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Elton John and band performed in Bristol on June 11, 2004
Tuesday, June 15 2004

Fan report by Mark S. Giles.

After months of anticipation, finally it was time for Elton to start his summer UK tour.

My trip started on Thursday though, where I travelled to the south west of England, and Swindon where I met up with former Hercules Magazine Editor Tammi Smedley and her new-born baby Joe. In the evening I visited the Swindon Arts Centre to see Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri in Concert. Kiki sings "Don't Go breaking My Heart" in her set, and tells one or two stories of her times with Elton.

The following day it was off to a sunny Bristol City Football Club and to Elton's first UK date this year. Having met up with some friends, and been interviewed by Radio Bristol, it was time to take my 12th Row seat.

Unusually for Elton, he had a support band. The Scissor Sisters (from New York) treated us to a lively set which seemed to get a lot of the crowd moving.

By 8 pm, the crowd had grown to around 23,000. As in Amherst in April, Elton started with "The Bitch Is Back". It seemed strange, as the band came onstaged almost unnoticed, until they started playing. It also caused problems for the inexperienced security, as many people were still chatting in the isles ... and once the opening chords were struck, they were reluctant to go to their seats. It meant people had to in the front had to stand for the entire show whilst people from the back came running down to be near the front. Unfortunately this was very distracting, as the main event was watching Elton's security man trying to get the local security to move people back. In the end he gave up.

Still it was not nice knowing that people with cheaper tickets were standing in front of the more expensive front rows.

As for the concert, well it was superb. It was a lively start, with "The Bitch Is Back" (and Elton laying on the piano), followed by "Bennie and the Jets" and then "Levon" which is a track not often played in the UK.

Elton and the band were really enjoying it ... perhaps the fact that the crowd was far more responsive than the recent Vegas shows. Elton spoke very little apart from the "usual" intro before "Red Shoes", but he did dedicate "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" to Ray Charles who had died the previous day. Apparently their recording together of "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" was Charles's last in a studio.

Elton briefly left the stage at the start of "Funeral for a Friend", and this was the start of a 'rocking' end to the show. Elton said in introducing the brilliant "Believe" that he'd put this in the set as there was so much misery in the world.

Again "Believe" and "Alice" are not usually on the UK set list. The high tempo ending was completed with "Crocodile Rock" where Elton this time sang "I remember when rock was young, Lester Piggott had so much fun".

The usual encores completed a terrific show. Elton changed into his tracksuit for "Your Song", and touched and shook hands with the crowd, but didn't sign any autographs, perhaps as the stage was very high, or as was rumored that he was flying to Nice that night.

A great show ... can't wait for the next one!

Following is the complete set list of the Bristol show om June 11, 2004:

  • The Bitch Is Back
  • Bennie And The Jets
  • Levon
  • Daniel
  • Someone Saved My Life Tonight
  • Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes
  • Philadelphia Freedom
  • Rocket Man
  • I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
  • I Want Love
  • Tiny Dancer
  • Take Me To The Pilot
  • Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
  • Sacrifice
  • Candle In The Wind
  • Are You Ready For Love
  • Funeral For A Friend
  • Love Lies Bleeding
  • Believe
  • All The Young Girls Love Alice
  • I'm Still Standing
  • Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
  • Crocodile Rock

  • Pinball Wizard
  • Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

  • Your Song


Related News

  • Ray Charles Dies At 73
        Friday, June 11 2004 at 04:42:26

  • Elton recorded with Ray Charles
        Wednesday, June 2 2004 at 12:01:27

  • Scissor Sisters To Support Elton John
        Wednesday, May 12 2004 at 11:14:15


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