Elton John set for two Regina shows
REGINA — The rumours of Sir Elton John coming to Regina are correct, with just one small qualifier.
For months rumours have been swirling around the Queen City that John would follow in the footsteps of the Rolling Stones and play an outdoor concert at Mosaic Stadium in September.
Well, everything but the location of the performance was correct — instead of playing Mosaic Stadium, John will play two shows at the Brandt Centre on September 16 and 17.
The Regina dates are part of a growing list of shows in Western Canada, joining Calgary (Sept. 12), Edmonton (Sept. 13) and Winnipeg (Sept. 19). Dates for Saskatoon and Vancouver might also be added in the coming days.
John currently performs with three different types of shows: He performs solo with his piano; he performs Red Piano shows in Las Vegas, which combines the music with visual imagery; and, he performs with a five-piece band. The Regina dates will be John and his band.
If ticket sales for the Winnipeg date are any indication, selling out two shows at the Brandt Centre shouldn’t be a problem. When tickets went on sale Monday for the show at the MTS Centre, which can seat up to 15,000 for concerts, the Sept. 19 show reportedly sold out in less than one minute.
The 61-year-old John is a rock and roll legend and it is estimated that he has sold over 200 million albums worldwide, including 100 million in the United States. “Candle In The Wind 1997,” a tribute to Princess Diana, is the No. 1-selling single in music history having sold more than 33 million copies. It also raised $30 million for the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund.
John’s list of chart success is equally impressive: 59 Top 40 hits, 16 Top 10 hits and nine No. 1 singles. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Jan. 19, 1994, John also has captured five Grammy Awards and one Academy Award. He also received the Grammy Legend Award in 1999.
His impressive catalogue of singles includes “Your Song,” “Rocket Man,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Daniel,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Candle In The Wind,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (a duet with Kiki Dee), “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word,” “The Bitch Is Back,” “I Guess That’s Why The Call It The Blues,” “I’m Still Standing,” “Nikita,” “Circle of Life,” and “I Want Love.”
A tireless worker on behalf of AIDS-related issues, John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth on Feb. 12, 1998.
Tickets for the Regina dates will go on sale at 10 a.m. on June 23. Tickets will be $149 and $99, with an additional $2 charity fee and the regular service fees. Tickets will be available at the Brandt Centre box office, by phone (543-7800) and online (www.ticketmaster.ca).
A limited amount of tickets will also be made available to members of the Rocket Club, John’s fan club. Members are given the opportunity to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public. However, the Rocket Club does not guarantee tickets with membership.
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