That's Why They Call It...

Echo Arena. More on that in a minute.

Sir Elton was wonderful, delightful, energetic and better than even the most rabid Captain Fantastic fan could hope for. Can't think of enough adjectives to describe his performance on Friday night in Sacramento. He played for two hours and forty-some-odd minutes. NON-STOP. (Even forgot to take a few to introduce the Band. This concert kicked off his North American Tour).

He played “old songs” and in what I consider a gusty move, played all ten songs www.amazon.com/Captain-Kid-Elton-John/dp/B000H7JDVI/sr=8-14/qid=1158630137/ref=sr_1_14/104-4845623-0989541?ie=UTF8&s=music from his new album, The Captain and the Kid, due out September 19^th. I call this move gusty, because if you aren’t sure how you will be received, it could bomb. I have seen it happen to the best of them: Bruce, Sir Paul, to name a few. I had to remind the people in front of us on several occasions that we were not at sporting event, but a concert and to BE QUIET. He didn’t play any of his movie scores; for which I was probably the only one disappointed. (We saw Aida earlier this summer at Music Circus, www.californiamusicaltheatre.com and of course, I am a sucker for The Lion King.)

Now, for the “Why I hate concerts at ARCO” part. Arco Arena and the first show in a Tour. The mike mix stunk for the first three or four songs. The music, piano, guitar and other keyboards were GREAT. (Since he didn’t introduce the band, I can’t tell you who they were, the lead guitar could give Joe Walsh a run for his money.) Elton’s mike: SUCKED. Don’t know if that was Elton’s (first live show on the tour) or Arco’s crew (Arco just plain sucks for concerts, unless you are on the floor. But from there you can’t see anything because no one sits down), but it should not have taken three songs to get it close to being ok. Then, of course there is that icky echo. At first, I thought the people behind us were merely being rude and talking. Then, I turned and looked, and the four seats in the row behind me were empty.

And, while I am ragging on my fellow concert goers, can’t you people sit still? Or did your wife drag you along and you had to get up four times in a 90-minute period to get another beer?

Would I go again? YOU bet, especially if it was in a different venue. May even consider traveling to the bay area or LA to a real concert arena.

Overall, LOVED IT!!!!!!