pick of litter elton john
Every so often—once in a very blue moon, if you will—the stars align and Chattanooga is blessed with a convergence of musical talent so awesome it blows one’s mind. Concerts such as these don’t happen due to magic or any savvy on the part of local civic venues or even the best live music venues in our fair city. The stars literally align themselves—and we are awash in the glow.
On Friday, you have two wonderful options: At the Tivoli Theatre, a panoply of young and old practitioners of Appalachian music will gather on stage for a mesmerizing musical education in an indigenous musical art form that will spin your head. At the Memorial Auditorium, George Jones graces us with a stop on his “Grand Tour,” a year-long farewell jaunt that will culminate in Nashville at the end of the year with a star-studded concert of epic proportions.
On Saturday, Sir Elton Hercules John returns to town for the first show at The Roundhouse of any note since his last appearance here with Leon Russell. John is celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Rocket Man,” a hit that propelled his 1972 album, “Honky Chateau,” up the charts, launched a string of top singles and albums and cemented his status as one of rock and pop’s greatest artists. Expect nothing but the hits and obscure gems.
If you often have reason (as we do) to complain about live music in Chattanooga, this weekend is not the time to do so. And if you don’t plan on attending these show, there are many other options. But as with blue moons, these stars will fade quickly.