I was hoping this would happen...
The complete Elton John 60th Birthday Concert performance live at Madison Square Garden comes out on 2DVD in September with LOTS of bonuses!


From the press release from http://www.eltonjohn.com

July 27, 2007

Elton birthday concert DVD set for release

"Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden" streets Sept. 24/25

By Doug Miller/eltonjohn.com

A special look at Elton's big night
A special concert photo gallery
The birthday concert set list: http://www.eltonjohn.com/components/pdf ... ETLIST.pdf

Elton John's 60th birthday was an unforgettable celebration of the man and his legendary music, and it was capped by one of his most epic concert performances in years.

The three-hours-plus marathon at New York's Madison Square Garden -- Elton's record-setting 60th gig in that storied building -- was attended by a host of A-list celebrities and broadcast live all over the world.

Fittingly, you'll be able to own it for yourself 60 days from now.

"Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden" is easily the most anticipated Elton John DVD release in recent memory, and it will be available everywhere internationally on Sept. 24 and in the United States on Sept. 25.

In keeping with the grand, long-standing tradition of Elton spoiling his fans, this DVD will be like none other. The two-disc package features all 33 songs on the Garden set list, including classics such as "Your Song," "Crocodile Rock" and "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" and rare live cuts including the appropriately named opener, "Sixty Years On," plus "Madman Across the Water," "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun" and "Roy Rogers."

But that's not even close to the whole package.

• The DVD set will also be loaded with special extra features, including a healthy helping of "Live, Rare and Unseen" concert tracks, such as a 1970 version of "Border Song" from Swiss television, BBC renditions of "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from 1971, and a mini-set of selected "New York Stories" performances culled from Elton's seemingly endless catalogue of live performances in Gotham and album tracks that mention the Big Apple.

• Fans will also be able to purchase a collector's box that will include the DVD set and a bonus live CD from various classic Elton tours, and the collector's box also will include a 72-page booklet with a souvenir poster and more.


______________________________


Fixed release date in Steve's thread title, and am also adding pre-order URLs to this first post. ~ Linda

The DVD is released in 3 formats:

• The Standard 2-disc version:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZD4AS/?tag=imwan-20

• The Deluxe 2-disc hardcover book version:

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.a ... m=lk_imwan

• The Limited Edition 3-disc Collector's Box, featuring the two DVDs plus an additional live CD of 15 selected songs from the Elton 60 concert, as well other much-coveted souvenirs from the concert. These are the souvenir poster, "All Access" laminated backstage pass with eltonjohn.com red lanyard, and a 72-page booklet including a reproduction of the original concert programme. The Collector's Box is being sold exclusively via Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TTPF4I/?tag=imwan-20

__________________________________


(Added by Linda)

A Blu-ray version released on December 4th:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V7FZ7K/?tag=imwan-20

Elton John 60th Birthday Concert at Madison Square Garden, NYC

Track list:

Sixty Years On
Madman Across The Water
Where To Now St Peter?
Hercules
Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun
Take Me To The Pilot
High Flying Bird
Holiday Inn
Burn Down The Mission
Better Off Dead
Levon
Daniel
Honky Cat
Empty Garden
Rocket Man
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
The Bridge
Roy Rogers
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Bennie And The Jets
All The Young Girls Love Alice
Tiny Dancer
Something About The Way You Look Tonight
Philadelphia Freedom
Sad Songs
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
I'm Still Standing
The Bitch Is Back
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
Your Song

I haven't come across any mention anywhere yet as to whether there will also be a possible CD release for this release.
I hope there will be...

Steve

Thanks for reporting this, Steve. I'm definitely in for this one. On one hand, I'm very happy that the bonuses will feature to prime days footage. On the other hand, I'm going to be squirming when I'm watching that stuff because I'll be thinking to myself how so much more of it should be released.
Jimbo, this one is going to bring back some very special memories of a great gig for you. I'm really looking forward to watching the whole thing.

Since they mention a "mini-set of selected "New York Stories" performances culled from Elton's seemingly endless catalogue of live performances in Gotham" as bonus material, I'm hoping they might include footage of the Lennon appearance in 1974 and some footage of the Jump Up Tour from 1982 when Yoko and Sean walked out onstage after he sang Empty Garden.

