‘Rocketman’ with Live Score at the Greek

It continued under a cool night sky at the Greek Theater. Eight miles and nearly 50 years east of the Troubadour, where his pop reign began in 1970.

A screening of "Rocketman," director Dexter Fletcher's summer blockbuster starring Taron Egerton as Captain Fantastic, was accompanied by live music. John himself, together with Egerton, closed the night with a brief performance.

Films accompanied by live music have become dozens upon dozens. Musicals, while presenting the added feat of highly precise sync work with pre-recorded vocals, make about as much sense as anything. "Rocketman" is the latest film to join the trend of live-scored concerts during classic Disney films. As was also done with "The Little Mermaid" and, more recently, "La La Land."

One of the ways "Rocketman" stood out from other rock biopics was in completely reimagining John's classic songs.

The "Hollywood Symphony Orchestra" left its mark with inventive new arrangements of Elton John's song catalogue. They played so well and so tightly in sync. So much so that it was easy to forget they were even there and that the sound wasn't playback.

One of the ways "Rocketman" stood out from other rock biopics, and more specifically from "Bohemian Rhapsody," was in completely reimagining John's classic songs. Martin had done something similar with the Beatles' songs in the Cirque du Soleil show.

Although these new versions carry plenty of effects, the live result was every bit as good. Aside from a missing (or perhaps buried) guitar intro to Martin's folk tune on "Tiny Dancer" and a more pedestrian reading of its Indian-flavored insert on "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)," the songs sounded mostly wonderful. The band and orchestra lined up exactly with the film's recorded vocals.

Of course, the greater difficulty would have been not playing the pieces precisely. The musicians were bound to play within a meticulously mapped-out grid. And that's exactly what happened.

Dynamics were occasionally an issue, as usually happens with these kinds of concerts. The vocals were drowned out at times by the orchestra, as were some lines of dialogue.

The musicians were bound to play within a meticulously mapped-out grid. And that's exactly what happened.

Before the show began, Fletcher gave a brief introduction. "I've been told to encourage you to clap and cheer and sing along, so don't be shy." But the crowd, dressed in John-inspired outfits, looked shy. They were not shy. At least not when cheering for their hero and jeering at his awful manager, John Reid. Roars went up when the Hollywood sign appeared. They got rowdy during the first sex scene and hooted at every spoken affirmation of sexual freedom and self-love.

Still, with a gorgeous moon hanging over the Greek's shell and a cool breeze stirring the air, it was a fun way to experience this literally fantastical portrait of one of the greatest living songwriters. And when Elton John walked out on stage after the film ended — wearing huge sunglasses and a leopard-print jacket that was positively dazzling — it was like Tom Baxter stepping out of the screen in "The Purple Rose of Cairo."

I've been told to encourage you to clap and cheer and sing along

Seated on stools side by side and occasionally holding hands, John and Egerton sang the film's original number, "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again." Despite its poetic lyrics, it is 

by far the weakest link on the film's otherwise gorgeous soundtrack. Fletcher came back onstage and brought out Bernie Taupin. "This movie and everyone involved in it just show what it means to have spent the last 50 years of my life with this man," Taupin said.

"This was the biggest creative episode of my life," said the 29-year-old Egerton, who added that he's sung with Elton John several times before. But there was one song they had never performed live. Then John went to the piano and they duetted on 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me'.

Elton John, with the baritone timbre of his voice, sounds amazing. And even though he's said a lot of goodbyes lately, maybe — as Taupin claimed — "they've only just begun."