Elton John

 Elton John did a concert in 1973 at the University of Georgia.  He was promoting his LP "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".  My friend Jimmy offered to take me to UGa on his way to Atlanta, so I could go to the show.
 When I got there, the only tickets left were General Admission seats for $2 each.  My seat was behind a column in the balcony.  I had to peer around the column to see anything, but just being there was great.  Elton had his piano draped in a cloth surrounded by lights, which made it look like the piano glowed.  He wore big glasses and had a flashy costume.  His band of Nigel, Davey and Dee were great.  At the end of the night, he got Gregg Allman to do the encore with him, and they did "Midnight Rider" together.  It was a magical night.
 I saw Elton again in Columbia in 1980 at the Carolina Coliseum.  A lot had happened to be since that show 7 years earlier.  I was drinking more and doing drugs.  I am guessing that the show in 1980 was good.  I remember little bits of it, but a lot of marijuana was being passed around, as well as beer.  Some guy brought some binoculars, and I got to see Elton and Nigel making faces at one another while they were playing.  He was there to promote "Little Jeannie".  I really don't think a concert is any better when one is stoned or drunk or both.  Unless maybe the Grateful Dead, but I never saw them in concert, at least not all of them.  I have been to a lot of concerts over my life, and I will discuss them later.  I have been drunk, stoned and sober at various shows.  I prefer to be sober, because then I can remember the shows better and enjoy the music more.  To each his own.