuck over one more row... row 5... looked both ways to check for security. BINGO! I was clear. I leaped over the last row and found myself in ROW 4!!! Unfortunately I already missed the autograph signing, but now all I wanted was for Elton to see me, and he did with ease! He pointed at me with the biggest, cutest smile... his cheeks were so round, he looked absolutely adorable when he smiled. I'm just being honest here, but when he pointed at me and gave me that look, my knees lost ALL control, I began shaking, and I just squealed in response. I was close enough now that he could see me out of the corner of his eye. I was the only one there really "in" to the music. Well everybody was into it, but I was REALLY showing it. Like I mentioned before, I was so determined to make sure that Elton knew how much I loved and appreciated him as a person and musician and humanitarian- I just have this undying love, passion, affection and appreciation for absolutely every aspect of this man. I'm a fan for life now, that's guaranteed!!! The security just happened to notice that I moved up even closer, and was literally about to beat my ass before Elton busted into "Crocodile Rock". I remember the scowl on his face, his dark eyes, he was kinda creepy actually. He told me with very strict, stern works, "I WILL NOT have you move up ANY closer. THIS IS the CLOSEST you will get or I will take OUT of here!!" And he gave me one more death glare before he walked his prissy little ass out of there. I just laughed. "Yeah, okay, we'll see about that!" I told myself. He threatened to kick me out before. It was the last song. I didn't give a crap what he thought about doing to me. I was a minor anyways. What was he going to do? Arrest me for jumping over a chair? So I ignored him! All the fans loved me; I was making sure I was polite to everybody. They all adored my enthusiasm and I made tons of friends, so what did I have to lose!? "If I can make it just one row closer I will be satisfied." I final admitted. Elton marched to the beat of Crocodile Rock, and I knew it was now or never to make my move. I took a glance, and the security was GONE. So I did it. I squeezed my way up into ROW 3... quite a view now wasn't it!? Not only could I see the sweat pouring down his face, but he could see the sweat on mine too! Yes, yes, he noticed that I moved up and gave me a series of sweet smiles, as if he knew that his love fed into my energy and gave me a deep adrenaline boost! He would turn around on his piano and look directly at me, and when I would jump up and scream, I could see him blush. You should've seen it, you should've been there. He was a delight to all his fans. Speaking of fans, it was so cute what happened next. A tiny little girl, who looked around 5 or so, was up very close and Elton brought her on stage. He held her hand, she smiled so happily and innocently! For a minute there I forgot all about the fun I was having, and I felt like a proud mom. (Even though I'm not even an adult yet.) But that little girl was so happy to be up there and Elton treated her like a little princess of course, the humble gentleman he is! From that moment it really dawned on me that he cared about his fans so truly, so deeply. You could see all the love, joy, and happiness in his eyes as he watched children from 5 to 17 attend his concerts and enjoy it the same way people from the ages 25-90 did. It was that mutual love of music that connected everybody there that night. We were ALL strangers. Literally. But we were all there for Elton John. Maybe we weren't really strangers after all! Crocodile Rock was ending fast and I made the most of it. I sang with him, and he stayed in the front where I was the whole time. To have seats in the 3rd row center... y'know it was worth EVERY little rebel move I made! Thankfully there was such a large crowd of people around me now that the security wasn't able to see me! So luckily for me I got to spend nearly all of Crocodile Rock enjoying this gorgeous, close up view of this man. I swear he poured his heart out so much at this show that I bet his heart and love really lied bleeding in his hands! Is there a bigger word for talent? Because Elton surpasses that. But it had to end at some point. Sadly... at the end he gave one big smile, waved whole-heartedly to the audience, and walked off the stage. Some fans were still convinced he was coming back. But I knew it was over. As fans began to leave, I squished my way up to the front row and I was touching the stage now. The security was packing up the equipment but I stayed to chat and mingle with strangers and take a few cool pictures! Some more nice people tried to get the security to sign the record that I brought for Elton to sign, but they said they couldn't. I figured that couldn't, but it was so kind and considerate of them to try and ask a few times anyways. It really, really meant a lot to me that there were so many kind people at that show. Honestly even the few drunk people there were pretty friendly believe it or not! (Both men and women.) With the help of these amazing strangers, and my rebellious attitude, I was able to get what I wanted and have amazing things to me. No, I didn't not get his autograph like wished for, but the experience was well worth it. Sneaking through all the people, making little friends along the way, and getting THE Elton John to notice ME was all I could ever dreamed of! I felt like superwoman the whole time. Remember earlier I mentioned I had a cold? Yeah, I forgot I had it myself. Overall, you have got to be an idiot not to love/like Elton John and his incredible music like this. What a fantastic, sensational, unreal concert. But it was everything you could ask for and MORE! Good grief his voice was in such top, prime shape... his fingers ran over the keys so effortlessly, so freely... the whole music was ON FIRE! Hit after hit after hit... I don't think anybody left the venue the whole time. Not even during the new songs. Absolutely impressive and stunning performance by a man who shows so much professional love and devotion to his audience. Disappointment would be illegal to say at an Elton John concert- in fact the only thing required is a huge smile from ear to ear, which I had the entire show!! And I nearly forget to mention- the entire road trip there I was saying "I'm SO excited." Every 2 miles: "I'm SO excited." Every pit stop: "I'm SO excited." Every turn: "Guess what? I'm SO excited." We were standing in line and I said it every 5 minutes: "OMGGG! God I'm SO excited." I was being checked through security and I told them "I'm so excited." I was in the bathroom in the stall and talking to myself saying, "I'm SO excited." And best of all... on the way back... STILL said it. Despite the fact it was all over, I still was feeling pretty high of Elton's love. He made me so internally happy (and excited) that it was brainwashing me. And honestly, I have to admit, I'm still pretty damn excited lol. So there you have it. My wonderful crazy night with a wonderful crazy man named Sir Elton Hercules John. THANK YOU FOR THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME! I have a very, VERY good feeling that this won't be my last time seeing Elton live. No, not after that concert! I must run a line of special thanks to various people for making this the lovely, heavenly dream I had hoped and wished for every single night.
SPECIAL THANKS To my dearest friends who donated basically their hearts to let me attend this concert Cora LeCroy Hannah Tai Douglas Finch Chuck Le Vack
To the wonderful strangers I encountered the show The ladies behind me who encouraged me to dance The guy and girl sitting next to me who gave be the showbook The friendly people I met in row 8 who saved my ass from being taken to the back The lady(s) who tried to get my record signed
To the man and his band Sir Elton John Bernie Taupin Nigel Olsson Davey Johnstone Ray Cooper Kim Bullard John Mahon Matt Bissonette
I'm not a professional photographer, but enjoy anyways!