Yesterday Elton John celebrated his 60th birthday by doing something very special; no, not playing Madison Square Garden for the 60th time – we mean Elton John somehow spent a night on stage without bitching about everything like a crotchety old git.
Elton John's 60th birthday was marked last night with his 60th performance at Madison Square Garden in New York in front of 20,000 fans and guests like Bill Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams. Don't worry if you missed it, though, because Elton John's 60th birthday concert will be shown on ITV later this week – giving you the viewer the once in a lifetime chance to see Elton John sing a bunch of songs that he's sung a billion times before while Kate Thornton asks ridiculously asinine questions to the man who was directly involved with two separate peace agreements between Israel and Palestine.
It must be a difficult task knowing what to but Elton John for his birthday, because chances are he already owns whatever you wanted to buy him. Think Elton John could use some scented candles? Tough, he already makes his own. Think you can buy Elton John some nice clothes or shoes? Why bother, he'll only auction them off a couple months later. What about getting him a giant chocolate statue of Elto… he's already got one of those too? Bummer.
So instead of us buying Elton John something for his 60th birthday, he decided to do something nice for everyone instead – performing a three-hour concert in Madison Square Garden last night without once complaining about football or Oasis or the paparazzi or scruffy indie bands or record labels or people who call Elton John rude or Margaret Thatcher or how much Tobago hates Elton John – marking the longest period of time that Elton John has gone without griping since sometime he was wedged up his mother's womb.
But, as The Times reports, Elton John's 60th birthday party had something for everyone – presuming they like Elton John songs or hearing people who sort of annoy you talk relentlessly about how brilliant Elton John is:
Sir Elton's 60th show at the legendary venue started with a surprise introduction by former American president Bill Clinton, featured special appearances by comedians Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg and ended with an emotional rendition of Your Song. During the three-hour show the rocker dedicated Something About The Way You Look Tonight to partner David Furnish and paid tribute to John Lennon, who famously joined him on stage at the Garden in November 1974 in what turned out to be former Beatle's last concert performance before his death… Sir Elton's long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to him, as a basketball shirt-style banner reading "Elton 60" was unfurled and white confetti rained on to the stage. "I used to snort this stuff," Sir Elton joked.
But the Madison Square Garden concert was only one way that Elton John celebrated his 60th birthday – Elton has also written about standing up to anti-gay bigots for an important magazine – but it is certainly the biggest. And, really, we should thank Elton John for selflessly giving up his 60th birthday to perform the hits for his fans in a televised concert like this. One day we'll be able to look back on this occasion and think yes, we were there to witness the world's most elaborate advert for another Best Of Elton John CD and a bunch of downloads.
Read more:
Ro-Ler says
WIG!