Elton John - Live From The Rainbow Theatre With Ray Cooper

Live From The Rainbow Theatre With Ray Cooper strips Elton John back to piano and percussion, gathering highlights from his 1977 London shows on a single 180-gram LP.

In May 1977 Elton played a six-night residency at the Rainbow Theatre with only percussionist Ray Cooper beside him, the first shows the pair ever performed as a duo. Elton chose the selection himself for this first official vinyl release from those concerts, which arrived as a Record Store Day exclusive in 2025.

The intimacy suits the songs beautifully. Border Song unfolds in hushed, gospel-tinged reverence, and Ticking becomes a gripping piece of storytelling with nothing but voice and keys. Cooper's dramatic percussion takes centre stage on I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford), while Roy Rogers receives one of its earliest live airings, wistful and warm.

Hearing these songs without a full band reveals the craft at their core, with Bernie Taupin's lyrics landing with fresh clarity and Elton's piano carrying both melody and rhythm. Cooper adds colour and theatre without ever crowding the space.

For fans who know the hits by heart, this is a rare and revealing side of Elton at a turning point in his career, captured in a setting few people ever got to experience.