Elton John entertained thousands of fans on April 3, 2010 at an open air concert at the ancient Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza in southeastern Mexico.

Nearly 6,000 spectators, who paid between $80 and $800 (60-600 euros) per ticket heard some of Elton's most popular classics, with the pre-Hispanic Temple of Kukulkan as a backdrop. The 90-minute concert went ahead amidst the majestic pyramids despite indigenous leaders' complaints and an accident that saw the stage collapse, injuring three workers.

Local Mayan leaders complained the concert was irreverent and out of place. They said the accident was the work of "aluxes," the Mayan culture's equivalent of fairies, who were upset because their gods' permission for the concert was lacking. At the concert, Elton cheered fans with hits like "Sacrifice," "Tiny Dancer" and "Rocket Man." He closed the show with "The Circle of Life."

Ever since his arrival April 3, 2010 afternoon on a private jet from London, Elton was protected by a police and military operation with hundreds of officers who also set up roadblocks at the entrances to the archeological site. He was scheduled to leave Mexico within hours of his performance.

The state of Yucatan, home to Chichen Itza, is considered one of the safest in Mexico, where a brutal drug war has killed over 15,000 people in the past three years. Elton was the fourth major international star to perform at Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage site, after British soprano Sarah Brightman (2009), Spanish tenor Placido Domingo (2008) and Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti (1997). These events have triggered protests by some indigenous leaders, who accuse the Yucatan government of jeopardizing what remains of the ancient ceremonial site to profit from elitist performances.

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