Mark

Yeah, there may be a "couple" of omissions from the vaults but at least this baby is loaded enough and it's the entire concert. Unlike we are about to get from Kiss and the half shows and edited interviews.

This one is REALLY for the fans unlike the Kiss set. (which of course I will get as well but it really sucks how it is being done)

Hey Rich...I'll be buying the KISS set as well...

Mark

According to Elton's website there will be a deluxe edition that will include a CD of past performances of various tours. No mention of a CD of the 60th birthday concert though.

Jeff

Mark,

We're a sad lot, aren't we?

Rich

Hey Rich,

Gene Simmons has us by the financial balls because he knows we crave this stuff. I just wish they would include full and complete stuff as opposed to excerpts here and there. They know we know it exists, so why play with your fans. Even on the bonus discs...put the full show on them. Largo is missing 3 songs.

Mark

Mark,

We need Chris on here so he can preach to us as well. I'm with you bud. Big time! What will really gripe me is if Gene edits out Ace from the Tom Snyder interview; which seems to be the consensus. I just hope everyone and myself are wrong. But we are usually right on the guessing game especially on Kiss.

However, I will be sticking it to the "man" (Gene) when I do my box swap a couple of times so I can aquire all three discs. If they can routinely screw us, the paying fans/collectors, then I can put my concious aside for a while to get what I want. No worries or appologies.

Rich

Hey Rich,

"Beth" and "2,000 Man" are already removed from Largo so you might not be too far off for what will be removed from the Snyder interview.

Can I send you blank DVD's to get copies of the other 2 bonus DVD's?

Mark

There are 12 posts in this Elton john thread, but SIX of them are on Kiss.
No offense guys but... can we please stay on topic.

Many thanks.

Great setlist on that DVD. A must purchase for sure.

http://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=41752

>> Elton John Wants To Shut Down the Internet

POP legend Sir Elton John wants the internet CLOSED DOWN.

Never one to keep his opinions to himself, the Rocket Man has waded into cyberspace with all guns blazing. He claims it is destroying good music, saying:

“The internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other, creating stuff. Instead they sit at home and make their own records, which is sometimes OK but it doesn’t bode well for long-term artistic vision. It’s just a means to an end. We’re talking about things that are going to change the world and change the way people listen to music and that’s not going to happen with people blogging on the internet. I mean, get out there — communicate. Hopefully the next movement in music will tear down the internet. Let’s get out in the streets and march and protest instead of sitting at home and blogging. I do think it would be an incredible experiment to shut down the whole internet for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span. There’s too much technology available. I’m sure, as far as music goes, it would be much more interesting than it is today.”

Multi-millionaire Elton, who turned 60 earlier this year, has admitted in the past that he is a bit behind the times. The Grammy award-winner was once quoted as saying: “I am the biggest technophobe of all time. I don’t have a mobile phone or an iPod or anything. I am such a Luddite when it comes to making music. All I can do is write at the piano.”

Sales of Elton’s last album The Captain & The Kid were disappointing — it barely shifted 100,000 copies. And in the past Sir Elt has opposed illegal downloading of his music from the net. But the flamboyant singer has embraced the web in other ways. The 60th birthday concert Sir Elton played to a 20,000-strong crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden was streamed live over the internet. The singer also announced earlier this year that his entire back catalogue of albums would be made available for digital download.

The internet has played a huge role in kick-starting the careers of some of Britain’s best new talent. Sandi Thom shot to fame after broadcasting webcam concerts from her London basement flat, while both the Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen acknowledge the part played by the web in their success. But Elton also complained about the quality of music being released. He said: “In the early Seventies there were at least ten albums released every week that were fantastic. Now you’re lucky to find ten albums a year of that quality. And there are more albums released each week now than there were then.”

I guess that’s what Sir Elt would call a net loss . . . <<

Sir Elton Hercules John is just jealous because there are more fansites for David Furnish then there are for him.

The below photograph shows Mr. Sir John attempting to strangle Mr. Furnish in a fury of jealous rage. Mr. Furnish is smiling because, unaware of Mr. Sir John's envy, he believes his husband to be affectionately play-acting.

Here's the whole interview:

INGRID SISCHY: So. Elton, this time we'll be talking for our August music issue. I wanted to speak with you about the role that music plays in the culture. There was a moment when rock 'n' roll was new. There was a moment when pop was new. Going back, there were moments when classical music and jazz were new too. But since hip hop came along more than two decades ago, that shock of the new in music hasn't really been felt. What has to happen now for something truly new to come along and shake things up again?

