A fitting farewell to the Rocketman

Goodbye to the yellow brick road and farewell to a legend.

Elton John bid farewell to Christchurch on Tuesday night in the most stunning of fashions, playing to a crowd of more than 27,000 as he continued his worldwide farewell tour.

In all the grandeur and theatrical brilliance that you’d expect one of the greats of the music industry left no stone unturned as he played in the city for the first time in over 30 years.

And there was an almost strange feeling to being there.

Knowing it’s the last live concert he’ll perform in the South Island, the last opportunity to be in the presence of musical royalty and one last time to dance and jive to some of the great songs he’s been a part of for so many years.

It felt nostalgic. But it also felt like the end of an era.

Because they just don’t make them like Elton anymore.

Artists just aren’t cut from the same cloth as they were when Elton was at his peak. He’s not there now, even he’d admit that, but boy – he’s still got it all, and then some.

And few have the backstory that goes with it that endears you even more, let alone the collection of designer glasses that have become a trademark.

At 75, he shouldn’t be able to perform with the gusto he did on Tuesday night. A solid three-hour block with barely a break between and if anything, the energy level rose as the night went on. The crowd did help with that. Many on their feet for the better part of the last half of the show. of the more than 27,000 standing in the audience who would disagree.

They rocked and partied all night long and after almost every song, Elton made his way across the stage and gave thanks with the noise at times deafen- in the world who travel here should be no more.

They should have taken notice of Tuesday night and were shown that Christchurch, Canterbury and the South Island are capable of coming to the party and while it still exists, Orangetheory Stadium is actually a venue that works.

A new stadium, whenever that might come, will obviously ease some of the frustration but it’s been proven this week that there’s no need to wait.

But the night was about Elton John, not the stadium in which he played in.

From the opening notes of Bennie and the Jets, down to the final belt in his encore medley which finished with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton produced a master class and you’d struggle to find anyone ing as thousands cheered for a man who has been a part of their lives for pretty much forever.

What the concert did show too is that the continual overlooking of Christchurch as a location by some of the biggest name artists

A musical icon for what feels like the longest time, saying goodbye, in the manner in which he knows best.

And it was a privilege and an honour to be there. Go well, Rocketman.

Test Yourself

Test yourself with the Guardian’s quiz

1. Where would you find the masthead in a newspaper?

a) The start of a story b) In the photo c) At the top of the front cover a) Las Vegas b) Oregon c) Florida a) Wellington b) Hutt Valley c) Nelson a) Featherston b) Gisborne c) Pokeno a) 1990 b) 1980 c) 1985 a) Heard b) Clowder c) Colony a) Jupiter b) Uranus c) Saturn

2. What sate is Daytona in?

3. Where is Chris Hipkins from?

4. In what New Zealand town was Ed Sheeran spotted this week?

5. In what year was the Rainbow Warrior attacked by French saboteurs?

6. What is the collective noun for a group of cats?

7. What planet has the most confirmed moons?

8. Which country did the French fry originate from?

America b) France c) Belgium

Tattooists work on show

Ashburton Weather

Midnight Thursday

Thursday: Fine, but cloud increasing in the afternoon. Easterlies.

Canterbury Plains

Thursday: Fine, but cloud increasing in the afternoon with a few showers near the foothills. Northerlies developing in the afternoon.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Northeasterlies.

Wednesday

Thursday Mountain weather hazards: None issued.

Friday: Cloud increasing, with showers developing in the afternoon. Northwesterlies, turning southerly in the afternoon.

A large high moves away to the east during Thursday, but maintains a ridge over large parts of the country.

A subtropical low approaches northern New Zealand, while a series of fronts approach southern New Zealand. The low approaches Northland on Friday, directing fronts across the North Island, while a weakening cold front moves up the South Island.

Around The Region

Mainly fine, but chance of a shower west of the divide in the morning. Isolated showers developing in the afternoon, but clearing in the evening.

Wind at 1000m: NW 35 km/h rising to 60 km/h in the morning, then easing to 45 km/h in the afternoon. Wind at 2000m: NW 35 km/h rising to 60 km/h in the morning, then easing to 40 km/h in the afternoon.

Freezing level: Above 3000m.

Friday Mountain weather hazards: None issued.

Fine spells in the morning. Cloud increasing and showers developing in the afternoon, easing overnight.

Wind at 1000m: Light.

Wind at 2000m: NW 35 km/h easing in the afternoon.

SE 30 km/h developing in the evening.

MAX 28 MIN 16 MAX 28 MIN 14 MAX 22 MIN 12 ThursdayFridaySaturday H 8:03am 8:33pm L 1:46am 2:17pm H 8:19am 8:47pm L 2:00am 2:33pm H 8:19am 8:49pm L 2:02am 2:33pm 9:03am 9:34pm 2:43am 3:16pm 9:15am 9:43pm 2:56am 3:29pm 9:19am 9:50pm 2:59am 3:32pm 10:05am 10:34pm 3:41am 4:16pm 10:11am 10:38pm 3:53am 4:25pm 10:21am 10:50pm 3:57am 4:32pm 6:21am 9:09pm 6:22am 9:08pm 6:24am 9:07pm 11:17am 11:45pm 12:30pm – 1:42pm 12:06am first qtr Jan 29 full Feb 6 last qtr Feb 14 new Feb 20 ThursdayFridaySaturday 29 15 27 15 26 13 26 13 25 12 25 16 30 15 28 18 26 15 25 13 26 15 27 17 21 15 20 13 21 12 20 11 20 11 22 16

21.3 10.7 9.4 24.8 0.0 0.1 180.9 NE 30 9:26am 20.3 11.6 –22.5 12.8 11.0 17.4 0.0 0.0 194.6 E 52 3:46pm 21.3 13.7 –19.2 0.2 ––E 17 3:23pm Tue SUN PROTECTION ALERT Data provided by NIWA PROTECTION REQUIRED Seek shade, reapply sunscreen – 9:30 5:55 ampm