Elton John Concert Review and Set List


I've been an Elton John fan since I was a kid. Never did I think I'd have the opportunity to see and hear him live. On Friday Beth and I joined a sellout crowd at the PNC Arena (formerly RBC Center) representing a host of ages, who were packed in 360 degrees around the arena.

By the end of Elton John’s nearly three-hour concert Friday night in Raleigh, there was little doubt the guy still has it.
It was obvious from the beginning Elton still loves to sing and play piano. He still does both very well. He was able to put together a very long but never boring show.
 
When each song ended, Elton would stand, wave, blow kisses, and walk to all corners of the stage to acknowledge the fans around him. Everyone stood and cheered each time. He must have did this 25 out of the 30 songs.
 
This may have been the first concert I've been to where I left feeling the artist sang ever song I could have possibly wanted to hear. "Daniel", Rocket Man", Tiny Dancer" and my two personal favorites - "Levon" and "Your Song" were all amazingly sung and had the entire crowd singing right along with him.
 
Elton gets his fair share of press about being a diva, and rightfully so, but I've never been to a concert with a musical legend tof his level that appreciated the crowd more. When he came back out for his encore he took time before he sang to walk around the stage and sign dozens of autographs from ticket stubs, tee shirts, to album covers. It almost seemed like he would have stayed there all night and met fans, shook hands, and signed things if time would have allowed.
 
One surprise for Beth and I were the newest members of the band, a cello duo known as 2Cellos — Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser. They're a couple of Croatian guys who opened the night with a short set that included a covers of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,”.
 
As much as I love Elton, I never expect this kind of show from a 64-year-old guy who's played thousands of shows over his illustroeus 40+ year carreer. Elton and his band never slowed down. The energy was the same at the very end as when he started 3 hours earlier.
 
Set list (in order)
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Bennie and the Jets
Grey Seal
Levon
Madman Across the Water
Holiday Inn
Tiny Dancer
Philadelphia Freedom
All The Young Girls Love Alice
Harmony
Candle in the Wind
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Rocket Man
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
Hey Ahab
Gone to Shiloh
Monkey Suit
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Believe
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Honky Cat
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
I'm Going to Be a Teenage Idol
Daniel
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
I'm Still Standing
The Bitch Is Back
Crocodile Rock
Encore: Your Song

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