Bennie and the Jets

Great last few days for Summerside and what a show! This puts Summerside on the map with promoters. I understand the promoters and management of Elton's were really impressed. Lots of off Island tickets sold and great boost to the PEI economy.

Elton John concert delivers
Elton John didn't disappoint the thousands of fans at Credit Union Place on Wednesday night.
Published on September 15, 2011

By Stephen Brun
No matter your age, it's nearly impossible be unaware of Elton John.
I'm more than familiar with several of his songs, mainly due to my parents being fans. My folks even caught one of Sir Elton's concerts themselves in the 1970s.
But even after so many years of listening to the singer's biggest hits like "Rocket Man," "Tiny Dancer" and "Benny and the Jets," nothing can quite prepare you for hearing the man himself performing those songs live.
I went into Wednesday night's sold-out show at Credit Union Place as something of a casual fan, but I left the arena as an Elton John believer.
Maybe it's because he's been doing this singing thing for so long that there's a certain mystique about this 64-year-old Brit.
After all, it took him this long to finally play P.E.I., the only Canadian province in which he hadn't preformed before Wednesday.
The goose bumps grew on my arms as the legendary performer walked modestly out to the stage, decked in a rather modest (for him) bedazzled jacket and sunglasses.
He sat down at his piano, the lone prop on the stage, and started into his opening song "The One." By the end of the tune, his masterful piano playing and booming vocals assured that my goose bumps weren't going anywhere.
The crowd of over 5,400 was a mixture of all ages, a testament to John's more than four decades of lasting popularity.
Looking at those around me that night, I'm guessing I wasn't the only one getting goose bumps.
It's hard to say how many times a rousing piano solo would shake your seat, or a single song would bring everyone in the arena to their feet.
The show ran smoothly, with John performing more than 25 songs over nearly three hours.
There didn't appear to be any abnormal traffic or parking tie-ups outside, and there were no line-ups for entry into the arena itself. Volunteers stood at the top of each bowl section, ready to help eager fans find their seats.
The result was an appreciative crowd, and the evening felt like an intimate concert between John and thousands of his closest friends.
Most of the big hits were there, including "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Crocodile Rock" and "Candle in the Wind."
John would even build suspense with flourishing intros before playing the recognizable opening chords to one of his hits.
Just after 10:30 p.m., Sir Elton returned to the stage for an encore of "Circle of Life."
Before the final performance, the singer spent several minutes signing autographs for fans lined up along the front of the stage.
Many performers would simply hope to impress a crowd with their music. But this was different.
By the end of the night, it seemed like Elton John and 5,400 people in Summerside were old friends.

Stephen Brun is a Journal Pioneer reporter. He can be reached at sbrun@journalpioneer.com.