JOHN, Elton.

Description

February 1974 Japanese concert tour program 

Large original program book lavishly produced for legendary Elton John’s February 1974 Japanese tour, presented by Udo Artists, Inc. The 11-date tour commenced with two consecutive shows at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on 1st and 2nd February, and ended at the Welfare Pension Hall, also in Tokyo, on 13th February, 1974. Coming right off his massive commercial breakthrough, the Japanese tour marked Elton’s return to Japanese stages with his classic core touring band consisting of guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson. The performances heavily spotlighted the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album, opening with “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” and transitioning into stadium staples like “Bennie and the Jets”, “Candle in the Wind”, “Rocket Man”, and “Daniel”. They also uniquely worked in his late-1973 non-album single “Step Into Christmas” during the early February shows. Elton traveled with elaborate, sparkly stage costumes and glasses that captivated Japanese fashion and music magazines like Music Life, cementing his flamboyant persona overseas. The intense pressure of wrapping up this heavy international touring block directly preceded his frantic sprint into the studio to record his next album, Caribou, later that Spring.

In original illustrated coated wrappers, staple bound, 25.7 x 36.3 cm, 32 pp. All text in Japanese. In excellent complete condition, tightly bound and clean.