So how many keyboards are necessary? 1? 2? 17? What do you use them all for? Are they midi controllers or just for that one patch that only sounds good on your old Korg M-1? Is there an acoustic/grand piano in the mix as well?

Back in 1973 we used to carry a Hammond B3, a Mellotron and one of Bob Moog's modular synthesizers -- almost as big as the one Keith Emerson used. Unfortunately our keyboard player never learned to program the Moog correctly and it was a waste of money for the most part except for obvious crazy sounds like on Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" or ELP's "Lucky Man." In the early 80s everyone had an AARP string ensemble, some kind of Moog lead synth and a Korg organ or RMI piano. These days, I think there are enough digital keys available that you need only a couple or maybe three, one of them being a solo style synth like the Minimoog. You have only two hands, after all. But it would help to have one for solos, one for strings and synth, one for piano. I haven't seen a band carrying an acoustic piano since Yamaha first introduced the electric grand banck in the early '80s.

The only people I see touring with acoustic pianos are Tori Amos, Jamie Cullum, Counting Crows, and Regina Spektor, and Eleisha Eagle.

And Eleisha sometimes forgoes it because "it's just too ridiculous to try and carry and strap down into the equipment truck." That's not an exact quote, but I did interview her once after a show in Pittsburgh at the ShadowLounge.

I've thought three was a good magic number for keyboards.

Of course I left out Elton John and Billy Joel, although I don't know if they actually carry a piano or rent one. I believe that Billy uses a Steinway that has electronic guts, though. He wanted to retain the touch and look of the 9-foot grand but they are too fragile to carry. I'm sure he doesn't do that when he & Elton do the Face to Face tours. Only other keyboard I've sen Joel play is a Minimoog.

OF COURSE! John and Joel. I ought to be slapped for forgetting that dynamic duo (though I was always partial to Billy Joel, particularly because I think apart from Can You Feel the Love Tonight and Hakuna Matata, Elton John should have left The Lion King to Hans Zimmer's compositional wizardry and Lebo M's lyric mastery...*sigh*).

I'd be curious to see how people actually DO tour with one and what the cost is. There are places in Pittsburgh and Morgantown where pianos are rentable, but I've heard about how particular artists can be... It's something I'd look into, just how often they're rented as opposed to toured with...and what the costs are for both.

I imagine that Elton & Billy can afford to drag a piano and hire a tuner. I can't find any info on Billy's Steinway, but a friend (Pete Hewlett) sings backup with Billy when he takes a full band and said he had the guts replaced with electronics but kept the keyboard action.

I've seen BJ three times & Elton twice, including the face to face tour at the old Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Both bands were great, but the guy running BJ's sound was more concerned with volume than quality. The sound of Elton's band was pristine although loud; BJ's was distorted from the first note. I later saw Elton with Zak Starkey on drums and the sound was perfect.

Maybe I need to give Elton a listen live. I admit bias when it comes to my opinion on him haha. I would have LOVED to see the Face to Face tour, but I just wasn't a concert-goer yet when that happened. I don't think my parents were ready to let me go and think I would be remotely safe, though I wanted to go so very badly.

A headstrong little whippersnapper I was, and really, I still am. I'll readily admit to that, haha.

Elton has the good sense to alter his vocals to account for his drop in vocal range, but his arrangements stick close to what you hear on record. When I last saw him, he did a lot of things from "Tumbleweed Connection," which I still think may be his best album. Very funky, but not a real "hit" on it. As I said, his mix is pristine and the band is always hot. Davey Johnstone on guitar is about the only holdover from the old days except for Ray Cooper on percussion. If you want to hear the ultimate stripped-down original Elton band with Dee Murray on Bass and Nigel Olson on drums, get "11-17-70" CD. Trio gig live in the ABC Radio studio in New York. Dee Murray's tone and playing is excellent, and the versions of "Honky Tonk Women" and "Get Back," both of which had only just come out, are outstanding.

Sounds fantastic! I'll have to check that out. Finding out about new music rules.

I had it on vinyl and now on CD. The latest CD version has "Amoreena," which was left of the initial CD reissue, and there's a version available for the UK that has even more tunes on it. Dee's playing on "take me to the Pilot" is the ultimate in British funk.