Liberty rocks to Rocket Man Elton John (original) (raw)

CARDIFF may have hosted Bruce Springsteen and Neil Diamond in recent weeks, but Swansea got the best of British when Sir Elton John strutted out at the Liberty Stadium last night.

The Rocket Man was making his first appearance in Swansea and the night marked his only Welsh date for 2008. So it came as little surprise that the audience had been eagerly anticipating his arrival ever since tickets went on sale back in November.

More than 25,000 fans – including the likes of Wales rugby captain Ryan Jones and Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez – came from near and far to see the great man put on one of his notoriously extravagant and entertaining shows. And Sir Elton, decked out in a black and gold tunic, certainly didn’t let them down.

With more than 250 million records sold worldwide and in excess of 50 Top 40 hits, including such iconic pop moments as Your Song and Candle in the Wind, the artist formerly known as Reginald Dwight has become one of the most successful musicians of all time. Add to that his legendary showmanship on stage, and you have the recipe for a great night of live music.

It started with former Coronation Street star Richard Fleeshman, who played Craig Harris on the soap until 2006, opening the show with tracks from his debut album Neon. Next up was local band The Storys, making a special guest appearance for one night only in their home town.

Then shortly after 7.30pm Sir Elton walked out on stage to be greeted by rapturous applause. The 61-year-old immediately launched into an impressive instrumental, typifying the enthusiasm and energy he showed all night. And he didn’t waste any time bonding with the crowd, praising the “fantastic stadium” and congratulating Swansea City on their promotion to the Championship.

After making what can generously be referred to as an “interesting” star, Sir Elton gradually started banging out some of his greatest hits, including Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Sacrifice.

A night with Sir Elton definitely offered something different to the Liberty Stadium’s regular inhabitants, Ospreys rugby and Swansea City FC. And, having already hosted rock greats The Who for its inaugural concert, the stadium has certainly proved to be a superb venue for some of the biggest names in the music industry.

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