England: The Rest

Went to the O2 Arena to see the special New Year's Eve programme (excerpts shown on NBC with Carson here in the USA via tape delay) which was broadcast live on ITV1.

The O2 is an amazing arena. It's been -- since it opened -- voted the best arena in the WORLD by Pollstar and I must agree. I've been there when it was the Millennium Dome but this was my first visit there since it became the O2 in 2007. I've stolen some facts from their website:

• The O2 has an overall diameter of 365 metres, an internal diameter of 320 metres, a circumference of a kilometre, and is 50 metres high at its central point
• The twelve steel masts are 100 metres high
• If you turned The O2 upside down, it would take Niagara Falls 15 minutes to fill it
• Alternatively, you could fill it with 3.8 billion pints of beer or the contents of 1100 olympic-sized swimming pools
• The volume of The O2 is equal to thirteen Albert Halls, ten St Paul’s Cathedrals, or two old Wembley Stadiums
• 18,000 double-decker buses could fit into The O2
• The Eiffel Tower could fit inside The O2 lying on its side
• 12 football (soccer) pitches or 72 tennis courts could fit in The O2

We got to the O2 early to eat and spent nearly an hour in queue to sit down at Pizza Express as it was the shortest queue there.

Anyway, SeaLife was the opening act at 820pm and we missed most of it whilst waiting in queue as the doors open at 8pm and you go through airport style security. SeaLife were followed by the Overtures who were a fantastic oldies cover band. Next up was Alexandra Burke, who just won X-Factory (UK American Idol type show) and wow, what a voice. She blew everyone away. Each interval was accompanied by a DJ from The Heart 106.2 radio station. Elton came on around 1030ish and did his Red Piano show. Will Young (first winner of Pop Idol -- American Idol for the Brits) came out and dueted with him on Daniel. Then at 1155pm GMT he stopped and some ITV lady came out along and we did the countdown with live video from Big Ben at Westminster. Then the concert resumed after Elton banged out Auld Lang Syne. Much hugging and kissing among strangers (no thanks).

The show was over around 1245pm and we ran like hell to the tube station. What a clusterfuck with nearly a two hour wait to get back towards our end of town. But, clever me, I know the tube, so we popped on the Jubilee (the only line calling at North Greenwich) and went to West Ham (not an area for the faint of heart) and then took the District from way the hell out there back -- against traffic most of the way -- towards our end of town. You should have seen the crowds and our train was empty until Monument. Westminster and Embankment were flat out closed with no trains stopping. We were only jammed from Monument to South Kensington. I was in bed by 240am. I was up at 645am thanks to the noisy Italians next door. And we arrived at Heathrow without any trouble to find a broken bag conveyor so the queue was jammed. Happily we were travelling Virgin Upper Class and bypassed the other lines and were boarded on time. A quick trip back to the gate when the APU failed (remember that Evan?). The trip home was uneventful. Here I am. Tired as hell.
More later.

PS: Congratulations to Terry Pratchett for getting an OBE.

Elton John's Red Piano: The Review

Red Piano. Yay. I've wanted to see Elton's Red Piano show since it opened but Elton never checked his schedule with mine and every chance I ever had to be in Vegas, Elton was elsewhere. I usually missed him by just a few days. Finally, courtesy of Greg and Gaby, we had tickets for the show last night. The seats were okay from a distance issue but not so much from an angle perspective.

So the set list was fantastic.

• Bennie And The Jets
  
• Philadelphia Freedom
  
• Believe
  
• Daniel
  
• Rocket Man
  
• I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
  
• Tiny Dancer
  
• Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
  
• I Want Love
  
• Candle In The Wind
  
• Pinball Wizard
  
• The Bitch Is Back
  
• I'm Still Standing
  
• Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
  
• Your Song

I believe that's the entire set list. I cannot promise I've got it perfect. It's Vegas and, well, there are distractions. He played "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" in there somewhere too but I don't remember where. He also did "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" -- added this in the post after Johnny B mentioned it.

The set itself had nots of neon which comes on and off including some more adult themed stuff including a sign that says "Cocktail" where only on syllable is illuminated at a time. There are also the large inflatable advertising type ballons. There are legs, boobies (the biggest pair of boobies that you've ever seen which, later in the show, lactate over the audience), and bananas and cherries in a very suggestive layout.

There are signs warning concertgoers that this is an adult show that includes full frontal nudity. There is an enormous video screen -- even by Vegas standards. There are all sorts of random images and some of them include lots of naked ladies, though it's pretty artistic and I can't imagine anyone actually being offended by it. Some of it is, though, decidedly weird. Then again, it IS Elton....