ELTON JOHN: Hip-hop is really the only thing over the last couple of decades that could possibly be called a new thing that had an impact on music. It was a huge movement. But after a while, like everything, it leavened and became part of the mainstream. So what's the next thing around the corner? God, I wish I knew. One of the greatest things about music is that you can never know what's going to happen. I remember being at school and somebody giving me a Beatles single and saying, "Listen to this. Listen to this." It was "Love Me Do." I listen to it, and it did sound incredible. But I had no idea of the sort of impact it would have on my life. It was a single that came out, and it was mildly successful - then everything exploded. So you never know what talent is lurking out there that's going to have a huge impact. It always happens - although a phenomenon like the Beatles will probably never happen again.

IS: Why do you think that is?

EJ: Because back then we had records and we had the radio, but when it came to where you would get your music, that was basically it. The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan - they all broke through that way. Today people can get music from so many different sources.

IS: So what you're saying is that part of what made those acts so powerful is that the distribution system was much more monolithic. There weren't a thousand alternatives.

EJ: Yes, exactly. Look at television back then. When the Beatles were on The Ed Sullivan Show, we all tuned in. It was an event. There were three channels in total on American television; to see a band like the Beatles on one of them was a very big deal. Now, though, there are hundreds of channels, not to mention all the video channels and on-demand services and satellite networks. The choices are infinite. People can see clips of virtually anybody anytime they want. Then you factor radio and the Internet into the equation. We live in an extremely fractured world today, so it's much more difficult to galvanize an audience now than when the Beatles first broke through.

IS: One of the great things about experiencing art is when you look at something, and it pisses you off to the point where you go, "That's not art!" That's the moment when something really happens. When you think of moments like that in music, like when people first heard jazz or rock or pop or punk or hip-hop –


EJ: The older generation was outraged.

IS: And part of that fury was fueled by the idea of "That's not music!"

EJ: Because they'd never heard anything like it before. The one thing that all of those movements that you mentioned have in common is that they really challenged popular notions of what music could be. Improvising in jazz - that was a radical act. So was scratching records on a turntable. Part of the problem is that people just don't leave enough to the imagination anymore, and imagination is what allows artists to do original work. In order to read a book, you have to use your imagination to piece together what s going on. Everyone has a different idea of what's happening when they read Moby Dick. Everyone has their own vision of it because that's what reading a book demands. But processing all of the information we have access to today is different. There is television and the Internet, but then there are also computers and cell phones and e-mail and iPods and handheld video devices. There are huge amounts of information that we are constantly being bombarded with from every angle. I think that you need to be able to be alone in order to be imaginative, and in order to do that today, you really have to work to cut yourself off from everything. You cannot possibly create something new by channeling all that is available to you, because you're going to be subconsciously influenced by what you see in a million different ways. Plus, I'm a firm believer that if you see rubbish, you're going to make rubbish. Of course, there are people doing great work out there; it's just harder now to avoid the mediocre stuff. For example, in the early '70s, there were at least 10 albums released every week that you could buy that were fantastic. Now you're lucky to find 10 albums a year of that quality—and there are exponentially more albums released each week now than there were back then.

IS: I wanted to touch on something you said about people needing to be alone in order to be imaginative. In a crazy way, music is interesting because it's one of the few art forms in which the greatness doesn't have to come out of being alone - it can be a group of girls and guys working together as a band. It's a form where great things can come out of the collective. So, in fact, music is a very important medium for the times that we live in now, because it is a group form. But also, great explosions in art and music cannot happen in isolation. There needs to be the right social atmosphere for them to occur. In the '60s, when the Beatles came along, the world was in revolution.

EJ: It was a time when people were willing to stand up and take a chance. They were ready to voice their opinions, baby. They were experimenting with sounds and fusion in music, and they were willing to embrace all sorts of ideas. But even more than that, it was a time when people were using their minds collectively to create things. When I wrote songs in the old days, I studied. I listened to so many different things - I studied records, I studied sounds. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and all of those bands that came out of England in the '60's were so stoked on their knowledge of American music, which was really the fundamental inspiration for their music. The music that inspired them had basically been undiscovered even in America, and there was an incredible amount of quality material to draw upon.

