ELTON JOHN "RED PIANO" Concert Review, LAS VEGAS... FINAL SHOW! The Queen Decrees NO PHOTOS! Old Music We Love. New Attitude We Didn't. ROCKET MAN

It's "Music Monday" & this Pop Superhero has a special treat:

a live concert review of Elton John's final "Red Piano" show in Las Vegas!

BONUS: I secured live concert photos & video of "Rocket Man."
We entered the lobby to an exact replica of the "Red Piano" Sir Elton John played in concert for every performance of his hit, Las Vegas show of the same title. There were a few folks lined up to have their photo taken with it by the professional assigned to that task. We were late, so we got right to our seats. Ceasar's Palace theater was small enough that were no "bad seats" on the floor or the single balcony.

The man himself entered to a standing ovation, and finished each of his first few hits to the same. Some of his fans tired of standing after every song, but Elton did not appear to enjoy each ovation any less. It was a night of "just the hit singles," and he played just about all of them.

"Together with photographer David LaChapelle, Elton John has created The Red Piano —
a career overview performance you won't soon forget," read the promo at Harrahs.com. The Pop Icon did not disappoint, feeding us #1 song after #1 song, happy after happier memory. Elton mocked other current Vegas Divas, such as Cher and Celine Dion. He even had humor enough to mock himself for only leaving "The Red Piano" once, struting quickly from one side of the stage to the other, then planting himself back behind his candy apple keys, only to complain about having to get up at all.

Some warned me before this show that Elton John's voice was "gone." Indeed, he can no longer hit the high octaves, nor can almost any many of his age. He left that job to his multi-tasking percussionist, who could mirror Elton's tenor from the 70's perfectly. Sir Elton stayed in the comfortable low melody lines which flattered his voice, and his band's back-up vocals blended in seamlessly. It wasn't Elton John in the 70's. It wasn't supposed to be.

My single complaint is that "The Queen" banned ALL PHOTOS. Noone could even take a replica of replica of "The Red Piano" in the lobby! There were dozens "Security" men everywhere, not to protect this music legend from physical harm, but to keep his fans from scarring him emotionally by photographing him. Apparently, Sir Elton John does NOT wish to have his photo taken and published in his current condition: IE. not 20 something. Even the promo video at Harrahs.com only showed him in concert from a distance. The rest of the video featured Elton in his youth. This makes me very sad, as it sends the wrong message to today's youth. We should cherish our elders... worship them. They can tell us now what we'll wish we knew when we look back on our youth at their age.

In the spirit of paying homage to our heroes, here is Elton John NOW, performing "Rocket Man."