Prices out for Tempus Two Concert

ELTON JOHN will be performing at TEMPUS TWO WINERY on Saturday December 1st, 2007. This will be a fully seated concert within an open air architect designed amphitheatre. Only reserved seating will be available for sale, with no General Admission or Picnic Seating available.

Ticket prices are as follows:

• PLATINUM $315
• GOLD $195
• SILVER $140

Booking fees may apply.

Australian Solo Tour Confirmed

ELTON John will perform five solo concerts in Australia, including one in a winery.

The Rocket Man Solo Tour will open at the end of November with shows planned for Sydney, the Hunter Valley, Canberra, Victoria and South Australia.

The tour will kick off with a concert at the Barossa Arts and Convention Centre on November 24, followed by Sydney's Acer Area on November 28, Stage 88 in Canberra's Commonwealth Park on November 30, the Tempus Two Winery in the Hunter Valley on December 1 and the Werribee Park Mansion on December 15.

It will be a year since the 60-year-old British performer played in Australia and November's visit will be his 13th tour of the country.

Tickets for the Rocket Man Solo Tour go on sale on August 13.

Elton confirmed for Adelaide

SIR Elton John will open his first solo tour of Australia with a concert under the stars in regional South Australia.

About 10,000 people will have the chance to see Sir Elton's Rocket Man Solo Tour on Saturday, November 24, in the grounds of the Barossa Arts and Convention Centre.

Tour promoter Brian Gleeson said this was the 13th time the 60-year-old entertainer would tour Australia, but it was his first solo tour. He said fans could expect a spellbinding show.

"It's great to have Elton back and it's great the tour can start here," he said.

"This will be the second time we've seen him in 12 months," Mr Gleeson said, referring to Sir Elton's December 2006 show at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

"He is the sort of act that you would usually only get to see every four years.

"The diversity of his concert tours is part of what makes Elton so popular today. When Elton is on stage, no matter what is going on around him, it is always about him."

For his solo concerts, Sir Elton will appear on stage with only his piano and will play songs from his 35-year career.

Mr Gleeson said the Rocket Man tour would include one show at Sydney's Acer Arena, as well as shows across Australia's wine regions and other outdoor locations.

The rocker has sold over 250 million albums worldwide and has had a career spanning 35 years.

Among Sir Elton's most recent performances was opening the Concert for Diana in London, and a charity concert for 200,000 Ukrainians in Kiev's main square in a bid to raise money and increase awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Earlier this year, to celebrate his 60th birthday and decades as an entertainer, Sir Elton played to a sellout crowd at New York's famous Madison Square Garden for the 60th time, an all-time box office record.

The Rocket Man Solo Tour will coincide with the Australian premiere of the stage musical Billy Elliot, for which Sir Elton composed the musical score.

Billy Elliot, inspired by the movie of the same name, will open in Sydney on December 13 at the Capitol Theatre.

Sir Elton has previously partnered with lyricist Tim Rice on four projects; the songs for the films The Lion King and The Road to El Dorado and the Broadway stage productions of The Lion King and Aida.

Tickets for Sir Elton's Barossa Valley concert will go on sale on Monday, August 13.

Elton 60 - Live from Madison Square Garden

Elton John's 60th birthday was an unforgettable celebration of the man and his legendary music, and it was capped by one of his most epic concert performances in years.

The three-hours-plus marathon at New York's Madison Square Garden -- Elton's record-setting 60th gig in that storied building -- was attended by a host of A-list celebrities and broadcast live all over the world.

Fittingly, you'll be able to own it for yourself 60 days from now.

"Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden" is easily the most anticipated Elton John DVD release in recent memory, and it will be available everywhere internationally on Sept. 24 and in the United States on Sept. 25.

In keeping with the grand, long-standing tradition of Elton spoiling his fans, this DVD will be like none other. The two-disc package features all 33 songs on the Garden set list, including classics such as "Your Song," "Crocodile Rock" and "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" and rare live cuts including the appropriately named opener, "Sixty Years On," plus "Madman Across the Water," "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun" and "Roy Rogers."

But that's not even close to the whole package.

The DVD set will also be loaded with special extra features, including a healthy helping of "Live, Rare and Unseen" concert tracks, such as a 1970 version of "Border Song" from Swiss television, BBC renditions of "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from 1971, and a mini-set of selected "New York Stories" performances culled from Elton's seemingly endless catalogue of live performances in Gotham and album tracks that mention the Big Apple.

