One of Elton John’s most celebrated live performances is finally getting the full spotlight it deserves. Elton John – Live From The Rainbow Theatre With Ray Cooper is out now via UMe, marking the first time this iconic 1977 concert is available digitally and on CD, alongside a brand-new vinyl repress. Originally released as a limited Record Store Day exclusive, the expanded edition includes a new bonus track, “Goodbye,” plus Elton’s personally curated twelve-song tracklist and fresh liner notes.
Recorded during a six-show residency at London’s legendary Rainbow Theatre in May 1977, the concert captured Elton in a rare, intimate setting. Performing alone for the first half of the show before being joined by percussion virtuoso Ray Cooper for the second, Elton stripped away the arena-sized spectacle and returned to the roots of his craft: melody, emotion, and connection. The result was pure magic.
These performances marked the beginning of an incredible 233-show run with Ray Cooper and featured live debuts of “Roy Rogers,” “Cage The Songbird,” “Idol,” and “I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford).” The setlist deliberately avoided Elton’s biggest hits, offering instead a deep, reflective glimpse into his catalog—what his shows might have looked like had he remained a cult favorite rather than an international superstar.
“I’m delighted that Live From The Rainbow Theatre With Ray Cooper will be available for my fans to enjoy,” Elton says. “It’s an album I’m incredibly proud of, and listening back to it, I’m astounded by how great it sounds. The freedom I felt playing with just the two of us is something I will always remember.”
The release arrives on the heels of Who Believes In Angels?, Elton’s chart-topping collaboration with close friend and 11-time GRAMMY winner Brandi Carlile. Produced by Andrew Watt and written alongside Bernie Taupin, the album became Elton’s tenth UK #1, proving the Rocket Man’s creativity still burns bright nearly six decades into his storied career.
Track Listing:
- The Greatest Discovery
- Border Song
- Cage The Songbird
- Where To Now St. Peter?
- Ticking
- Better Off Dead (with Ray Cooper)
- Sweet Painted Lady
- Tonight (with Ray Cooper)
- Idol (with Ray Cooper)
- I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford) (with Ray Cooper)
- Roy Rogers
- Dan Dare (Pilot Of The Future)
- Goodbye*
*Bonus track available on digital and CD release only