18. Nikita (Elton John - Live in Los Angeles : 10/10/1986)

The Elton 1986 band wagon continues with the first show from the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles! The quality is fantastic and the whole gig is complete (but I edited the encore cheering but kept all the speeches!) My last upload had Elton's voice in pretty good shape for 1986 standards, but sadly this one doesn't! From the start of this gig, Elton sounds very rough (due to vocal nodules slamming against his throat) but his voice does get slightly better as the show progresses. However, with his voice declining, Elton still attempts to go for higher notes in songs which mainly sound horrible especially in Better Off Dead and in particular TSS Killer's favourite Restless where he is extremely obnoxious which he is throughout on a number of songs including I'm Still Standing and Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting! Even with the negatives though, we do have some big positives musically including the Bennie And The Jets piano improv which is one of my favourite live moments from Elton and also his general piano playing as he goes all out trying to perform his best! And finally just like New York and all of 1986, the whole band is in top form! Enjoy!

Note: Elton causes controversy in the band intro at Jody Linscott's expense!

Note 2: Elton flubs the words during Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting due to singing far too fast!

Note 3: Elton's speech after Paris could also show why he lost his voice!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Nikita
• Elton
• John
• Los
• Angeles
• 1986

[formulaonemad]

@1caninelover Well that's what most people are like when young, when you get a little bit older you appreciate everything more than when you were younger and Elton's one of them things! Ok, he doesn't have the same voice as in the 1980's but he's still better than about 90% of artists that are out today

[1caninelover]

@formulaonemad I saw him in 1989 (because I wanted to see him in concert and REMEMBER the concert) I had seen him 2 other times in L.A. (once at Inglewood Forum, I was too young to get to Hollywood Bowl) The 3 California concerts I saw were in 2010 & loved them. Voice not the same but I could afford good tickets and hadn't seen him 21 years, San Diego concert was fabulous. I did not appreciate what a great performance he puts on when I was a kid, drunk and a mile from the stage!

[formulaonemad]

@1caninelover Universal Ampitheatre and it's a great show musically however his voice isn't the best! You could've attended the other show as well! And at least the 1989 shows were great! :D

[1caninelover]

Thank you for posting! Dang, I am sure it was a good concert, I know I was there but I don't remember a thing (I couldn't even remember the venues I saw him at in L.A. in the '80s. Quit drinking in '89 and it sure improved that memory thing!) Saw all 3 California concerts & they were great!