Date: Mon, 15 Aug 1994 12:41:59 -0500
Message-Id: <199408151741.MAA00602@chaos.bsu.edu>
From: Shaun Kerry Navis <tiberius@csd.uwm.edu>
To: joel@chaos.bsu.edu
Reply-To: Shaun Kerry Navis <tiberius@csd.uwm.edu>
Subject: Milwaukee rocked! (long)
Sender: joel-request@chaos.bsu.edu

X-Author: Shaun Kerry Navis <tiberius@csd.uwm.edu>
	The Milwaukee show last Thurs. kicked some serious ass!  The set 
list stayed pretty consistent to what's been listed here for previous 
shows, with a couple of notable exceptions.  Rather than rehashing all of 
that I'll hit upon the high and lowlights (very few of the latter!) as I 
saw them.

	THE TUNES:
	I'd only seen Elton once before (1988), so I'd really forgotten 
what a good performer he is on stage.  Although I've voiced my 
displeasure with his music of the last ten years several times on this 
net, he shows he can still pound out some good rock and roll when he 
still wants to.  Even a song I never cared for -- "Simple Life" -- had 
some added punch live and earned my respect that night (Jim, when you say 
#1 single, Im guessing you mean the Adult Contemporary charts.  I'll 
look it up, but I'm sure it didn't go #1 on the Hot 100).  
	
	My friends and I were, unfortunately, bored to tears with "The One" and 
(ugh!) "Can You Feel The Love" however.  Obviously, we were in the minority 
about that latter because the crowd gave EJ a standing O at the end of 
that one.  Thankfully, EJ slammed it back into overdrive after that by 
immediately jumping into "Saturday Night's Alright" (Too bad Bill didn't 
come out for that killer!).  

	Despite a couple bland song choices, EJ was in top form.  Best of all 
were guitarist Davey Johnston (a Garth Algar looklike!) and manic 
percussionist Ray Cooper who nearly stole the show just as he did with Clapton
 a couple years back.  He really worked the crowd on a great chant-along 
during "Saturday".

	Too bad Bill didn't play the harmonica solo when he joined EJ for 
"I Guess That's Why".  It was done on a synth by EJ's synth player 
instead.  Since Bill plays the harmonica, it was an obvious opportunity 
missed.

	I enjoyed EJ's "New York State", and Davey filled in the usual 
sax solo nicely on guitar, though I missed the bluesey interplay Bill and 
Mark Rivera give it in the "Yankee Stadium" video. Speaking of Mark, he 
and Crystal joined EJ and band for "Philadelphia Freedom".

	Now, THE MAIN EVENT!  The only surprise of Bill's set was 
"Vienna", a song they really hadn't rehearsed but performed due to a 
letter a Milwaukeean sent Bill (If a letter is all it took, I'm writing 
about "Mulberry Street" today!).  A lack of practice surely didn't show, 
it was a killer. 

	It was odd to see Bill at his piano during "Pressure" and "You May Be 
Right" (not how he ususally does them), so that was cool.  AYM appears to 
have replaced "Ballad of Billy" for the rest of tour (no complaints!).  
Bill led the crowd in a fun sing-along of "The Banana Boat Song" before 
"We Didn't Start the Fire".  

	The centerpiece of Bill's was set that fantastic job of a solo 
"Lullabye" into "The River of Dreams" that still sends me on the verge of 
orgasm every time I see him do it (well, that beautiful blonde I was 
bumping and grinding with surely played a part too. I wonder what her 
boyfriend thought?)

	Sadly, Bill's chosen to stick with mainly hits on this tour.  I 
was hoping the focus on piano playing would bring out some of his 
piano-heavy workouts like "Stiletto", and ESPECIALLY "Big Man on 
Mulberry" and, such an missed opportunity with two piano men, "Baby Grand".
Thankfully, he did "I Go to Extremes" which has hot piano licks.  No 
"Allentown" or "Saigon" was surprising and disappointing.  "Two Thousand 
Years" could've been a wonderful touch as well. 

	While I could've done without "My Life", I thought it appropriate 
that Elton sang the line "then they tell you you can't sleep with 
somebody else".  What a pleasant surprise Billy hit the high notes on 
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"!  I'd love to think Bill doing "The Bitch is 
Back " with EJ was a message to Christie, but Bill's got more class than 
that.

	THE CROWD:
	Must've been traffic problems as people were still filing in half 
way through EJ's set.  On the field (8th row, a little to Elton's side), 
this was getting disruptive and and distracting.  Thankfully, the crowd 
was jazzed for Bill, I got to stand and dance for ALL of his set except 
"Vienna" and "Lullabye" and I only sat for those by choice!  Hearing 
60,000 sing "Piano Man" was chilling.  The breaks betwwen verses were 
dead silent, no yelling drunks, no talking, beautiful! 

	THE SCREENS:
	My biggest beef of the night!  The guy controlling the screens 
was clearly an Elton fan who felt it necessary to show him far more 
frequently than Bill.  On songs they did together EJ was easily shown far 
more often than Bill, even if it was a Billy song!  The dork also had this 
habit of showing the guy NOT singing when they would trade verses back and 
forth.  Although I was close enough to not depend on the screens all 
night, they were still handy for watching hands during piano solos, etc.  
I wish they would've done more of showing BOTH BJ/EJ when the jammed 
together.  They are equals on this tour, but you wouldn't have known it by 
watching the screens.

I feel sorry for the West Coasters who are missing a classic show.

Out here in No Man's Land --
Shaun