Elton live!

A few Saturdays ago, Noel and I went to watch Elton John live and in concert. Right here on Oahu! Can't tell you how excited I was...and can't tell you how not excited Noel was. I've been a huge fan for years. Mostly his old stuff, some of his new. (My cat is named Elton. I swear a future dog will be named Levon...) Noel is still wondering after all these years with me what the fuss is all about. But he bravely came along, and I think he enjoyed it, but not as much as I did.
Elton was onstage (for three hours!) most of the evening with just his piano; about a third of the evening he was joined by percussionist and long-time friend and collaborator Ray Cooper. And that's it! I think he sounds great. Can still handle all of his material and play one amazing piano. He doesn't have his original range but pretty darn close to an untrained ear (and to think that his first albums came out nearly 40 years ago). Noel got hungry and headed out for snacks about an hour in and missed some of the songs that he knows best. I couldn't sing along to "Hold me closer Tony Danza" to cheer him up. The rest of the evening included some of Elton's early, great work, including songs from the Madman Across the Water album, which Elton said remains one of his best -- and personal favorite.
One surprise note to the evening? Kanye West in the house. Near the end of the show, Elton acknowledged his friends and extended family there with him that week, and Kanye was among the VIPs in the first row.