Fan report by Holger Wagner.

For the last of his two German Summer shows Sir Elton John came to Bielefeld. The place was the football stadium of the First League Club Arminia Bielfeld, where nearly 20.000 people were waiting for the appearance of the british pop icon. The stage where Elton played on was the stage from the Live 8 concert in Berlin.

This show was seated and I was lucky to get tickets for the front row. Before the show starts I talked to the local security guys to ask after which song it was allowed to stand up and get to the stage. They said "before 'Crocodile Rock'" but that was an inacceptable answer because that was nearly at the end of the show. So I asked Eltonīs Bodyguard and he said "Before 'Are You Ready For Love'". Hey...that was the answer I want :-) Thanks for that! I must say this new young Bodyguard of Elton was really nice. It was possible to talk to him and he looked not so angry than the other guys of Eltonīs Bodyguard crew. He was really a nice guy.

At 7 pm the rock legend came on stage and began as usual with "Pinball Wizzard". His voice was in a normal shape....at the beginning a little harsh and scratchy but after a few songs it went better. Although Eltonīs voice was better at the concert in Bonn.

Elton went through his normal set list. He even talked less than usual, so you can imagine it was nearly no word. Itīs a pity that Elton talks so little to the audience and to his hardcore fans. I mean he is no man to walk around the stage and he stayed all the time at his piano and even because of that it would be great if he would talk a little bit more!

So....just after "Love Lies Bleeding" we run to the stage and many people followed. Elton really liked that but than a discussion between the local security people and Eltonīs bodyguard began because the security was not so amused that the people all get up to the stage. They had reservations about the security of the people which all came now to the front and it was evident they were not informed that the fans get so early to the front. But of course Eltonīs Bodyguard was successful and so we all danced at the front of the stage face to face to Elton.

Before his last song ("Your Song") Elton thanked the German audience and his fans in Germany for our loyalty all those years and he really likes to play in Germany and will come back in December 2005.

Thank you Elton! I canīt wait for December.

Following is the complete set list of the Bielefeld show on July 10, 2005:

• Pinball Wizard
  
• Bennie and the Jets
  
• Daniel
  
• Turn the Lights Out When You Leave
  
• Take Me To The Pilot
  
• Rocket Man
  
• I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
  
• Sacrifice
  
• Candle In The Wind
  
• Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
  
• Funeral For a Friend
  
• Love Lies Bleeding
  
• Are You Ready For Love
  
• Philadelphia Freedom
  
• All That I'm Allowed
  
• They Call Her The Cat
  
• Sad Songs (Say So Much)
  
• Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
  
• I'm Still Standing
  
• The Bitch is Back
  
• Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
  
• Crocodile Rock
  
• Your Song

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