The roar of the crowd inside St Mary’s Stadium was nothing unusual.
And the distant cheers, the stomping, the clapping and the singing that echoed into the back gardens of hundreds of homes just a stone’s throw from Southampton Football Club was a sound all too familiar.
But this time the noise reverberating around the home of the Saints was about just one man – and not 11.
King of pop Sir Elton John brought the ground alive again when he took to the stage in the first ever concert to take place in the stadium.
More than 25,000 fans packed into the stands and on to specially laid-out seats on top of hard plastic covering on the pitch to see the flamboyant star make his return to the south coast.
It was the first time in five years that the awesome pianist and performer had been back in the area – the last was on a visit to Broadlands back in 2000 during his ‘evening with’ concert series.
But in Southampton, on what turned into a beautiful sunny evening, the veteran singer who shot to fame in the 1970s was back to business, belting out a variety of his hits from the past three decades.
Known for his love of the beautiful game, the city was Elton’s second stop on a country tour of football stadia – having kicked off the tour in Reading the week prior.
And his deep rooted passion for the sport – he was a former director and chairman of Watford FC – was no more evident than when he was recalled to the stage for the second time in the evening by thousands of ecstatic fans who had left their seats to dance in the aisles.
Stopping to address the crowd, he said: “This is a great city and a great football club. You have always made me feel very welcome. It has always been a great pleasure to play against you. I wish you well next season and I hope you go straight back up.”
His heartfelt message was greeted with overwhelming cheers from the majority of visitors – but a small minority of boos came from Pompey fans, despite the fact they had been more than happy to join the party at the south coast’s only stadium that was big enough and modern enough to cope with an event of this magnitude.
Sir Elton had made his way on stage just before 8pm to be greeted by a crowd that had been suitably warmed up by Lulu.
The pair have been reunited after previously recording a duet for Lulu’s album in 2002.
What followed was more than two hours of his greatest tracks including Benny and the Jets, Bitch is Back, Crocodile Rock, Sacrifice, Daniel’s Song, I’m Still Standing and more recent chart topping success hit Are You Ready For Love?
The set, including two encores, lasted for about two hours and 20 minutes before the floodlights came on and Elton bowed out.
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