Fan Report by Chris Akins.

As I walked into the beautiful FedEx Forum arena right off of Beale Street, the sounds of an Elton John solo show were coming from a special edition Yamaha Red Piano. As different people from different generations gathered around the piano, one could instantly feel the magic of Elton in the air.

I had just attended the Nashville show on September 30, 2005, so I did not purchase any merchandise, but was excited to see the Captain Fantastic tour shirts were included on this last US leg of the tour. My group found our seats in section 214 in the very back of the arena.

Now, I have never seen Elton from such a distance, and I was wondering about how the sound was going to be. From these "nose bleed" seats it was still easy to spot the infamous Yamaha and we anxiously awaited for the man to arrive to put the grand piano to work.

Sure enough at approximately 8:05pm, the lights went down and the lightning began to strike on the LCD screens behind the stage. As Elton walked onto the stage, the crowd was very enthusiastic, and I think Memphis enjoyed the journey down Peachtree Road. "They Call Her the Cat" got some of the crowd up on their feet dancing.

However, the section I was in was not very gracious on the standing ovations or standing up and dancing during the rockers. Oh, and by the way, Elton's sound was fantastic, even from the very back of the arena.

Overall, Memphis was a great crowd. You could hear the entire arena singing along with the legend himself during "Levon", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", "Tiny Dancer", "Rocket Man", and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight".

From as far away as I was, I could still feel Elton's enormous energy. "Rocket Man" was exceptional as always and hearing him and his band perform this live is such a treat, and I love the R-O-C-K-E-T-M-A-N on this tour, however my group did not catch what he was singing.

The Voice of Atlanta Choir is tremendous and they are so classy and entertaining. They bring an entire new level of soul to some of Elton's music. On November 19, 2005, I'm off to see the final US show for Elton on his Peachtree Road Tour in Indianapolis. I'm really looking forward to another amazing experience, however, it will be bitter-sweet because I know it will be awhile before I'm able to see him again.

Following is the complete setlist of the Memphis show on November 4, 2005:

• Weight of the World
  
• Porch Swing in Tupelo
  
• Answer in the Sky
  
• Turn the Lights Out When You Leave
  
• My Elusive Drug
  
• They Call Her the Cat
  
• Freaks In Love
  
• All That I'm Allowed
  
• Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
  
• Bennie and the Jets
  
• Daniel
  
• Take Me to the Pilot
  
• Rocket Man
  
• I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues
  
• Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
  
• Tiny Dancer
  
• Philadelphia Freedom
  
• Sad Songs (Say So Much)
  
• Someone Saved My Life Tonight
  
• Levon
  
• Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
  
• Bitch is Back
  
• Saturday Night's Alright
  
• Crocodile Rock
  
• Your Song

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