Review: Elton John relished his goodbye to New Orleans at his farewell tour’s relaunch
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Late in the second hour of Elton John’s concert Wednesday at a full Smoothie King Center, he halted “I’m Still Standing” after a few bars. His band members stopped playing and looked at him. The LED wall behind them went dark.
Something wasn’t to John’s liking. “Let’s do that again,” he directed.
So they plunged back in. A video retrospective of John’s career, spanning his appearances from “Soul Train” to “The Simpsons” to “Carpool Karaoke,” restarted on the LED screen. And this time, the band navigated the song to John’s satisfaction.
Very few of the 14,000-plus fans in attendance likely noticed anything amiss in that first stab at “I’m Still Standing.” Even if they had, a mulligan was justified: the New Orleans concert was the band’s first following a 22-month pause in the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Even if no one else had noticed the mistake, Elton John did. And he couldn’t let it slide.
He has relished many things throughout his epic life and career: costumes, drugs, decadence, wigs, shopping, flowers, extravagance, travel and, more recently, charitable fundraising, marriage and fatherhood.
That he currently relishes performing, and the instant gratification and glory that come with it, was abundantly clear during the two-plus hours he and his robust band spent onstage Wednesday.
His appreciation is perhaps heightened by the knowledge that his remaining stage time is finite.
Now 74, John launched his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in September 2018. The 300-plus dates on the initial itinerary included a stop at a sold-out Smoothie King Center on Dec. 6, 2018.
He returned to the same venue to relaunch the tour. His crew loaded in the staging and gear on Jan. 14. John then rehearsed at the arena on Tuesday.
The “I’m Still Standing” slip-up aside, he showed little sign of rust. Wearing an elaborately embroidered jacket paired with sneakers and bedazzled eyeglasses, he went to work with many fans still idling in a traffic jam or stuck in epic lines outside the arena’s entrances.
The “Elton John” name sells the tickets and designates the star of the show. But he and the other five musicians onstage functioned more like a band in which he happened to be the singer and pianist.
Drummer Nigel Olsson backed John at his breakthrough 1970 gig at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Guitarist Davey Johnstone became a full-time member of the band in time for 1972’s “Honky Chateau” album. Percussionist Ray Cooper has also shared stages with John since the early 1970s.
Fellow percussionist John Mahon has been on-board for a quarter-century. Keyboardist Kim Bullard and bassist Matt Bissonette, the “new guys,” are at least a decade in.
Together and individually, they do not simply recite John’s hits. They play them.
That was obvious in the extended coda of “Rocket Man,” as Bissonette closely followed his boss’s lead. And in the way Bissonette’s bass interacted with Cooper’s congas at the end of “Take Me to the Pilot.” And how Johnstone’s guitar led the charge on “The Bitch Is Back” against a video of drag queens fighting in a pool.
John set the tone. His onstage high-kicks and headstands long ago receded in the rearview mirror. But his enthusiasm is still high. He popped off the piano bench after most songs, slammed the piano lid for emphasis, then encouraged louder cheers while blowing kisses to fans clustered against the stage.
His piano playing wasn’t as dazzling as during his 2015 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival tour de force. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting,” in particular, lacked some of its trademark piano parts, even as the drums and guitar punched up the song’s fighting spirit.
But John’s playing was consistently strong, as in the gospel-tinged conclusion of “Burn Down the Mission” and the New Orleans-inspired boogie of “Sad Songs Say So Much.” Alone onstage, he caressed “Candle in the Wind” as a Marilyn Monroe lookalike cavorted on the big screen.
His voice was hearty and rich, from the deliberate enunciation of “Tiny Dancer” to the way he dug into “Levon” and his full-bodied take on “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me.”
A fun “Crocodile Rock” and a yellow confetti shower during “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” closed the regular set. He returned for the encore in a glittering robe with, as he put it, “something a bit more up to date”: “Cold Heart (Pnau remix).”
His “Cold Heart” excursion with contemporary pop star Dua Lipa and Australian trio Pnau appears on “The Lockdown Sessions,” an album of collaborations John released in late 2021. Over a club/disco beat, “Cold Heart” samples from John’s “Rocket Man,” “Sacrifice,” “Where’s the Shoorah?” and “Kiss the Bride.” Last fall, it became his first No. 1 single in the United Kingdom in more than 15 years.
As the prerecorded track thumped, John sat at the piano and gamely sang his vocal parts. His nod to newfangled pop complete, he returned to his comfort zone, and his bandmates, for “Your Song.”
Winding down, he described how much New Orleans means to him. “I fell in love with the music of this city in 1957 when I first heard Fats Domino,” he said. New Orleans has a “funk that no other city has.”
He name-checked a litany of local musicians: Allen Toussaint, Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack, the Meters, the Neville Brothers, Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Trombone Shorty, Ernie K-Doe. New Orleans has suffered “terrible tragedies, but you always pick yourself up…because your city has character. It has soul. You should be so proud.”
