'Rocket Man' blasts into 'U'

A strange occurrence happened last Wednesday night in Crisler Arena. As Elton John performed, the stadium crowd did something that it has rarely done since the days of Jalen Rose and Chris Webber. It completely rocked.

This insanity could be attributed to the fact that there were few college students in the audience. Instead it consisted of mostly 30- to 60-year olds trying to relive their glory years on "The Yellow Brick Road."

Originally slated to perform on April 25, the show was postponed because Elton reportedly had throat problems. This seemed to haunt him early in the show as his voice faded when he tried to reach the higher notes.

As the night progressed, Elton doused his pain with gallons of Diet Coke which he tilted ever-so-slightly for the camera.

It must have been something in the Nutrasweet because by the end of the evening his voice clearly improved.

Courtesy of MCA Despite a delayed show and sore throat, Elton John rocked Crisler Arena last Wednesday night. In his purple suit and pink sunglasses he had the entire audience on its feet.

He took the stage wearing a trademark purple suit and pink sunglasses. The large set seemed a little crammed in the small arena, making it feel more like a gigantic club.

Throughout the night he played newer hits such as "The Lion King" alongside old favorites like "Rocket Man" and "Crocodile Rock." Repeatedly he brought more to the songs than what is featured on his albums, taking them to new heights by adding long piano solos.

Elton's band also contributed immensely to this captivating show. The seven-piece group looked like something out of "This Is Spinal Tap" but had musical talent that would make even the stingiest classical composer take notice. During their extended jams the guitar players often tried unsuccessfully to steal the spotlight with powerful solos and crazy antics.

They did manage to win over a few audience members in the front row by throwing dozens of picks at them, which the crowd mercilessly clamored for. Even Elton's back-up singer and secondary percussionist battled for spotlight time as they danced about the rear of the stage.

REVIEW
	Elton John April 25 Crisler Arena

When the show passed the two-hour mark, Elton nearly came into top form, playing heartfelt renditions of "The Last Song" and "Something About The Way You Look Tonight." He dedicated the latter to all the good-looking people in the crowd and all of those on a hot date.

But it was his performance of "Benny and The Jets" that reminded everyone of the Elton John seen on VH1 Legends. During the tune, he kicked his stool out from behind him in true Jerry Lee Lewis fashion and banged out the solo.

He played the piano in all positions, including one handed while on his back. He followed this up with an equally stunning rendition of "Saturday Night."

After a well-deserved five-minute rest, Elton returned for his first encore with "The Bitch is Back." He than paid homage to Lewis with "Great Balls of Fire." Although the guitar solos seemed a little out of place in this piano anthem, it was still an amazing sight as the entire crowd screamed out "Kiss me baby, Mmm feels good."

After bringing the older audience members back to their high school years, he left the stage once again.

Fittingly, Elton returned for his second encore wearing a Michigan Football national champions jacket. After apologizing for the cancellation and his raspy voice, he dedicated his final piece "Your Song" to everyone in the crowd.

He played this song without the aid of his band, then left the stage for the last time, nearly three hours after he began.

One could argue that Elton John is slightly past his prime, and true, his voice wasn't completely healed. But that really didn't seem to matter since no one seemed to care. Elton demonstrated that even on an off-night he's still a better rocker than most will ever be.

05-05-98