A greatest hits package showcasing the unique talent of a boy from Pinner who could knock out a decent tune!
When Reg Dwight first took the stage as a teenage keyboardist with Bluesology few could have imagined what lay ahead. But a sliding doors moment arrived when he placed an advert for a songwriting partner. He found Bernie Taupin, a lyricist who could set words to the music at his fingertips. Reg now dubbed Elton John was on his way to superstardom and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has been an integral part of the pop music scene since the early 70s and has no end of imitators queuing to pay homage. But the best of them is Jimmy Love who first cut his teeth on the Legends Tribute show in Blackpool.
Jimmy bounds onto stage in a gold lame suit similar to the one worn by Elton at Glastonbury last year. Fortunately the same height and build he has mastered the demeanour which proves long periods of study at close quarters. Jimmy is a brilliant pianist and backed by an equally superlative five piece band; Kevin Armstrong on bass, Matthew Angelo on guitar, Steve Mackrill on drums and Tom Stevens on keyboards. The line-up was completed by Tara Marie Armstrong who provided sterling support on backing vocals.
Friendly and good natured Jimmy quickly built a rapport with the audience. The patter between songs was welcome as he provided useful biographical details of Elton’s life. This is an important feature which is often overlooked by other tribute acts. In true Elton style the show was punctuated by frequent costume changes which helped illustrate various stages of Elton’s career.
And of course there are the songs, but what to choose in a career that has spawned 31 albums, 140 singles and the much coveted EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards)? With such an impressive body of work it becomes an almost impossible task and no one will ever be entirely happy. Even so, it’s a sensible selection of Elton’s greatest hits with ten songs either side of the interval. He kicks off with a cracking version of ‘Pinball wizard’ and refreshingly plays two lesser known tracks ‘Take me to the pilot’ and ‘Love lies bleeding’. He also plunders tracks from ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ and ‘The lion king’ and rounds off with ‘Crocodile rock’.
Jimmy Love is a consummate performer who understands exactly how to work an audience. He appreciates that a tribute act is not just about pulling off a good impersonation (which he does very well). But the secret is to project every facet of that artist. We get the substance of Elton John and the next best thing to the real thing; a superior night out for any music lover.
Produced by: Entertainers
Review by: Brian Penn
Playhouse Pickings 