Neither overrated nor essential for non-Elton fans, "11-17-70" is a solid, flavorful offering which captures Elton John at a transition point in his then-fledgling career. He was trying to establish his bona fides in a particular category of pop music, what we call "classic rock" today and what was known at the time as "hard rock" or "album-oriented rock." Hence, no "Your Song," far and away his biggest hit of the moment, or "Friends," which was his Top 40 follow-up just off the charts at the time of this performance. Those were too AM for the audience Elton plays for here. He rocks out instead, in a show performed live for WPLJ-FM, one of New York City's two hard-rock beacons of the era (WNEW-FM was the other). That's WPLJ's legendary DJ Dave Herman doing the introductions. Herman established himself at WNEW, which is why some people may be confused today about which station Elton performed this for.

I don't get the complaints about Elton having an "off night." If this is an off night for Elton, I'm flying to Vegas to catch his latest show as soon as I can. Elton sounds great on this recording, backed only by bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson. The result is a little like an "MTV Unplugged" performance, plugged in but otherwise spare and unadorned by the orchestral pretensions that drowned Elton out in Australia 15 years on. Elton's keyboard playing here is barrelhouse-heavy and dead-on, and Olsson's drumming a revelation for those who only know his studio work.

Charging right into the breech with "Bad Side Of The Moon," Elton gives the audience early warning that he intends to rock their socks off, takes it down slightly with "Amoreena" (one of two cuts here from the yet-to-be-released-but-in-the-can "Tumbleweed Connection") then pushes it back up to 11 with "Take Me To The Pilot." By the time he gets around to a reconceived cover of the Rolling Stones classic "Honky Tonk Women," with a clever and brave intro of a capella singing before launching into a full-bore assault, there is no mercy to be had, or to be wanted.

"11-17-70" is a terrific listen, but its short length, dependence on a single album for much of its material (the great "Elton John" U.S. debut released earlier in 1970) and avoidance of Elton's poppier gems in favor of heavier-sounding album cuts kind of detract from the necessity of owning this. Nothing on this record is less than good, but the totality of it sounds very much of its time, no more. A very good performance, great often, but not something you will want to own before even some of his lesser studio efforts of his classic period. Really, if you buy this even before you own something like "Caribou," you are cheating yourself a bit.
Once you do get his classic 1970-75 albums, though, and find yourself liking them for more than the hits, going back and getting this will be a good idea. It won't be an album you play terribly often, but it will entertain you when you do.

Other reviewers say there was more going on in the original release, of Elton talking to the audience, which was cut out of the reissue. I didn't hear that earlier record, but take these complaints seriously all the same. They certainly didn't need to trim "11-17-70" in the interests of space, as there is plenty of room for more on this CD. Elton does whoop a bit, and offers a few fey blandishments at the end very much in tune with the "Have A Nice Day" ethos of the period. For unintentional comedy, I love the way Herman congratulates the band individually ("Nigel, outasight!") and adds a shout out to Bernie Taupin, the lyricist ("Bernie, incredible lyrics") as if the guy is in the pit with the others scribbling lines on a legal pad between the choruses. I'm sure Herman winced a great deal over that in later years.

But all the wincing at the time was going on at WNEW, where as Richard Neer notes in his great book "FM," head DJ Scott Muni was "incensed" at the coup of his rival capturing this singular moment in Elton's career, a career Muni did plenty to cultivate. Whatever the politics involved, the result is something I'm sure even Muni wouldn't begrudge us today. Outasight, indeed.
Neither overrated nor essential for non-Elton fans, "11-17-70" is a solid, flavorful offering which captures Elton John at a transition point in his then-fledgling career. He was trying to establish his bona fides in a particular category of pop music, what we call "classic rock" today and what was known at the time as "hard rock" or "album-oriented rock. " Hence, no "Your Song," far and away his biggest hit of the moment, or "Friends," which was his Top 40 follow-up just off the charts at the time of this performance. Those were too AM for the audience Elton plays for here. He rocks out instead, in a show performed live for WPLJ-FM, one of New York City's two hard-rock beacons of the era (WNEW-FM was the other). That's WPLJ's legendary DJ Dave Herman doing the introductions. Herman established himself at WNEW, which is why some people may be confused today about which station Elton performed this for. I don't get the complaints about Elton having an "off night. " If this is an off night for Elton, I'm flying to Vegas to catch his latest show as soon as I can. Elton sounds great on this recording, backed only by bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson. The result is a little like an "MTV Unplugged" performance, plugged in but otherwise spare and unadorned by the orchestral pretensions that drowned Elton out in Australia 15 years on. Elton's keyboard playing here is barrelhouse-heavy and dead-on, and Olsson's drumming a revelation for those who only know his studio work. Charging right into the breech with "Bad Side Of The Moon," Elton gives the audience early warning that he intends to rock their socks off, takes it down slightly with "Amoreena" (one of two cuts here from the yet-to-be-released-but-in-the-can "Tumbleweed Connection") then pushes it back up to 11 with "Take Me To The Pilot. " By the time he gets around to a reconceived cover of the Rolling Stones classic "Honky Tonk Women," with a clever and brave intro of a capella singing before launching into a full-bore assault, there is no mercy to be had, or to be wanted. "11-17-70" is a terrific listen, but its short length, dependence on a single album for much of its material (the great "Elton John" U. S. debut released earlier in 1970) and avoidance of Elton's poppier gems in favor of heavier-sounding album cuts kind of detract from the necessity of owning this. Nothing on this record is less than good, but the totality of it sounds very much of its time, no more. A very good performance, great often, but not something you will want to own before even some of his lesser studio efforts of his classic period. Really, if you buy this even before you own something like "Caribou," you are cheating yourself a bit. Once you do get his classic 1970-75 albums, though, and find yourself liking them for more than the hits, going back and getting this will be a good idea. It won't be an album you play terribly often, but it will entertain you when you do. Other reviewers say there was more going on in the original release, of Elton talking to the audience, which was cut out of the reissue. I didn't hear that earlier record, but take these complaints seriously all the same. They certainly didn't need to trim "11-17-70" in the interests of space, as there is plenty of room for more on this CD. Elton does whoop a bit, and offers a few fey blandishments at the end very much in tune with the "Have A Nice Day" ethos of the period. For unintentional comedy, I love the way Herman congratulates the band individually ("Nigel, outasight! ") and adds a shout out to Bernie Taupin, the lyricist ("Bernie, incredible lyrics") as if the guy is in the pit with the others scribbling lines on a legal pad between the choruses. I'm sure Herman winced a great deal over that in later years. But all the wincing at the time was going on at WNEW, where as Richard Neer notes in his great book "FM," head DJ Scott Muni was "incensed" at the coup of his rival capturing this singular moment in Elton's career, a career Muni did plenty to cultivate. Whatever the politics involved, the result is something I'm sure even Muni wouldn't begrudge us today. Outasight, indeed.