Since “BlueFlame” has been begging me for months to upload this Tokyo show from the Songs From The West Coast Tour of 2001, I think it’s time to stop dawdling and get to work on that request! Although a video/soundboard of this show is popular all over Youtube, this audience source of the show doesn’t widely circulate and it definitely has its advantages. Not only is the quality excellent, but unlike the soundboard source, no songs are missing.

This source of the show gives you the complete picture as the additional songs support arguments on why this era is often considered to be one of Elton John’s greatest for the live shows. The band are in elite form tonight with many twists and turns being utilized throughout the set with a high degree of vigor and passion being put into the performances. Elton is in great voice with him turning up the heat and giving extra throughout the songs on not only the piano, but he plays around with his voice and is quite gusty on a number of songs. This is a highly recommended listen from this era and you’re in for an amazing show! Now… time to go through everything…

“Love Lies Bleeding” is a strong and energetic start to the show with Elton having a more settled voice compared to the Osaka performance from the previous day. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” has Elton’s vocal delivery growing more confident as the song progresses and the musicianship is full of spirited energy. “Bennie And The Jets” contains some spicy piano work and when combined with the rock-solid foundation of the band, this ranks among the best versions from the year! “Philadelphia Freedom” features Elton pushing his voice in places and also sounds pretty lively with some of his choices of embellishments. “Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes” is an excellent performance that surpasses the album as the vocal harmonies are nice and Elton’s passionate vocal delivery shines throughout. “The Wasteland” shows off Elton’s grittier vocal approach. “Rocket Man” highlights Elton’s 2001 vocal prowess as he uses his voice in a variety of ways. The musical side of things is no slouch either as there is some creatively awesome work going on throughout. “Daniel” has a nice intro from Elton and the performance is a great one as the band sound fantastic throughout. “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” sounds amazing with Elton throwing his voice around like a toy. “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore” ranks very high for the era as Elton belts the hell out the track. “(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket” has Elton giving the vocals a good go and while he struggles in a few places, the band energy more than makes up for things. “I Want Love” beats the album version as the entire band and Elton’s vocal performance sound excellent. “Birds” is an extremely powerful performance with Elton adding some layers of overdrive to his vocal performance and displaying great energy behind the piano. Concluding this section, “Country Comfort” sounds amazing with Elton’s older voice perfectly fitting the song.

“Take Me To The Pilot” is full of energy along with Elton delivering the vocals with some nice grit and punch. “Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” contains nice phrasing and Elton’s baritone voice shining throughout the classic ballad. “Holiday Inn” has fantastic vocal harmonies in the chorus sections along with Elton’s resonant belting and vocal control being highlights. “Tiny Dancer” shows off Elton’s mature voice and its softer tone in a very nice way as he glides through the lyrics. “Levon” is full of passion as Elton shows no fear in his gutsy vocal approach to the song and his piano playing along with the band’s prowess is outstanding. “American Triangle” features one of the best live renditions of the song as Elton’s emotionally-charged performance is on point and surpasses the studio recording. “Original Sin” is amazing and is among the elite live versions with Elton sounding exquisite. “I’m Still Standing” has doing a mostly good job on the vocals (although a couple of the chorus notes aren’t sung cleanly) along with Bob Birch’s bass sounding amazing. “The Bitch Is Back” has some guitar issues early on and Elton is right there to supply some juicy and gritty vocals to make up for things. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” has Elton changing lyrics in the first verse (although this may have been intentional due to Japan’s strict censorship laws for TV/broadcast-related subjects) and he really pushes the overdrive throughout the performance. “Your Song” showcases Elton’s soft tone while gliding through the classic hit single. “Crocodile Rock” has a great atmosphere throughout along with Elton throwing his voice around in randomly. “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” features Elton mixing his natural voice with some harder-edged distortion to great effect and the last chorus is delivered with vigor. Lastly, “Candle In The Wind” is nicely delivered with Elton’s tone still sounding quite strong at the end of the show.

ENJOY!!!

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