Maybe I should back up a little.

Elton John has been a fixture on the world music scene for more than 30 years, as a flamboyant rock icon in the ‘70s, a pop god in the ‘80s, a light-rock and Disney musical staple of the ‘90s, and now affirmed legend no matter what classification you try to put him in.

He has been performing about 75 shows a year at Caesars Palace for awhile now but my schedule has never worked out to be able to catch him when he was in town. This time the stars aligned and I finally had a chance to see his critically acclaimed “Red Piano,” as perfect a concert as you can ever hope for, somehow both intimate cabaret and outrageous stage spectacle all at the same time.

The stage on which he performs, inside the Colosseum at Caesars, is a massive affair, usually home to Celine Dion’s bigger than life extravaganza. For Elton’s show, they bring in saucy neon lights and giant inflatable set pieces to jazz things up a bit (or a lot) but it’s all about the star, sitting behind his red grand piano, banging out the tunes that were part of the soundtrack of the last three decades.

Pick a greatest hit and Elton will probably sing it. “Benny and the Jets,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” “Believe,” “Daniel,” Rocket Man,” I Guess That’s Why the Call it the Blues,” “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word,” “Tiny Dancer,” Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Pinball Wizard,” “The Bitch is Back,” “I’m Still Standing,” “Saturday Nights Alright,” and “Your Song” was on the play list on the evening I attended and if that isn’t a CD worthy compilation of classic music I don’t know what is.

He sounds terrific, full of growling vim and vigor, and if at nearly 60 years of age he doesn’t even bother to hit those falsetto high notes anymore (“Daniel you’re a star…”) it’s impossible to find anything to complain about. When the lights come down and he sings “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” in a touching tribute to the late, great Ray Charles it’s like you are in an audience of 20 at a small club. And when he fires up the gigantic inflatable breasts while showing a video of Pamela Anderson grinding on a stripper pole during “The Bitch is Back” it’s 4,000 people partying the way that partying was meant to be.

I understand why NBC balked at showing the Pamela video during the recent televised version of this concert, but it and the other photos, short films, and graphics broadcast on the gigantic LED screen behind the stage provide evocative touchstones to the music. “Daniel” features a film by David LaChappele that finally explains what that particular song is about (think Vietnam), “Rocket Man” has a segment with Justin Timberlake playing a young Elton, and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” has a dramatic pas de deux that speaks more elegantly to the cycle of domestic violence than any Lifetime movie ever could.

There isn’t a bad seat in the house except, oddly, the very front rows. If you decide to go whole hog for the $250 a pop tickets up front try to get seats house left because if you’re house right or third row center (as I was) you’re going to be staring at the piano mostly or, as in my case, the top half of his head over the top of said piano.

The good news is if you’re sitting in one of those front three rows, you’ll be allowed to run up on stage during “Saturday Night’s Alright” near the end of the show and dance around the big red piano as Elton sings. When people rushed up I, and the nice women from Nebraska, sat there for a minute not seeing the opportunity that laid before us, or perhaps too inhibited to do it. That’s when I leaned over and said what I said and the next thing I knew I was tripping as I went up the stairs in front of 4,000 people. Oh well. My stage dancing days are way behind me.

But I still got to dance on stage with Elton John so there, nyah.

Even if you don’t make it up to the piano for a brief boogie, you owe it to yourself to catch this show on your next trip to Las Vegas. It’s an unparalleled journey through modern American music with one of the most entertaining hosts around.

Vegas4Visitors Grade: A+

Elton John Caesars Palace 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South 888-4ELTONJ (435-8665) Website Tickets: $100-250 Showtimes: 7:30pm (check website for schedule)

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Question: I’ve heard they’ve got new double-decker buses on The Strip. Do you have any more information?

Answer:

Absolutely, Lucy. Thank you for the question.

The buses you refer to are called “The Deuce,” and unlike the traditional London red buses, these are modern, totally enclosed, and fully air-conditioned units that can hold up to 97 people. There are about 40 of them running from Downtown Las Vegas all the way to a transportation center south of the airport, with The Strip as their primary stomping ground. There’s a secondary route that runs from Downtown to the airport via Paradise Road (with stops at the Convention Center and the Hard Rock along the way).

They stop in front of virtually every major resort and in theory you should never need to wait more than 10 minutes for the next one to come along, although I haven’t tested that particular theory yet so don’t blame me if it’s longer.

In addition to being a convenience, they’re a terrific bargain to boot. A one-way trip costs $2 and you can get a 24 hour pass for only $5 that allows you to get on and off as many times as you like. Tickets are available for purchase on the buses, online, and at ticket vending machines located at select stops on the Strip.

Although perhaps not as sexy as the monorail, The Deuce buses certainly provide a much less limited set of touring options and are a significantly better bargain. I’ve blasted the local bus system often and loudly, but I have to give them credit for this brilliant and apparently effective move. Nice work!

By the way, speaking of the monorail… this competition couldn’t be good for the beleaguered system. They recently announced their January numbers and had the lowest amount of riders in one month since the trains started running with only 18,000 hopping on board. Things have gotten so bad that the monorail’s bond rating has sunk to “junk” status and it has probably scuttled any attempt to extend the line to the airport or Downtown Las Vegas.

But back to the Deuce… you can get more information including routes, fares, and photos of the distinctive buses so you know what to look for on the official website at www.thedeucelasvegas.com.

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