DESCRIPTION:
Hey all you fantastic Elton John fans and loyal subscribers to my channel! I have a great show for you to enjoy. This time, after doing a lot of 1980s shows, I have decided to go back to the 1970s with a fantastic solo show, my earliest one to date: live at the Rainbow Theatre in London with Ray Cooper on May 7, 1977! The quality of the show is very clear and fantastic, and it is 100% complete, with all the songs! The show was previously uploaded here by someone previously, but I am doing a better upload with an accurate photo and a great description!

Out of all 1970s shows, this one is my personal fave because Elton sings in his awesome pre-1979 voice, and in even better shape as well! His piano playing is top-notch as always, and he is backed up by my favorite percussionist, Ray Cooper, who provides some great backing on this solo show starting with Better Off Dead. He also has a great audience which enthusiastically cheers his great songs, and Elton even shares witty banter with them! Overall, the whole intimate atmosphere provides for a mind-blowing EJ concert experience!

Your Song starts the show, appropriate since it was his first #1 hit, and a great live solo version to boot. He then follows this with The Greatest Discovery, another great song from his 1970 self titled album, and this has to be one of the greatest versions ever, the vocals and solo piano are just plain amazing. Following this is Border Song, another beautiful song from the same album, and this version just bests the original version, I love the faster pace, making it more forceful than the original, and more inspirational as well, further reinforced by Elton's fiery voice. Next is Daniel, a great 1970s version, next to Edinburgh 1976, and one of the best versions of all. The pace is similar to Edinburgh, but the voice is even better, and it is a lot more emotional. Sweet Painted Lady then comes, and oh boy, what a great version it is! It is my favorite version of all, even better than Edinburgh, and Elton comments before the song that it is one of the better songs off Yellow Brick Road, and he even pities that he doesn't perform it live much. So true! Rocket Man follows, and it is very good, with great piano and vocals to match! Next comes an old Marvin Gaye classic, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, which he introduces with a very funny speech. The performance is great, even better than Marvin's because Elton sings with a lot of energy and the addition of his piano makes it even better. Candle in the Wind comes up next, and it is amazing as always, because of his moving vocals and mournful piano. He then lightens the mood with Roy Rogers, which just happens to be a great version, Elton sings masterfully, and the solo piano just makes it even more epic! Next up is a surprising choice: Dan Dare, one of Elton's most underrated songs, and the only live version that I know of! This version just blows away the album version, because the solo piano and vocals are even better than the original version, and it is just plain fun! Cage the Songbird, with soft vocals and piano. St. Peter follows this, and it is very beautiful as well. Next is Ticking, very hauntingly played. Next is a very beautiful version of Don't Let the Sun Go Down, which is then followed by my personal fave version of Take Me To the Pilot, which is very energetic, with great vocals and frenetic piano playing, the "na-na-na's" near the end are fun, he also says "Mahna Mahna" during this part (all you Muppet fans should get this!) Next comes Funeral For a Friend, which transitions into Tonight, which is undoubtedly the best live version ever. He liberally uses falsetto, and his voice is just very beautiful on this version, melding well with the lovely piano.

Enter Ray Cooper! Starting with percussion on Better Off Dead, his strong beats merge well with Elton's piano and voice to make a great version. Idol is up next, and even though I love the 1979 versions better, this version is one of the best, Elton's youthful voice perfectly fits this somber song in tribute to a fallen Elvis-esque teen idol. Ray's vibes also adds to the song's lamenting mood. After the song ends, Elton does a funny intro to a great song, I Feel Like a Bullet. This version is excellent, Elton's voice betters the album version. The mood lightens again with I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself, very cheerful and upbeat despite the lyrics which suggest otherwise, Ray's percussion only adds to the upbeat performance. Elton even tells Ray to "take it away!" during the solo part near the end. With Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, the mood becomes somber, but it is very beautiful nonetheless. Next is a very frenetic and fun version of Crazy Water, which precedes an amazing version of Bennie and the Jets! The climax continues with Saturday Night's Alright, then Elton ends the show with Goodbye, a very fitting choice.

With this show, i hope you will enjoy this as it is one of the best EJ live shows ever!