Elton John, with Lady Gaga assist, rocks Sunset Strip
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Elton John thanked this city Saturday with a free outdoor concert, but the thousands of fans who enjoyed the one-hour-plus pop-up show were the really grateful ones.
The superstar singer and piano player, showing West Hollywood his appreciation for its support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, performed a selection of his huge catalog of hits for those in and around the parking lot of the former Tower Records. One of the biggest highlights came when Lady Gaga joined John and his five band members near the end of the 72-minute show for a rendition of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.
Elton John concert to stream live Saturday
Elton John's 'Wonderful Crazy Night' of the soul
On stage, John personally thanked the city for helping with the foundation's work and with his annual Academy Awards viewing party. The singer and his husband, David Furnish, will host the 24th edition of the Oscars party Sunday at West Hollywood Park.
The surprise concert, presented by AOL Build and BBVA Compass and streamed live on AOL.com, was announced only Friday evening, with Lady Gaga's brief appearance kept a secret until she tweeted the news Saturday morning.
As thousands looked on from the Tower Records parking lot, Sunset Boulevard, a side street and the roofs of nearby buildings, John said it was fitting to have the performance at the site of the former records store, one of his favorite places. "I probably could have bought L.A. with the money I spent in Tower Records," he joked.
The concert was heavy on hits. The star and his band, performing in the sun on a warm, late winter afternoon, went back to the 1970s to open the show with The Bitch Is Back, followed by Bennie and the Jets.
Other classics included Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Levon, which featured one of a number of energetic piano solos from John, wearing a black suit accented by red sequins, with a rose on the back of his jacket.
The singer, seated at the piano, was a bit sentimental when he introduced Your Song, a tune he performed in 1970 at the famed Troubadour club, which is just a short drive away. "Here we are, 46 years later," he said, dedicating the song to his longtime manager.
The crowd, which featured a heaping helping of Baby Boomer and Gen X fans along with Millennials and younger concertgoers, heard songs from John's new album, Wonderful Crazy Night, including the title track, Looking Up, Blue Wonderful ("A very L.A. song," he said) and a ballad, A Good Heart, from the generally uptempo new collection.
After Wonderful Crazy Night, John acknowledged the crowd. "We've had a blast. Thank you all for coming today."
He dedicated Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me to the fans, with Lady Gaga, dressed in blue, drawing huge applause (and many upraised cellphone cameras) as she joined mid-song. The two embraced onstage at the end, with Gaga, nominated for an Oscar Sunday for original song, endorsing his new album: "A beautiful record."
The band closed with a rousing Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting, with band members joining John at the piano and the singer jumping up to implore the crowd to sing the chorus. It was only Saturday afternoon, but it was definitely alright.