(Finally) Elton plays Sudbury!

Is the crying and whining about tickets finally go to end now that Elton has played Sudbury? Lets hope so!

Elton John thrills appreciative fans

Posted By Bob Vaillancourt
Updated 10 mins ago

Elton John has been a composer, songwriter and performer for decades. During those years, he has mastered the art of staging a performance that wows audiences wherever he plays.

He did just that at Sudbury Community Arena on Sunday night, with more than 6,000 fans hanging on his every note - from his opening number, the classic ballad "Your Song," to a stylized version of one his most popular songs, "Rocket Man."

Since it was announced earlier this year, Sudbury's Elton John appearance has been the most anticipated concert in the city's history.

"It was awesome," said Dean and Jennifer Lanteigne.

People started gathering as early as 5 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert, with the area in front of the arena becoming a veritable party scene featuring fans wearing their own versions of Elton John attire.

After standing in line for more than 24 hours to successfully acquire tickets, Gloria Harju then began a search for her Elton John Concert wardrobe.

She started with a broad-rimmed hat complete with feather boa trim and from there completed the outfit with a pair of oversized dark sunglasses.

"I wanted to find a sequin jacket," she said, but met with no success.

She said she became a fan at age 16 and has followed John's career since. "I grew up with that music."

It was the second opportunity she has had to see John live. Her first concert was a few years ago in Washington.

At that concert, a band accompanied John. For the Sudbury show, John chose to take to the stage with just his piano.

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But that was enough to get Sudbury fans out of their seats for virtually every number he played.

At times, it seemed the light coming from cellphone video screens and digital cameras would overpower the strobe and floodlights set up for the concert.

Also taking in their second Elton John concert were Paul and Eileen Leishman of Orillia. Their first was in 1995 when Elton John and Billy Joel performed together on stage. "They were amazing," said Paul Leishman.

But every Elton John concert brings its own sense of excitement, said Lisa Rabski.

"There is just a feeling. He emits that on stage. Everybody feels it. It's just that sense of wow."

There was no question those lucky enough to scoop up tickets for the concert - the 6,000-plus tickets sold out in 45 minutes - knew they were at "an event."

Inside, beer sellers were doing a brisk business up until the claps and applause signalled that Sir Elton John was making his way to the stage.

With a bow to the audience, and dressed in a red shirt, a sequined long-tailed jacket and black trousers with red stripes on the side, John, the prolific musician, sat down at the piano and began playing a string of hits for the next two-and-a-half hours.

The power of the music was so intense that one could feel the floor of the 50-year-old Sudbury arena vibrate at times.

Occasionally, John would comment on the song he was about to play, but on several occasions he would simply stand, acknowledge the audience and move on to his next number.

It seemed to be just what his fans wanted as they roared their approval for every number.

Throughout the crowd you could see neon-glow glasses. On the arena floor, fans were waving neon-glow sticks in the air to the beat of the music.

Fans were taking away more than just memories from the event.

Jennifer Revel's souvenir booth was selling everything from $20 Elton John CDs, to $35 T-shirts and $100 fleece hoodies.

But her biggest sale of the night was a $400 Elton John leather jacket that one fan bought to remember the night the Rocket Man rocked the Nickel City.

editorial@thesudburystar.com

However i guess some people can never let go;

Apology is in order - Editorial

The city "would like to bring closure" to the controversy over councillors' access to tickets for the Elton John concert, said Chief Administrator Mark Mieto in a release.

Fair enough. But some issues must be resolved, first.

In the release, Mieto says the city was notified of advance promotional tickets for media outlets, which is standard practice. This appears to be an attempt to explain how he knew The Star had purchased tickets from the promoter. But he offered to show a Sudbury Star reporter receipts of tickets purchased on private credit cards. One purchase was made through a local private business. How did Mieto get these receipts? This is a serious privacy matter that must be explained.

And Mieto still hasn't explained why he warned The Star the concert was in danger due to negative publicity when it clearly wasn't, why he implied that tickets were improperly obtained by The Star when even a cursory examination of the facts shows otherwise, or why he told The Star his job would be in danger if word of an off-the-record meeting with The Star got out, when that later proved not to be the case. Mieto and Mayor John Rodriguez have since admitted the mayor knew about the meeting in advance.

As the city's top bureaucrat, Mieto must be a trusted adviser to - and servant of - council and the public. He has yet to make a public apology for his actions. He should do so.

What do you think? Visit the Sudbury Star's website at www.thesudburystar.com and add your voice to the discussion. Or send us your opinion in a Letter to the Editor at 33 MacKenzie St., Sudbury, P3C 4Y1, or fax it to 674-6834 or e-mail it to letters@thesudburystar.com