Fans will also be able to purchase a collector's box that will include the DVD set and a bonus live CD from various classic Elton tours, and the collector's box also will include a 72-page booklet with a souvenir poster and more.

Elton's 60th Concert on DVD

Elton John - Elton 60 - Live From Madison Square Garden has now been officially confirmed for distribution on DVD.

It has a global release date of 24 September 2007

Amazon.co.uk will have a pre-order available soon.

Kansas City Confirmed

Elton has confirmed a show to open the brand new Sprint Center on Oct. 13. Tickets go on sale Aug. 6.

Red Piano London is going ahead!

Elton will bring his outrageous Red Piano Show to Britain this September, continuing the 2007 celebrations of his 60th birthday and 40 years of touring. Along with his band, Elton will perform The Red Piano at London's O2 Arena on Wednesday, September 5, 2007.

This has now been officially confirmed to be going ahead! There has been no response to Elton's claims that the show was cancelled, which he said at the Glasgow concert.

Further Tour Rumours...

Elton is rumoured to appear in Tenerife (Canary Islands) on the 9th of September with the band.

Furthermore, Elton is rumoured to perform in Kansas City on Saturday, 13 October, 2007 to open the new Sprint Center.

However, these are unconfirmed at present.

Elton touring Japan!

Elton will perform a solo concert at Tokyo Budoukan in Japan,

on the 20th and 21th November after an interval of six years.

Elton John Rocketman Solo Tour confirmed for Australia

Elton will play a solo tour of Australia in unique locations.
Currently, he is confirmed to appear at Tempus Two Winery in NSW.
This is sheduled for early december in line with his appearance at Billy Elliot the Musical grand opening.

I will post more details as soon as I recieve them!

Elton to Attend the December 13 Billy Elliot Premiere

Elton will be among the guests confirmed to attend the December 13 Billy Elliot musical premiere in Sydney.

Elton announces South African Tour

Big Concerts said yesterday John’s shows would kick off on January 13 next year in Cape Town, but the venue has yet to be announced.

The tour will see the eight-time Grammy Award winner and his band move to Durban’s Kings Park Stadium on January 16. The tour will wrap up at the Dome in Johannesburg on January 18.

Dex de Bruin, marketing manager for the Primedia Broadcasting Group, the main sponsor for the Red Piano Show three-city tour, said: “Elton John is timeless. He has topped our charts over the years with a string of No 1 hits and we are proud to be associated with his upcoming South African tour.”

Celebrating Elton John’s 40 years of touring this year, The Red Piano Show has been running at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace to packed houses and rave reviews since its 2004 debut.

Priced from R200, tickets will be on sale from July 23 at Computicket outlets.

The Rocket Man Live

Behind the Music - Levon

This song depicts the United States after a holy war has occurred and a theocratic government has couped and taken power. Levon was on the side of the religious faction, which is why he named his child "Jesus." Levon's "war wound" was received during the war, and his son was born on Christmas Day during the peak of the war, when "the New York Times said God is dead, and the war's begun." Since Levon fought for the new religious government he receives special treatment; that is why Levon sends Jesus "To the finest school in town."
The name "Levon" came from Levon Helm, the drummer and one of the lead singers of The Band. Elton and his lyricist, Bernie Taupin, were big fans of The Band.

This is a great example of Taupin's complex, often obscure writing style. He and John made a great team because Elton could interpret his lyrics very well, giving life to the characters in the songs.

Since this runs 5:37, Elton's record company wanted to cut this down for the single so that more US radio stations would play it. Elton refused, insisting it be released full-length.
The actual New York Times page 1 headline that included the phrase "God Is Dead" is dated March 24, 1968. The phrase also appeared in a major (page 3) article on January 7, 1970. Smaller pieces dated January and April 1966 that feature the phrase in their headings can also be found. None were on Christmas Day, but the January ones are close!

Behind the Music - Tiny Dancer

The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, John's writing partner. They were inspired by Taupin's first trip to America. John and Taupin are from England, and this was the first album they wrote after spending time in the US. The "Blue jean baby, LA Lady, seamstress for the band" is Maxine Feibelmann, Bernie Taupin's girlfriend. She traveled with the band on their early tours, often sewing together the costumes and fixing their clothes. She and Taupin married in 1971.

