Review: Bryget Chrisfield. Photos: Laura Manariti
These Melbourne-exclusive concerts mark 40 years since Sir Elton John handpicked the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to accompany him on his national Tour de Force tour around Australia. The final concert of this massive 1986 rock-symphony collaboration – on December 14, 1986 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre – was recorded and released as the Live In Australia With The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra album.
All clad in white, the Superband – with a couple of additional honorary members: Lindsay Field and guitarist/slide guitarist Brett Garsed (from John Farnham’s band) – take the stage alongside the MSO and conductor Chong Lim.
We sink into our seats and let the overture – featuring fully orchestrated instrumental versions of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Your Song, Bennie And The Jets and Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting – wash over us.
Then Jason Dean is introduced to the stage. Resplendent in a black sequinned tail suit decorated with shimmering silver stars, he takes a seat at the piano. Philadelphia Freedom opens proceedings, with crashing drums, flighty strings and divine BVs supplied by Tania Dean and Lynda Fenollar, whose joyous synchronised dance moves delight throughout.
It takes a second to get used to Dean’s vocal tone and phrasing, since we’ve become so accustomed to singing along to Elton’s records across the decades, but he interprets these songs his own way while honouring The Rocket Man.
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues follows, gently rolling out swoonworthy lyrics (eg. “I simply love you/ More than I love life itself”) and culminating in an incredible harmonica solo by Artie Jones.
Dean opens Bennie And The Jets with aplomb, playing those iconic stomping piano chords with maximum power. The crowd audibly gasps as they recognise the intros to their favourite songs – including Your Song, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (a highlight orchestral arrangement) and Daniel, which Dean performs solo, accompanying himself on piano. Dean tells us he first performed this one as part of Superband’s The Piano Men show (which also celebrates Billy Joel), after a friend dared him to tackle it.
Guitarist Dylan Boyd takes centre stage to sing George Michael’s parts in Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. After donning a magenta mullet wig and novelty glasses, Dean busts into Kiss The Bride with exactly the right amount of vamping intensity. “It’s Thursday night, but we’re gonna do Saturday Night,” Dean announces, launching into the party banger, which is infused with triumphant brass parps. “SATURDAY, SATURDAY, SA-TURDAY…” – the audience joins in, singing along with gusto, to close Act 1 out on a high.
For the show’s second half, Dean materialises in full, all-white Amadeus attire – wig included (although he swiftly removes this). Before The Bitch Is Back, which features a killer sax solo from Jones, Dean introduces three of MSO’s musicians who were also part of the 1986 Tour de Force tour: flautist Prue Davis and two violinists, Bobby Macindoe and Lorraine Hook.
Fenollar takes Kiki Dee’s parts in Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, playfully engaging with Dean. The MSO elevates the melodically rich Goodbye Yellow Brick Road to euphoric heights and Garsed’s slide-guitar playing makes us feel suspended in space during Rocket Man. Dean’s ballerina daughter stars in the standout track Tiny Dancer’s visuals (she was 13 at the time of filming, but is now “17 going on 55”, according to her dad). Tania Dean, Jason’s wife, shares his piano stool to sing Dua Lipa’s parts in the Cold Heart (PNAU Remix).
Dean invites us to get up and have a boogie during I’m Still Standing, and a lady in the crowd jumps up sporting a pair of wacky, red, Elton-esque light-up glasses. Crocodile Rock is enlivened by crisp tambourine and our enthusiastic, “LA-LA-LA-LA-LAAAAAA!” singalong.
After revealing he didn’t start classical piano lessons until he was 12, Dean admits he dared to dream he might share a stage with the MSO one day. It’s heart-warming to watch him choking up while acknowledging the surreal experience of bringing this dream to fruition.
Candle In The Wind makes a perfect closer and we’re positive we’re not the only audience members choking up.
Special shoutout to the expressive Auslan interpreters, who embodied the lyrics and emotional depth of Elton’s masterpieces.
The Music Of Elton: 40 Years Of Elton x MSO plays at Hamer Hall until Sunday 4 October