There were also clips from various videos including the famous one of Justin Timberlake as Elton John. It also features Pamela Anderson, Pee-Wee Herman, That was filmed for "This Train Don't Stop Here" but it was sent to a different song.

Elton talks to the audience and seems to be having fun. Most of the show is light on bass and heavy on treble until the encore bit at the end where it reverses. Elton's voice is good but not great but maybe it was an off night. But he threw himself into it and it was just a really enjoyable phone.

I have decided, for now, not to get the tattoo I previously mentioned. Or more accurately to wait until next summer. If I still want it then, I'll get it. I figure since it's a permanent decision I ought to make sure it's just not some sort of mid-life crisis.

I am watching election returns on CNN as I sit here typing. Or videos of bazillion of people in line really. VOTE FOR OBAMA!

Elton John -- Live at Royal Albert Hall

This is a retro-post. I put this online 24 December 2005 using the date it was originally sent out.

I have just returned from London where I flew especially to see a special Gala Charity Concert at Royal Albert Hall. I obtained the tickets through eltonjohn.com not that long ago. When you factor in airfare, hotel, meals, and such this was by far the most expensive concert I ever went to. And worth every single penny.

I will skip the details of the trip as not to bore you with yet another London synopsis. I did have some enjoyable experiences, but I shall skip right to the meet.

Arriving at Royal Albert Hall, I had to go to will call to turn in my ticket voucher. Tickets to this event were very lovely and were oversized with an image of RAH printed in 24k gold leaf. I had a VIP ticket on the floor, row 11, seat 11. That’s dead center in front of Elton and his piano with an unequalled view.

This event was a formal event and being the VIP area gentlemen were expected to wear jacket and tie (or tuxedo) and ladies suitable formal evening wear. I’ve never had to dress like this for a concert, but I did. This concert was in aid of the Elton John Scholarship Fund at the Royal Academy of Music and conducted by James Newton Howard.

The event consisted of Elton, the band and the Orchestra and Choir of the Royal Academy of Music, at Royal Albert Hall, London, England, on July 4, 2004 at 7 o’clock in the evening. The audience was full of VIPs including such notables as Dame Judi Dench and HRH the Duchess of Gloucester.

The floor seats were filled with the lucky few who had tickets from eltonjohn.com and the gentry of the British Empire (MPs, OBEs, CBEs, etc). Everything was strictly formal. The floor seats were velvet covered folding chairs. The first official crushed velvet seating section in RAH was filled with many other well dressed individuals. Following that were the boxes. Then those were followed the regular stadium-type seating with the regular crowd who managed to get tickets.

The stage was under the massive pipe organ in the back of the hall. Elton was on the stage with his piano at exactly five minutes after the starting time (one doesn’t keep a Duchess waiting, I suppose). Next to him were four of his bandmates. Behind him were the creme-de-la-creme of the Royal Academy of Music’s orchestra all dressed in their finest. And then in the first few rows of seating were the Choir of the Royal Academy.

Elton gave a little speech about the fund. Then he explained that he would be selecting songs that would go well with choir and orchestra. His normal hit-heavy set list with famous standards was not to be, though there are no complaints. Songs such as Rocket Man, Benny and the Jets, and Pinball Wizard were not to be. Knowing that many people might expect, in advance, to be disappointed. They would be proven wrong. This was the second best concert I’ve ever attended. Here’s the set list for Elton's concert at the Royal Albert Hall:

Sixty Years On
The Greatest Discovery
I Need You To Turn To
Border Song
The King Must Die
Burn Down The Mission
Believe
Come Down In Time
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows
Tiny Dancer
Madman Across the Water
Holiday Inn
Levon
Sorry Seems to be The Hardest Word
This Train Don't Stop There Anymore
Philadelphia Freedom
Have Mercy on the Criminal
Carla/Etude
Tonight
Take Me to the Pilot
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
(encore)
Don't Let The Sun go Down on Me
Your Song


The sounds of the orchestra in that marvellous building were awe-inspiring. I imagine they could have played ANYTHING at it would have sounded like angels singing. Then when the choir got in as well it was amazing -- nearly a religious experience.

There weren’t many people behaving as they would at a normal concert. There were not people dancing in the aisles, standing on chairs, and such. Some songs a few of the braver souls got up and danced a bit but it was a decidedly subdued good time.

Elton announced the concert had raised over £1.5 million pounds and that got a cheer. Then after it was over he ran back onto stage to announce that Greece had just scored and it was one to nil in the Euro Cup 2004 match and the crowd reacted to that.

The crowd shuffled out in an orderly fashion, very pleased.

I really wish I could have recorded one of the songs so you could hear what it sounded like.