IS: Also, there was an audience out there that hungered to hear something new. The same cultural atmosphere that was producing those 10 fantastic records a week was doing the same thing in all of the arts - in painting and film and dance and literature. It was the same in the 1920s and 1930s, with the advent of jazz and everything else that was going on in art and interior design and fashion. So those kinds of sea changes happen in multiple ways on multiple fronts.

EJ: You can't create those moments. They happen on their own - and you have to thank God when they do.
There will be someone amazing who comes along with something new to say.

IS: And there will be a cultural moment where people hunger for artists to shock and surprise them.

EJ: Maybe it will come with a change of government in America. People have been browbeaten to death and censored by the current administration - this administration is probably one of the most suppressive in modern American history. For example, Joan Baez was going to sing for the troops, and she was apparently told by the Army that she wasn't wanted. This is Joan Baez - one of the biggest patriots that America has ever had. And she was told by the Army that she wasn't welcome to sing. Out of this kind of suppression, some rebellion must come, surely. Music needs revolutions. It needed punk. It needed hip-hop. It needs different points of view to stir things up and get some vitality and energy into it. Pop music is all about delivering messages. In the '60s it was the political voices that came to the front, but there have been hardly any for this war in Iraq. There have been some protest songs and concerts and things, but none of it has really caught on. The Internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other, creating stuff. Instead, they sit at home and make their own records which is sometimes okay, but it doesn't bode well for long-term artistic I vision. It's just a means to an end. Here, we're talking about things that are going to change the world and change the way people listen to music, and that's not going to happen with people blogging on the Internet. I mean, get out there. Communicate. Go be with people and talk to people. Go read a book, even. Hip-hop, as we said earlier, was born out of anger - and caused outrage. Hopefully the next movement in music will tear down the Internet. Let's get out in the streets and march and protest instead of sitting at home blogging.

IS: So you don't have your own blog?

[laughs]

EJ: I think people should be shot if they blog. [laughs]

IS: There's a new social movement: Stamp out blogging. You're a riot. But seriously, art does need to embrace new technologies - otherwise the only people using the new technologies are technocrats. For instance, computers have ratcheted up animation in a great way. People like the Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, who did Spirited Away [2002], really understand how much humanism and the human soul matters in working with technology.

EJ: I know, but there's too much technology available. I do think it would be an incredible experiment to shut the whole Internet down for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span - I'm sure, as far as music goes, it would be much more interesting than it is today. We need something like jazz or hip-hop or punk to come along and shake things up. Punk had everything to do with people's lot in life. It wasn't just a movement in music - it was a movement in fashion, in attitude. Of course, there were a lot of bad things that came out of it, but there were a lot of great things as well, like the Clash. It was a whole sweeping movement of disenchantment. I think the disenchantment of this moment has got to come out. I hope whatever it produces will be even fiercer than punk. We need something to do that -and we need it quickly.


Jeff

Gene Simmons is so bad, KISS fans bitch about him in an Elton John thread. I love when threads go off-topic and transmogrify - reminds me of the good old days!! If ya can't have fun, what's the point?

An advance copy of KISSology II got into the hands of a collector. From what I've read, there's a 10 minute segment from Tom Snyder's show. Some of Ace's classic lines are supposedly in there, though the part where they talk about "Beth" is curiously cut out.

According to the fan review, the concert footage and Attack Of The Phantoms look great, never better, although "God Of Thunder" is omitted from Sydney 1980 and "Rise To It" is cut from Detroit 1990.

And now, back to Sir Elton of John.

maybe no cd release but until then am happy for that dvd ripper program that i have,yea it sucks that i have to add the id tags,but once done i'm able to enjoy the concert in my car,plus i have some of his best shows on reel to reel that i need to burn onto cd & yes i know i just aged myself by mentioning my reel to reel player

CD Universe (the video section) is still showing the Deluxe Edition as being a UK release and at about $60.00 . I'm going to wait a bit longer to see if there's a correction on it and the price comes down. I really want the special souped-up package.

Musictap is reporting that it will be released on October 2nd. He worded it kind of awkwardly though. I'm pretty sure he says it's October 2nd. During the course of this coming week, I will keep checking to see if the price changes for the Deluxe Collector's Edition or not.

Pause and Play is also reporting a date change to October 2nd as well.