Before the final “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” he reiterated that this would be the last song he ever performed in New Orleans — a reminder that this time, the farewell was for real. At the song’s conclusion, he dropped his robe to reveal a track suit, boarded a lift, ascended the slope of the stage riser and disappeared through a door in the LED wall.
At the encore’s outset, he’d said, “We tried our hardest. We hope you liked it.”
We did.
Camp Lejeune accident in Jacksonville, North Carolina, sees Marine driver, 19, charged as military vehicle crash kills 2
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TWO casualties were confirmed in a rollover crash involving service members in a military truck on Wednesday afternoon and the 19-year-old Marine driver has been charged.
Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed at a news conference after the accident that two Marines were killed in the accident near a Marine base in North Carolina.
4 Louis Barrera, a 19-year-old Marine from Springfield, Tennessee‚ has been revealed as the driver of the truck Credit: WNCT 9
4 Pictures from the rollover crash near Camp Lejeune on Wednesday afternoon
4 Fire services at the scene of the crash
Troopers said at around 4.40pm Wednesday that two others were transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital, according to WNCT.
The 2nd Marines Logistics Group later confirmed that a total of 17 people were injured.
The group’s news release states: “Two U.S. Marines died and 17 others were injured following a tactical vehicle rollover accident near the intersection of North Carolina Highway 210 and US Highway 17 in Jacksonville, North Carolina on January 19, 2022.”
Authorities will not be releasing the names of the deceased — both who were active duty service members — as they are being held “until 24 hours after the notification of next of kin.”
Additionally, the names of the 17 injured are also being withheld due to privacy rules.
Louis Barrera, a 19-year-old Marine from Springfield, Tennessee‚ has been revealed as the driver of the truck.
Barrera has been charged with one count of exceeding a safe speed and two counts of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, WCTI12 reports.
The crash involved US service members based at the Marine’s Camp Lejeune.
The two people who died were pronounced dead on the scene, while 15 were patients were taken to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune in stable condition.
Two patients were airlifted to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, and listed in critical condition.
As the tragic incident unfolded, a witness told WITN that there were “many injured” and that a helicopter was needed to transfer the injured for medical attention.
And the 2nd Marines Logistics Group said in a tweet that it was aware its service members were involved.
“We are working closely with @camp_lejeune and Onslow County officials to gather details regarding this incident,” it said. “We will release more information as it becomes available.”
It later confirmed there were “multiple casualties as a result of this incident.”
The crash happened in the area of US Highway 17 and NC Highway 210 around 1pm.
Onslow County Sheriff was assisting at the scene.
Fire and emergency services from Camp Lejeune were also on site, as were troopers from the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
As crews worked at the crash site, nearby roads were backed up with traffic as cars were being diverted.
The vehicle — a seven-ton military Mark23 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) — was holding a total of 19 military personnel when the crash happened.
All of the personnel inside the truck were a part of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
According to reports, the truck driver was trying to make a right turn on US Highway 17 when it overturned.
The turn prompted the Marines in the back part of the truck to be ejected.
Trooper Devin Rich revealed speed could have played a role in the crash.
Following the tragic event, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis tweeted: “Susan & I are praying for the families of the Marines who were tragically killed in an accident at Camp Lejeune, & we are praying for the full recovery of the Marines who were injured.
“God Bless our servicemembers who put their lives at risk every day to protect our nation.”
North Carolina Governor Ray Cooper also took to Twitter to send prayers.
He wrote: “I send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the U.S. Marines who lost their lives in a tragic accident today in Onslow County.
“We are so proud of our military heroes at Camp Lejeune and across North Carolina. Our prayers go out to them.”
Wausau West boys hockey surges past Marshfield
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Wausau Pilot & Review
WAUSAU – Wausau West scored three unanswered goals in the second period to break open a tie game and went on to defeat Marshfield 5-1 in a Wisconsin Valley Conference boys hockey contest Tuesday night at the Marathon Park Ice Arena.
West’s Connor Wendeall and Marshfield’s Tyler Reissmann exchanged goals in the first period as the teams played to a 1-1 tie.
West busted open the game in the second, with Thomas Gerum scoring twice and Cade Gruber adding another goal to give the Warriors a 4-1 lead.
Spencer Cooper added a goal midway through the third period to finish the scoring for West, which improves to 11-4-2 overall and remains perfect at 6-0 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
Cole Halvorsen made 40 saves in goal for Marshfield (8-7-1, 2-4 WVC).
Both teams play conference road games on Thursday with Marshfield traveling back to Wausau to take on Wausau East/Merrill at Marathon Park. West will be at D.C. Everest.
Warriors 5, Tigers 1
Marshfield 1 0 0 – 1
Wausau West 1 3 1 – 5
First period: 1. WW, Connor Wendell (Judah Leder, Tyler Cleveland), 2:09; 2. M, Tyler Reissmann (Noah Peterson), 11:33.
Second period: 3. WW, Thomas Gerum (Caden Bohlin), 1:52; 4. WW, Cade Gruber (Bohlin, Gerum), 8:03; 5. WW, Gerum (Bohlin, Tyler Skogstad), 11:50.