Behind the Music - Crocodile Rock

This tells the story of a guy in the '50s and '60s who frequented a restaurant where the patrons, especially him, loved an obscure dance called the Crocodile Rock. Because of all the events that happened in the '60s, however, this unknown little dance forever vanished into history and no one cared anymore. Even his girlfriend, who also enjoyed "burning up to the crocodile rock," left him. It's a catchy little song with really sad lyrics. The lyrics mention that the narrator preferred this to "Rock Around the Clock," which was a big hit for Bill Haley and the Comets in 1955. Elton felt "Rock Around The Clock" was vastly overrated. The title could be a play on Haley's song "See You Later, Alligator."

Behind the Music - Funeral for a Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding

Elton wrote the music after thinking about what he would want played at his funeral.
The "Funeral For A Friend" section is instrumental. It transitions into "Love Lies Bleeding," an angry song about a broken relationship. Bernie Taupin, who is Elton's songwriting partner, wrote the lyrics.
Since this is about 11 minutes long, it was not released as a single. It became a very popular song on FM radio, partly because it wasn't played very often, and also because it gave DJs a chance to take a bathroom break or smoke a cigarette.

Stars pay tribute to Princess Diana

LONDON -- An international lineup of pop stars paid tribute to Princess Diana on Sunday at a memorial concert watched by her sons Princes William and Harry and a crowd of 60,000 at London's Wembley Stadium.

Elton John, a friend of the princess who sang at her funeral, kicked off the show with "Your Song" in front of giant black and white photographs of Diana taken by Mario Testino that were beamed on to the stage backdrop.

He was followed by veterans Duran Duran, Status Quo, Bryan Ferry, younger acts The Feeling, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, Orson, Lily Allen and U.S. rapper Pharrell Williams as well as The English National Ballet, a favorite of Diana's.

Sunday would have been Diana's 46th birthday.

Her death in a car crash in Paris in 1997 provoked an unprecedented outpouring of grief from the normally reserved British, reflecting their love of the royal dubbed the "queen of hearts," who became one of the world's most photographed women.

Welsh crooner Tom Jones showed he could still rock at 67, getting the crowd, and the princes, to their feet with "Kiss."

The princes, who danced and joined a Mexican wave during the six-hour music marathon, organized the event to mark the 10th anniversary of their mother's death and celebrate her charity work, which they felt had been forgotten amid negative press.

"This evening is about all that our mother loved in life -- her music, her dance, her charities and her family and friends," William, 25, said after receiving a standing ovation.

Fans at the newly refurbished Wembley stadium shared their memories of the princess.

"I camped out in London for her funeral, so I really wanted to be here today. She was a caring person who always thought of others," said Julie Rocks.

Ann Wilson & Elton John - Where to now St. Peter?

Elton and Ann Wilson have created a fantastic version of Where to Now St. Peter? with Elton on Piano and Vocals and Ann Wilson on vocals. This is part of her new album Hope & Glory.

Listen to it here: http://www.myspace.com/officialannwilson

Elton in Forbes top 20!

For the first time, Forbes has searched for the top 20 most costly A-list weddings.
The magazine considered factors such as venue, flowers, catering and entertainment from information which was made available within the last two decades.

In seventh place were Elton and David Furnish:
The estimated cost of the wedding was $1.5 million.

The pair tied the knot in December 2005--the first week that Britain legalised civil unions. They exchanged vows and diamond wedding bands at Windsor's Guildhall, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles married some eight months earlier.

Hundreds of onlookers and paparazzi crowded outside during the ceremony. Afterwards, over 600 guests arrived at Elton's Windsor country mansion for the reception, which featured two massive heated tents.

They drank vintage pink champagne and listened to Elton serenade David with Your Song.
All of the results, which also include unions like Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, Donald Trump and Melanie Knauss, and the Beckhams can be seen on an E! special.
It airs at 6 p.m. on July 14.

Elton's Tour Schedule for 2007

	15-Jul-07	Inverness	UK	Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
	05-Sep-07	London	UK	O2 Arena
	08-Sep-07	Vevey	Switzerland	Place du Marche
	11-Sep-07	Paris	France	Zenith
	16-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	18-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	19-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	20-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	22-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	25-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	26-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	27-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	29-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	30-Oct-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	02-Nov-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	03-Nov-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
	05-Nov-07	Las Vegas, NV	USA	The Colosseum, Caesars Palace

Welcome to the Elton Insider!

Welcome.

I am Paul Jelicich, creator of this site and of the card you see above. This was sent to Elton in celebration of his 60th birthday at Madison Square Garden.

This site aims to bring you the latest information on Elton John from around the world as soon as it is made available. Anyone is welcome to add information or comments they may have.

Thanks again for taking a look!

Enjoy