Fan report and photos by Heiko Ehlers.

This was the first concert of Elton during the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival ever and the second one (since 2002) in Kiel, a city in the very north of Germany. Elton came to town by private helicopter, driving to the venue by vip shuttle. Local stuff told me he slept about two hours before the concert in his fine decorated colonial-style wardrobe. There was no sound check.

Elton entered the dark stage to "Funeral For A Friend" at 8:00 pm. He was wearing his blue 'Madman Across The Water' suit with blue-framed glasses. Due to the private atmosphere and smaller venue (6,000 people; flat stage design) he seemed to be in a very good mood, playing many, many improvisations before songs like "Rocket Man," often with a deep classical touch. Kim Bullard had technical problems with his keyboard for a while and paused playing in the beginning, wainting for his keyboard technician fixing the sound rack on stage. This was honoured by Elton during the band introduction later on...

On the night before the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina, Elton dedicated "Donīt let the sun go down on me" to the German football team wishing them all the best ("I hope you will slaughter them...").

Elton enjoyed the really good mood in the excited audience and signed autographs for a long time. In the very end, he was given a bouqet of white roses onstage by the festival-chief which Elton then gave to a female fan standing in the first row.

Following is the complete set list of the Kiel show on July 12, 2014:

1. Funeral for a Friend
   
2. Love Lies Bleeding
   
3. Bennie And The Jets
   
4. Candle In The Wind
   
5. Grey Seal
   
6. Levon
   
7. Tiny Dancer
   
8. Philadelphia Freedom
   
9. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
   
10. Rocket Man
    
11. Hey Ahab
    
12. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    
13. The One (solo)
    
14. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (solo)
    
15. Your Song
    
16. Someone Saved My Life tonight
    
17. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    
18. All The Girls Love Alice
    
19. Donīt Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    
20. The Bitch Is Back
    
21. I'm Still Standing
    
22. Your Sister Can't Twist But She Can Rock'n Roll
    
23. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
    
    
24. Circle of Life/Can You Feel the Love tonight (solo)
    
25. Crocodile Rock

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