Third period: 6. WW, Spencer Cooper (Ray Reineck, Brody Brimacombe), 6:53.
Saves: M, Cole Halvorsen 40; WW, Adam Prokop 16.
Records: Marshfield 8-7-1, 2-4 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Wausau West 11-4-2, 6-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
PFL Heads Into 2022 Season as Co-leaders With UFC
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Published 01/19/2022, 6:38 PM CST
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has quite the expectation for the coming year.
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Fresh off a widely successful 2021 season, the US-based MMA league is already pegging 2022 to be their biggest year yet. And with good reason. For one, the PFL plans to hold exponentially more events in the year, supported by several new properties and executions.
The PFL, which officially began operations in 2018, has already established itself as the co-leader in the MMA scene, alongside industry giants the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A notable feat for an outfit that’s been around roughly four years.
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In an interview with the South China Morning Post, PFL CEO Peter Murray revealed as much: “On every metric, the PFL has surpassed Bellator as the number two in the world. I’m proud of what my team has accomplished here, and we are poised to become a co-leader.”
How they’ve managed to do it in such a short amount of time, however, comes down to a combination of multiple things – the biggest of them being their penchant for innovation.
Unique League Format
In an industry where promotion is the name of the game, the PFL decided to abandon that style altogether and go for a more traditional sports league approach. As such, the PFL is the only MMA organization in the world to feature a season-style format that has an elimination round, playoffs, and finals.
In each of the league’s last three seasons, they’ve managed to turn that format – anchored by some of the best fighters in the world – into must-see action. The league has made stars of Kayla Harrison and Ray Cooper III, both of whom are two-time titleholders. Add to that a million-dollar purse waiting at the end of the tournament, and you have a brand of MMA action that is unlike any other.
World Class Roster
The one-of-a-kind league format is indeed a big draw, but what makes it all work are the participants.
The PFL has already turned homegrown talents into household names, but they’ve also brought in some of the best and most decorated athletes in the combat sports world. Just in 2021, the PFL saw world champions such as Anthony Pettis, Fabricio Werdum, Rory MacDonald, and Claressa Shields enter the cage.
Prior to the end of the previous season, the league also brought in women’s MMA icon Julia Budd to compete in this year’s festivities.
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As the season draws closer, expect the league to announce even more big-name acquisitions and even more surprises. The man responsible for bringing the best is none other than Ray Sefo, President of Fighting Operations.
In 2022, the PFL will also launch a new property called ‘The PFL Challenger Series’, which will award up-and-coming fighters the opportunity to compete in the PFL’s million-dollar tournament.
“We have pro athletes that are aspiring to get into the season for the big-money, million-dollar opportunity. This is our way to develop talent and give them a stage,” Murray said. “Every night in the Challenger Series, one fighter will be selected and awarded a PFL contract.”
With this development, expect the PFL’s 2022 roster to be stacked.
Innovation Leading to Growth
The PFL takes pride in being the most innovative sports league in the world, and they’ve managed to back that claim up with the steps that they have taken to change the way fans view MMA.
The biggest step being their proprietary SmartCage technology, which has allowed fans a more in-depth look at the fights as they’re happening. Through the SmartCage, viewers have access to real-time stats such as strike speed, known as Cagenomics.
These stats and info have helped open the door for other avenues of entertainment, such as betting. Throughout the 2021 season, the PFL partnered with the likes of DraftKings and BetMGM.
In 2020, the promotion also launched ‘PFL Studios’, which gave fans access to a plethora of exclusive content on the league’s mobile platform. Since then, the league has partnered with numerous platforms such as Wave.TV and Sugar 23 to carry PFL content.
Global Expansion
The PFL has also continued to push its efforts toward global expansion by linking up with the biggest broadcasters around the globe. Worldwide, viewers can see the PFL through networks such as ESPN, Bild, Globo, Digisport, Telesport, Eurosport, and many other platforms.
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It is available for fans across countries such as Russia, India, Brazil, South Korea, and Germany, among others.
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In 2022, the promotion plans to take the action overseas, with the possibility of staging the championships outside of the United States for the first time in league history.
No doubt, the PFL is a global platform for mixed martial artists.
JP Cooper & RAY BLK Come Together For Emotive New Duet Called “Need You Tonight”
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JP Cooper and RAY BLK have linked up for an exceptional new duet called “Need You Tonight”.
The relatable and emotive track is taken from JP’s upcoming album She that will drop on the 18th of February.
Centering around themes of heartbreak, pain and loss, the track is sure to resonate with many.
On the duet, JP Cooper said, “Need You Tonight” is a song about navigating the fallout of a young relationship in a small town. It’s one of my favourite songs from the album and really sparks so many photographic memories for me.”
RAY BLK added, “JP reached out about doing a verse on this song and as soon as I heard it, I was really moved and it brought up emotions I related to. I really wanted to write the best thing possible to add to what was already a beautiful song and so I took inspiration from my own heartbreak, and I’m really proud of what we’ve created.”
The fitting visual is a performance video, showing the two in perfect synergy as they perform the song along with live instruments.
Take in “Need You Tonight” above.