Elton John / Billy Connolly

Jeffrey Lee Jun 24, 2023

Elton John's much anticipated tour began after a brief rest following his tour of the UK. Word spread quickly the band had secured Cole Field House at the University of Maryland in College Park as a rehearsal site several days before the tour began. Some friends and I drove up there to test their security and cop a free listen. On opening night, Scottish comedian Billy Connolly bravely stood and performed his brand of stand-up to an impatient mob. Wearing boots that looked like peeled bananas, he managed a few jokes and a song or two before someone in the audience hurled a hash pipe and hit him, to hurry and vacate the stage. John Reid immediately took front and center admonishing the jeering throng "...that was a shitty thing to do! I'm going to cancel tonights show right now unless you identify that motherfucker so we can deal with him." He got got and the show went on.