Review: Elton John rocks all 88, but goes overboard with Bennie and her jets

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Dispatch from the Nosebleeds:

Carol Motsinger, here, reporting from the cheap seats at pop legend Elton John’s Asheville Civic Center show. And I wasn’t just braving the heights in the cheap seats – I was literally in the row in the upper level, as far away as possible from the man himself. So I can’t tell you if he was wearing a cape or a jacket. Nor I can confirm if it was naked cupid with a green arrow or an Elton sliding out of a crocodile’s mouth that was bedazzled on the back of his outerwear.

But thankfully, sound travels fast and far in the auditorium, so let’s get right to the important stuff: What did he play and how did he sound playing it?

Pianos! I miss a good piano in modern rock hits. It’s such a percussive power, so expressive and adds such depth to pop songs. And Elton can pound the black-and-whites with the best of them. He added exquisite embellishments to such classic cuts as “Rocket Man” and to “I guess that’s why they call it the blues.” And the Civic Center had this nifty piano-vision camera set up, so we could see his little hands moving with an impossible grace during these highlights. 

Overdoing it: Speaking of embellishments, Elton sometimes took the live enhancements to his greatest hits a bit too far. Do I need 15 minutes of “Rocket Man?” Not really. Do you need a strange echo effect on Elton’s voice during just one line of “Levon” (my personal favorite Elton tune)? Absolutely not – it seemed like an accident, like the sound guy just pressed the wrong button. He was at his best during “Candle in the Wind,” when it was just Elton and his Yamaha. No interference. Just his effortlessly smooth, soulful vocals.

Hero worship: This night was not all about Bennie and her jets. Leon Russell played a much larger role than just the opener, as Elton played a solid set with the bluesy Americana singer-songwriter. The duo has a new album out, so it makes sense. But I can’t lie: I could do without all the Leon action. Leon has a remarkable voice, so experienced, almost wise and with each word, it sounds like the bearded man is trying to cough up rocks he swallowed straight out the Mississippi River. But with two pianos, four backup singers, guitarists, percussionists, etc., it was a lot of sound for the auditorium.

And let’s face it, that venue is not designed for it. Although Leon wasn’t my bag, a lot of people in the sold-out crowd jumped to their feet at the end of his songs. And it was impossible to not be touched by Elton’s repeated admiration for Leon’s work and the giddy joy he demonstrated performing with his main musical influence. Even Elton John – a legend – has his own legend. It was a very human moment, and made me feel – although I was so many rows away from him – that we were close through that connection.

I might not always remember exactly how fantastic the harmonies were on “Goodbye, Yellowbrick Road,” but I’ll remember that. He was just another one of the 7,000 fans in that room Tuesday.