At 66, Elton John has put together one of his most satisfying tours ever. Lasting for three hit-filled hours, John’s 40th Anniversary of the Rocket Man tour stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on April 5th covered all the bases of his remarkable career, from opener “The Bitch Is Back” to the closing number “Your Song.” “I’ve never been happier performing live than I am now,” John told the adoring audience, and from his ebullient mood and committed performance, you could tell that he wasn’t stretching the truth. Highlights included the 80’s power ballad “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues,” the soaring, vintage rock euphoria of “Tiny Dancer,” and arena rock staples “Bennie And The Jets” and “Levon.” “Rocket Man,” now celebrating 40 years in orbit, wasn’t half bad either. Near the end of the show, John brought his longtime lyricist and “soul mate” Bernie Taupin on stage to celebrate, before ripping into an apropos run-through of “I’m Still Standing.”
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– Evan Schlansky
Set List:
1. The Bitch is Back
2. Bennie and the Jets
3. Grey Seal
4. Levon
5. Tiny Dancer
6. Holiday Inn
7. Believe
8. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
9. Philadelphia Freedom
10. Candle in the Wind
11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
12. Rocket Man (I Think It’s Gonna Be A Long, Long Time)
13. Hey Ahab
14. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
15. Funeral for a Friend
16. Take Me to the Pilot
17. All Girls Love Alice
18. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
19. Daniel
20. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
21. The One
22. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
23. I’m Still Standing
24. Crocodile Rock
25. Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
Encore: Your Song
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