Elton rocks into town
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2004-09-20 10:16

He may have just scored the biggest-selling single of all time and a hit musical on Broadway, but Sir Elton John still bursts with new projects in new places. On Sunday night, the lgendary pop icon will step out at the Shanghai Grand Stage for his first concert in China.

John and his band arrive in Shanghai tomorrow on his private jet, that's after 10 tons of state-of-the-art sound, lighting and stage equipment arrived. Famous for his spectacular stage shows and stunning performances, John has pulled out all for the two Shanghai shows. His lighting director, Kevin 'Stick' Bye has spent three weeks preparing the light sequences in Los Angeles at the most sophisticated virtual programming studio in the world -- ESP Studios. "I feel very proud of being able to perform a concert in such a great country like China," John told his Chinese fans a couple of weeks ago. "I am looking forward to meeting Chinese people and learning about Chinese culture."

The Shanghai concerts are part of the current Far East tour, which is in Seoul tonight and Taipei's Chungshan Football Stadium on September 23. "According to the information we collected from the London side, the two Shanghai concerts will serve as a prelude to a possible China tour within two years," says Yang Yibin, deputy general manager of Shanghai Xinxin Sports Development Co Ltd and concert organizer. Yang says tickets sales have been steady for both September 19 and 21.

Elton John's prolific singing and songwriting career has brought success on every level -- from records sales to hit singles. In addition to establishing himself as a flamboyant showman, he has an enviable list of musical accomplishments: No. 2 top selling single artist of all time; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 1994; five-time Grammy Award winner; Oscar Award winner ("Circle of Life" winning the best film music in 1994) and Tony Award winner ("Aida" won the best score in 2000). In fact, John has smashed the record for longevity and dominance in the charts as the only pop artist in history to have a Top 40 hit every year for over 30 years from 1971 with "Your Song." He broke the record held by Elvis Presley, who had 22 consecutive years of Top 40 songs. His smash hit single "Candle in the Wind," which was written as tribute to the late Princess Diana, is the all-time best selling single in the world.
In 1991, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, where all of the royalties from his singles sales go directly to AIDS research. He also established the Elton John Music Foundation to provide scholarships to prestigious music schools such as the Royal School of Music in London and the Julliard School in New York. In 1998, Queen Elizabeth knighted Sir Elton John "for services to music and charity."

"Sir Elton John truly represents a modern world icon," says YR Cheng, managing director for Anheuser-bush Asia Inc, Great China, the concert sponsor. Cheng himself is also a hardcore Elton John fan. "I look forward to creating lasting impressions for Sir Elton and his team in their inaugural performances and special memories for the audiences in Shanghai," Cheng says.

Time : September 19, 21, 7:30pm
Place: Shanghai Grand Stage, 1111 Caoxi Rd. N.
Price: 350-2,500 yuan
Tel : 800-820-8056, 6272-7910