Elton John - Live in New York (August 7th, 1982) - 2024 UPGRADE

Elton John
At Live in Madison Square Garden
New York City, New York, USA
August 7th, 1982
Audience Recording (Mike Lowry)
Sound Quality: A
Attendance: 20,000

Thumbnail and Description inspired on @ryannewton1202, credits to him
Audio cortesy of @GregsynthWizard, credits to him

This is the final show of Elton John’s 1982 North American Jump Up! Tour at the iconic Madison Square Garden. It marks the third night following the two previous performances. Elton’s voice, to put it one way, is astonishingly rough—gritty, raspy, and strained throughout most of the concert, yet incredibly energetic and unforgettable. This show features the last performances of “Ticking” and “Teacher I Need You” of the year. Additionally, “Dear John” was dropped from the setlist for this night, with its final live performance occurring on August 6th.

A recording of this concert began circulating in the 2010s in very good quality, but a superior version with less compression has recently emerged. The tape was recorded remarkably close to the stage and contains only two tape flips—one during the band introduction and another during “Daniel.” Overall, the show is nearly complete.

A huge thank you to everyone involved, especially Greg, Ollie, and Mike!

The concert kicks off with a blistering rendition of “Love Lies Bleeding,” where Elton’s voice sounds incredibly hoarse, yet he still manages to hit the high notes and delivers impressive piano improvisations. “All the Girls Love Alice” is performed at a fast tempo, with Elton’s vocals remaining raspy. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” sees slight vocal improvement, though his strained delivery is still noticeable. On “Better Off Dead,” he continues to push his voice to the limit, while “Ball & Chain” sounds somewhat smoother, despite some vocal breaks. “Empty Garden” is marginally less strained but still fragile in tone. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” offers a brief reprieve, with Elton’s voice sounding less hoarse, and his falsettos coming through decently. However, “The Bitch Is Back” and “Pinball Wizard” showcase clear vocal fatigue, with Elton growling many of the lyrics. Surprisingly, “Ticking” features some vocal improvement, though slight hoarseness remains in certain passages.

“Chloe” is another step up, with a more controlled performance despite minor raspiness. “Where to Now St. Peter?” is executed brilliantly, with only subtle hints of vocal strain. “Blue Eyes” sounds solid, with most of the raspiness subsiding. “Where Have All the Good Times Gone” is an electrifying highlight, featuring strong, energetic vocals, though Elton’s fatigue begins to show. “Rocket Man” and “Bennie and the Jets” feature stunning falsettos, yet the vocal exhaustion is evident. Despite this, Elton engages the crowd with playful improvisations. “Teacher I Need You” sounds fatigued but remains an overall decent performance. “Your Song” is filled with beautifully improvised phrasing, making for a solid rendition. “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” is electric, vocally intense, and sees Elton interacting enthusiastically with the audience. For the encore, “Daniel” is performed decently, though vocal fatigue and some hoarseness persist. “Crocodile Rock” features a growly vocal delivery, with Elton sounding breathless at times, but still enjoyable. The Rock 'n' Roll medley closes the show in a similarly raw fashion, featuring “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “Twist and Shout.”

1. Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - 0:00
2. All The Girls Love Alice - 11:30
3. Someone Saved My Life Tonight - 16:26
4. Better Off Dead - 24:22
5. Ball & Chain - 27:11
6. Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) - 30:53
7. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 35:57
8. The Bitch Is Back - 38:48
9. Pinball Wizard - 42:42
10. Ticking - 47:44
11. Chloe - 54:18
12. Where To Now St. Peter? - 58:50
13. Blue Eyes - 1:05:57
14. Where Have All The Good Times Gone - 1:09:02
15. Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long Long Time) - 1:13:22
16. Bennie And The Jets - 1:23:16
17. Teacher I Need You - 1:34:06
18. Your Song - 1:39:27
19. Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) - 1:43:12
20. Daniel - 1:49:35
21. Crocodile Rock - 1:53:07
22. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On / I Saw Her Standing There / Twist And Shout - 1:57:40