Rocket Man a genuine legend

The word legend is dished out far too readily these days.

But with a career spanning four decades, a knighthood and more than 200 million records sold, Elton John defines the word.

Last night, the 61-year-old stormed into Birmingham's NIA and captivated the sell-out crowd with his catalogue of hits and charming persona.

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There was not a strop in sight as the musician waved to fans, shook their hands and even invited a lucky crowd on to the stage for a boogie. He sat at the piano beaming from ear to ear, constantly thanking the audience and looking as though he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Elton's skills on the piano and rich voice kept the crowd transfixed and as his fingers danced across the ivories of the bright-red Yamaha, the nimble notes were shown on two of the three big screens - allowing fans to see his talent as a pianist up close.

The man himself, whose tour will bring him back to Birmingham on December 16 and around the rest of the UK before Christmas, opened the show wearing his trademark glittery glasses and a jacket emblazoned with his face and the motto "Captain Elton".

The all-singing, all-dancing set was the perfect backdrop for up-tempo numbers such as Tiny Dancer, Pinball Wizard and Rocket Man, which brought the house down with its epic production.

But one of the highlights of the two-hour show was the stripped-back Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, which was performed without any bells and whistles but rapturously received.

With so many hits to his name, it's easy to see why he needed an autocue last night in case any lyrics were forgotten but the showman failed to put a foot wrong all night.

After streamers and glitter had fallen from the ceiling and the audience had been given giant pink balloons to play with, Elton closed the concert with the classic Your Song. The simple ditty, which remains the fans' favourite after more than 30 years, brought the crowd to their feet as they waved and saluted their Rocket Man.

By Liz Joyce.