Elton 60: Live At Madison Square Garden[2 DVD]

Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden celebrated Elton's 60th birthday and 60th concert at MSG. This three and a half hour concert captures a lot about what has made him a legend all of these years. Elton and his band pull together what had to have been an impossible task. How can one sum up his career that covers four decades and celebrates the hits as well as the more obscure album tracks that showcase his amazing catalogue?From the beginning, you're in for a treat as Elton kicks off the show with the appropriate 60 Years On, a track from his '70 self-titled debut. And for a while, we stay in the early years with such wonderful songs as Holiday Inn, Where To Now St. Peter?, Ballad of A Well-Known Gun and the title track for the album Madman Across The Water. Elton really seems to be enjoying these songs, many of which he hasn't played in decades.In addition to the band, a youth choir from New York joins Elton on a lot of these songs and they really add some nice touches. Their assistance on such songs as High Flying Bird, Levon and Philadelphia Freedom to name a few really lift the songs to new heights. I have to ask however, why Elton didn't include some songs in the set list that would have really benefited from the choir? Most notably, '89's Healing Hands and the more recent, Answer In The Sky. Both would have been superb in the line-up.Not to be outdone, are the visual effects that go along with most songs (a huge backdrop screen displays all kinds of images without being too much of a distraction). Though, during Bennie And The Jets, the only image projected is one green tinted eyeball that blinks now and again. A bit strange and I don't know what it had to do with the song but hey, it was different!The main song selection here is mostly from the 70s. The usual hits that one would expect are presented here, with a couple of the big hits from the '80s. Interestingly enough, the 90's and Millenium releases received the short end of the stick. The '90's were represented only by the romantic Something About The Way You Look Tonight. While Elton's last three criticially acclaimed releases since 2000, saw only the inclusion of "The Bridge" from the wonderful Captain and The Kid. On that release, Elton had written a moving tribute to New York City (NYC, I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way), but the audience unfortunately didn't hear it at this concert.But with so many songs and hits people want to hear, these are small complaints. Elton's last big concert DVD, One Night Only, which celebrated his 50th show at MSG, contains many of the same songs here (nearly half are repeated). But at least there are no guest stars to slow things down this time.Whoopee Goldberg and Robin Williams do drop in to introduce the stage-shy Bernie Taupin to help unveil a banner that commerates the evenings celebration and to sing happy birthday (with the help of the audience of course). As one who was lucky enough to be in the audience, it was a special moment indeed.Elton's band, which features long time drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, lead the band through the evening with vigor and passion. And Elton's piano playing only gets better. His voice however sounds rather strained and he doesn't have the clarity or tenor he once had either. The power is still there and you can't deny that he still knows how to get effective emotions from his songs (his beautiful rendition of Empty Garden for example, has lost nothing over the years).There is a bonus DVD of rare television appearances over the years and that's a really nice touch. It also helps reinforce just how long Elton John has maintained his legend status.Elton John remains a true legend. This dvd celebrates his music in grand style. Captain Fanastic still rules!

This performance was indeed classic Elton John. The concert is some three hours long. EJ tells the audience, "We're going to be here a long time. We had to throw out 20 songs." Considering songs like "All the Young Girls Love Alice", "Roy Rogers", "Hercules", "Holiday Inn", "Better Off Dead", and other deep album cuts made the set list, it leads me to wonder which songs got cut from the list? If the songs that were cut were his hits since the 90s then that's fine with me. But I certainly would have enjoyed more from "Goodbye Yellowbrick Road" and "Captain Fantastic".It is an amazing performance with extended versions of most of his great songs. "Mad Man Across the Water" has some jazz-like piano from EJ, as does "Benny and the Jets" and "Rocket Man". "Rocket Man" is over 13 minutes long as EJ and Davey Johnstone get bluesy with a piano-guitar thing. My personal favorites from Yellowbrick Road, "Saturday Night's Alright..." and "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" are the icing on the cake.A reviewer or two have complained about the Brooklyn Youth Chorus kids. I thought they were fantastic. These kids ranging in age from maybe 10 years old through high school age could sing. There are dozens of them, and they are stationed above and behind the band. I found it kind of awkward that young kids are belting out "better off dead...better off dead" and "bitch...bitch". But it was cool that these kids were told to relax and have a great time out there as they were very lively and spontaneous, rockin' and groovin' to tunes decades older than they are.The visual was fantastic and the audio almost top knotch. EJ's piano was recorded better than any other live performance, but once yet again Johnstone's guitar is considered a back ground instrument, for the most part. During the extended jam in "Rocket Man" he's echoing EJ's piano chops on acoustic but you barely hear it (When he went in electric he was more audible). His solos in "Love Lies Bleeding" are barely audible---aggrevating. When I saw this band around '80 or '81, I remember that Davey Johnstone's guitar was big time for 3 hours. You heard every note, if memory serves. They were a rock band that night, starting with his chops on "Funeral/Love Lies Bleeding" to open that show. Only the "Barcelona" DVD is Johnstone a bit livelier in the mix. My other miner complaint is the bottom end in the audio is lacking. You hear bass but you don't really feel it. The kick drum should be thumping me in the chest, and it's just there. Otherwise, like I said, EJ's vocals and piano has never been recorded better. Solid full audio mix with the kids as well.Cameramen, throughout the event, located several celebrities in the audience, such as Michael Caine, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Bill Clinton (minus Hillary---if he had a date, you couldn't see her), Elizabeth Hurley, and Anne Hathaway.The concert is split over 2 discs, and the old live footage is split over the same 2 discs, which is odd. I know I have several complaints for a 5-star review. It's still a great buy, and a lot of product for the money. It must have been a phenominal night, and I heartily recommend the purchase of this show, even if you already own "One Night" from MSG. This is a superior performance over that one. There are no musical guests on Elton 60 to ruin the classics---a very good thing. What a treat this was to experience.

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UNA MARAVILLA

Ho avuto la fortuna di vedere il suo ultimo concerto. U. professionista come Elton lo seguiresti ovunque ma se non dovesse fare più concerti almeno lo vedo a casa. E un concerto che non può mancare nella mia cineteca.

Soy muy aficionado a la música de los 70s y ELTON fue de los primeros músicos que dejaron huella en mis años mozos. En este conciertazo interpreta muchas de las canciones clásicas, y por ello vale la pena, además de que la calidad del sonido y la imágen son excelentes, lo que aunado a la dirección de cámaras y la edición, bueno, te hacen sentir en primera fila, ovacionando al gran pianista. Claro que ayuda mucho tener la pantalla de 80" y el HOME THEATER ONKYO de última generación.

Great quality