A night with Elton was magical

A night with Elton was magical

When I heard on the radio that Elton John was coming to Youngstown, I went straight to the Covelli Centre on my lunch break. I explained to the box office worker that I absolutely wanted to take my daughter, and since she uses a wheelchair, wanted to know the best course for getting a handicap seat.

So yes, I was one of the people at the Covelli Centre waiting in the cold rain and darkness on a mission to buy tickets that morning in March. It was like a party. People with rain jackets and umbrellas nervously talked about the chances of getting tickets. Like me, many were in their 50s or 60s — and confessed that we never even camped out for tickets in our “younger” years. Most had people on standby at their computers as a backup plan. Like many others, I had seen Elton John before. For me, it was years ago at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

When May 1 finally arrived, my husband, daughter and I made the short trip to Youngstown. Before running out the door, I grabbed an item I had spied about a month before in a basement box. It was the 35-year-old program from my last Elton John concert. As we waited on the Covelli Centre steps with the crowd, I shared the old program with other fans. Everyone enjoyed seeing the pictures of Elton and the band in the 70’s.

When the organ boomed the beginning notes of “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” I couldn’t believe it. He was opening with my very favorite Elton song. The show had barely started and I already had my money’s worth. Everything to follow was just magical.

The music was perfect and the sound system did it justice. It boomed over the cheering crowd with no distortion. I never wanted to leave my seat for even a minute but eventually made my way to the restrooms. In the hallway, I could hear that the crowd was singing every word to every song. It wasn’t just me. Even the vendors and people I passed were singing along. When I returned to my seat, I yelled in my husband’s ear, “This place is pure happiness.”

Song after song, I swayed to the music holding my daughters hands up in mine. I couldn’t believe that I was at an Elton John concert with her. Not only were we singing those wonderful songs together, we were singing them with Elton.

I couldn’t help thinking about all that has passed in the years that I listened to those great tunes. I remember walking with my best friend to a plaza four miles away, since I didn’t drive yet, to buy my Madman Across the Water album. I remember listening to “Crocodile Rock” on my eight-track player. I thought about the personal accomplishments and tragedies in my own life since my last Elton concert. It isn’t any wonder why so many in the crowd enjoyed not only the music, but also a “connection” with Sir Elton John. There’s a lifetime of memories in his music.

CANDY DAVIS, Boardman

Not everyone was enchanted

I went to an awesome concert at the Covelli Centre May 1 to see Elton John. Although the only tickets we were able to get were the highest price $137 ones, I felt it was worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime chance see to him live in concert. I awaited that concert with great anticipation and was thrilled that Youngstown attracted such a big star.

Once I got there, I was bitterly disappointed by our seats. Although we had paid top price, we were all the way in the back on the floor. We had a totally obstructed view of the stage because it was about eye level. It ruined the concert for me. I imagine I would have been happy to just be in the door for a $37 ticket, but through Ticketmaster, we paid $149.50.

I was so upset that I couldn’t see, that I went to the box office to complain. All I wanted to do was vent, a supervisor was so rude, that I walked away.

I’m not sure whose fault it was that my friend paid $37 to be four rows from the front on the side, while I paid $137 to sit on the floor in the back. But, I think it was the last time I will ever go to the Covelli Centre for anything. And I just want to caution people, do not accept floor seats more than a dozen rows back. You won’t see anything. Maybe if people quit paying for them, they’ll make them the “cheap seats,” because that is what they should be.

Krista Ventresco, Youngstown