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| ELTON JOHN LIVE AT THE TABERNACLE ATLANTA, GEORGIA NOVEMBER 5, 2004 |
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| After a year of EJ withdrawals, I was very excited about getting tickets to the Tabernacle show here in Atlanta, where Elton was to premiere his Peachtree Road album. The wait was certainly worth it. I was thrilled that Elton picked the Tabernacle to perform at. The Tabernacle is an old church and was once the House of Blues. It seats only 1500 people. There is not a bad seat in the place. The show was being recorded for the BBC radio and also for tv. I hope this makes it to DVD. My night started off by getting there a few hours before showtime. The backstage door is very close to the street so I hung around there in hopes of catching a glimpse of Elton. I was just in time because I heard sirens that were getting closer and closer. It was Elton arriving with his motorcade. I saw Elton get out of his vehicle and walk inside. Later I met up with another fan who let me know I could get closer to the backstage door. There were trailers setup in the parking lot and found out you can stand on the other side of them to get a better look. While standing and chatting with other fans, Matt Lauer from the Today Show came out. He is handsome in person! A few of us tried to call him over, but he said he was late and was looking for his ride. He was running all around the parking lot looking for his driver. It was kind of funny to see him jump over the barriers. |
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| It's Matt Lauer! |
| Where is his ride? |
| Those damn barriers! |
| Another "celebrity" that was spotted was Arthur, Elton's cocker spaniel |
| It was so cold out and was thinking of leaving to get warm. Just then, a van arrived with the band. Davey got out and everyone yelled for him to come over. Everyone held out their albums, ticket stubs and whatever else they wanted signed. I got my Captain Fantastic cd autographed. Davey didn't stay long, he said he was in a hurry. I then spotted Nigel standing off to the side smoking and we yelled for him. He put his cigarette out and walked over towards us. He was more relaxed and not in such a hurry. A fan said she was supposed to marry him and he giggled. He too signed my cd and then I asked if I could get a picture with him. He said sure. So cool! I thanked him and said he was an amazing drummer. He then thanked me. |
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| Davey Johnstone |
| Nigel signing autographs |
| Me and Nigel |
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| My signed Captain Fantastic cd |
| I went to find my seat about an hour before the show. I was pleased to see how small the venue was and how beautiful it is. There are stained glass windows and organ horns behind the stage. Elton came out wearing a black suit with tails, white button down shirt, big gold scarf/tie, and white shoes. One of the better suits he's been wearing lately. And along with the band, Elton was backed up by a small choir (6 singers). He said he was going to do 9 songs from Peachtree Road and wished he could do more, but he and the band did not have time to rehearse. It was such a thrill to hear the new songs live. I got goosebumps with each song, especially during "Turn The Lights Out". The choir added such a great sound. I really hope they tour with him. "They Call Her The Cat" was so fun. Elton really got into the song with his right leg bouncing up and down as he pounded on the keys. The crowd loved it as well. He got a standing ovation after each song. The highlight of the evening was hearing "Bite Your Lip". He told everyone to sit before he starting singing, but once he started, everyone was on their feet. I don't think there was a person sitting down. I even saw an older gentleman in a suit jumping up and down. Another great moment was seeing Elton doing a small hand stand on the piano. He's still got it! It was such an amazing show. I would have to say it's tied with the One Night Only shows as my favorite concert. I really hope this gets released on DVD or is aired on tv sometime. After the show I went outside to the backstage area. There was a small crowd of fans waiting to see the man of the evening. The band was first to come out. They waved to the crowd and then jumped into their van. Elton came out a few minutes later. He climbed into his vehicle and the crowd started to applaud loudly. Elton then rolled down his window, waved and shook his fist in the air. You can tell he was loving the fans support. I took some pictures during the show, but did not manage to get many good shots. Even though one security guard told me it was ok to take pictures, another ran over to me and told me I couldn't. And as he was telling me this, everyone who has a picture cellphone was clicking away. I really have to get one of those. |
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