This week’s Monday By the Numbers statistical raking centers on Sir Elton John and his “Million Dollar Piano” show at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace.
He needs no further introduction. Let’s play:
$1 million: Reported cost of the custom-designed and -constructed Yamaha piano John plays at the Colosseum.
68: Number of LED panels built into that piano.
$35,999: Listed base price of a Yamaha C1X grand piano.
4: Number of years it took to build the Million Dollar Piano.
4: Number of rockets pointed at the Colosseum stage from the wings of the theater.
110: Number of show’s John has performed in his current residency at Caesars, which began Sept. 23, 2011.
243: Number of shows performed in John’s “Red Piano” production from Feb. 14, 2004, to April 22, 2009.
90: Number of shows booked for John’s original “Million Dollar Piano” residency.
12: Number of full or partial standing ovations in Saturday night’s show.
12: Number of musicians and singers backing John at the Colosseum.
2: Number of cellists in the show — and they are the 2Cellos, Luka Culic and Stjepan Hauser.
2: Number of double-neck guitars played by Davey Johnson during the show.
48: Years in the John-Bernie Taupin songwriting partnership.
45: Years John has been performing in the U.S. (his debut was at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in September 1970).
10: John’s age when he first heard Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” and decided that he would pursue rock ’n’ roll as a career.
80 to 100: Number of fans invited to the stage to hang out at the piano during “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”
6: Number of stagehands who set up the velvet-rope barriers for those fans.
$35: Cost of a bottle of water, two bags of popcorn and a small sauvignon blanc at the Colosseum concession stand.
$29: Cost of an official Elton John Yellow Brick Road T-shirt at the Colosseum merchandise stand.
$20.70: Online rate for a standard room at the Riviera on Monday night.
1: Number of fans who fell asleep during Saturday’s show, speaking of the woman at my right who dozed off for the final 45 minutes.
1: Number of members of Mariah Carey’s inner circle who were at the show, speaking of her manager, Michael Kane, at my left. Kane is a pretty good dancer.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.
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