MEN dressed in sequins, women in colourful glasses and carefree dance moves . . . the Sydney Entertainment Centre had it all on Thursday night.
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But then you wouldn't expect any less when we are talking about the flamboyant Elton John, who has graced stages all over the world for more than four decades.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of his hit Rocket Man, Sir Elton has managed to surpass any generational gap, appealing to young and old alike.
And he is headed for Launceston to show that he still has the moves - and the voice.
Dressed in a red shirt and a long blue sequined jacket, complete with his signature red-rimmed blue-framed glasses, Sir Elton humbly took to the Sydney stage - and to his baby grand piano - waving in appreciation to the audience.
Belting out hits such as Bennie and the Jets , he soon got the crowd warmed up and on their feet. Sir Elton, who played non-stop for just over 2 1/2 hours, only seemed to get better as the crowd became more receptive, lapping up the applause and cheers that came his way.
And he did not break a sweat once.
Sir Elton is not what you expect for a rock star or a master piano player.
There is something warm about him that invites his music into your heart, creating memories catalogued to the soundtrack of his songs. He is like the teddy bear you just want to hug.
And then there are his piano fingers.
They're not long and elegant as you would expect. His fingers are stumpy and purposefully touch the keys to create a sound like no other.
Who can forget his beautiful rewritten rendition of Candle in the Wind, also known as Goodbye England's Rose, at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales?
While he played the original 1973 version at the show (he only plays the Princess Diana version with permission from princes William and Harry), it was a touching moment at the end of the song when he put his fingers to his lips as if blowing a kiss to her memory.
Joining Sir Elton on stage were long-time band members guitarist Davey Johnstone and drummer Nigel Olsson. Do these men know how to rock! Any aspiring musician could take a leaf out of their book.
And bringing a younger vibe, as Sir Elton said,`` lowering the average age of the band'', were Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, known as 2CELLOS.
These young musicians are not your average cello players: think more along the lines of AC-DC's Highway to Hell and Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. They have given a classical instrument a contemporary edge.
Together, the band played all the favourites like I'm Still Standing, Tiny Dancer and Circle of Life.
After the main show, Sir Elton reappeared on stage for an encore performance, but modestly approached his fans first to sign autographs.
He left the crowd with one more lasting impression, belting out Crocodile Rock .
Sir Elton is a legend of the music business and no bucket list would be fulfilled without seeing him live.
Sir Elton will perform at The Silverdome on Tuesday night and tickets are still available. For more information, visit silverdome.com.au
Rochelle Galloway attended the Elton John concert as a guest of the promoters.