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Elton John & Leon Russell performed in Phoenix on November 06, 2010
Tuesday, November 9 2010 |
Fan report by Scott Hollabaugh.
On our way into what appeared to be a sold-out US Airways Center, one of the orange-shirted security men checking purses at the door paused, lifted his arms to draw attention, and exclaimed loudly, “Excuse me ladies and gentlemen. Can anyone tell me who Leon Russell is?” The surrounding fans approaching the arena laughed and one in particular smiled and responded, “He’s an old rock guy.”
Perhaps guessing that much of the audience would share the security worker’s confusion, Elton John walked onto the stage at 7:57PM and personally introduced Leon Russell as his idol and “the master.” Elton also warned the crowd that tonight was going to be “a longer show than normal. Leon’s gonna play some songs, then I’m gonna play some songs. Then, he’ll come back and we’ll play some songs together, and then I’ll play some more songs by myself.”
And then the show began right on time, as Leon, with the help of a cane, ascended the stage to play a six or seven-song set. The crowd gave him several standing ovations, especially after “Tightrope” and “A Song for You,” but Russell – who was dressed in a white cowboy hat and beach-shirt – had very little to say back to the audience. He thanked them for their applause at the end of the set and walked off of the stage as Elton’s band replaced his own.
Leon Russell- Tightrope
- Prince of Peace/Out In The Woods
- A Song For You
- Delta Lady
- Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
- Stranger in a Strange Land
And then it was Elton’s turn, and the place went nuts, as the visibly-happy and energetic star took the audience through his own set of hits:
Elton John- Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
- Philadelphia Freedom
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
- Rocket Man
- Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
- Bennie and the Jets
- I'm Still Standing
Leon then returned to the stage and Elton, perhaps anticipating the mass exodus to the bathrooms and beer lines, admitted that “it’s hard to listen to new music.” But he also discussed how proud he is of the new album and how proud he is of Leon’s contributions to it. Then the pair quickly moved through 12 of the album’s 14 songs, wisely cutting sluggish tracks like “Eight Hundred Dollar Shoes” and “I Should’ve Sent Roses.”
When they arrived at Neil Young’s verse in “Gone to Shiloh,” Elton sang, choosing the same notes that Young sings on the album. The four-person choir (all ladies) really enhanced each track, and Elton and Leon sounded great. Even if most of the audience took a break during this 12-song set, those fans who bought and listened to "The Union" must have been impressed with how well everyone performed its tracks. Again, though, Leon said absolutely nothing to the audience, though he appeared to enjoy himself.
In fact, Elton introduced “In the Hands of Angels,” Leon’s tribute to John and their manager, before exiting the stage to allow Leon the full spotlight. Elton returned to hug Russell, and then Leon exited, allowing Elton to finish the show with one more high-energy set.
Elton and Leon- If It Wasn't for Bad
- Hey Ahab
- Gone to Shiloh
- Jimmie Rodgers' Dream
- There's No Tomorrow
- Monkey Suit
- The Best Part of the Day
- A Dream Come True
- When Love is Dying
- Hearts Have Turned to Stone
- Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody)
- In The Hands Of Angels
The choir was awesome during tracks like “Burn Down the Mission,” “Levon,” and “Tiny Dancer,” which Elton dedicated to all of the gorgeous girls in the admittedly-older audience. He played a spirited introduction to “Take Me to the Pilot” and returned with the band after “The Bitch is Back” to play a one-song encore, “Your Song,” thanking his fans for their more than 40 years of buying albums and tickets.
Elton John- Burn Down The Mission
- Levon
- Ballad Of A Well Known Gun
- Tiny Dancer
- I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
- Take Me To The Pilot
- Sad Songs (Say So Much)
- The Bitch is Back
- Your Song
Three weeks earlier, in the same building, I saw Tom Petty perform just 18 songs in a two-hour show, but Elton and Leon’s show lasted three hours and ten minutes, and the two stars played 34 songs. It’s the eleventh time I’ve seen Elton in concert and like many fans, I was a little nervous about Elton pairing himself with Leon, but this show is outstanding, definitely one of the best I’ve seen. Leon’s a great performer, and Elton makes sure that the audience doesn’t come away feeling as though they’ve been burdened with his quest to rejuvenate Russell’s career. I don’t know if the orange-shirted security guy stuck around to appreciate Leon’s performances, but no doubt, many left the US Airways center recognizing Russell as Elton hoped they would.
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