Elton John: The Million Dollar Piano

Still making critically-acclaimed albums after nearly 50 years of success, Elton John wows an appreciative Caesars Palace crowd in Las Vegas during this refreshingly-medley-free 2012 concert featuring an energetic 18-song set. Seated behind the million dollar ($1.4 million actually) glass piano that Yamaha built for John (complete with an LED video screen), the senior citizen entertainer with the impish grin is surrounded by seasoned pros, including drummer Nigel Olsson (who was with John at the beginning), longtime guitarist Davey Johnstone, the late Bob Birch on bass, Kim Bullard on keyboards, John Mahon and Ray Cooper on percussion, the Croatian 2CELLOS (Luka Sulic, Stjepan Hauser), and a group of backup singers (with Rose Stone of Sly and the Family Stone fame). Although this is not a greatest hits concert (John has more hits than could possibly fit in a single performance), the king of ivory-tickling rock does serve up many favorites, including “Rocket Man,” “Your Song,” “Levon,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Blue Eyes” (for Elizabeth Taylor), “I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” “I'm Still Standing,” “Crocodile Rock,” and “Circle of Life,” and even invites audience members onstage for a rousing rendition of “Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting).” Wonderful highlights here include the rarely performed epic anthem “Indian Sunset” (a beautifully poignant elegy to Native Americans off Madman Across the Water), and the lovely and touching paean to New York “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.” Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include a featurette on John's new piano, and a four-song excerpt from his live 2012 concert in Kiev (featuring “Candle in the Wind”). Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)