Fan Report by Chris Akins.

As I arrived at the BCC to claim my Rocket tickets, I was amazed at the size of the venue and became instantly excited. It reminded me of a large high school complex where varsity basketball games would take place. I knew this was going to be a perfect setting for Elton’s infamous solo show.

We took our seats in the 7th row, on what would be the band side, but obviously, there was no band. However, the venue was so incredibly small that these seats were like being in the third row.

The show started at exactly 8pm. The lights went down and the beautiful Aida music blared from the speakers. Elton walked out on stage at the appropriate moment, and the crowd stood instantly and applauded. He looked flawless and he still seems to be getting slimmer these days.

Elton started the show off with the obvious opener, "Your Song". My friend and I were standing when he started the song, and the man behind us yelled at us to sit down. I was in no mood to already hear this. The entire crowd instantly sat down for this opening song. I dealt with this due to the fact it was a solo show. After Elton finished, we all stood for him, and he began talking about why he was in Delaware and so glad he finally made it. The jerk behind me once again yelled at us to sit down. Keep in mind, the screen was in perfect eyeshot of them, due to the fact we had aisle seats, so I told him to watch the f*cking screen.

I rarely have problems with people, especially on the floor, but he was extremely rude and it was too early to be telling me to sit down. I always follow what the rest of the floor does, and once everyone else sat down, we took our seats during the Elton John album journey.

I noticed the crowd was very gracious with their standing ovations, but not so much standing throughout songs. During "Honky Cat", which was Elton’s first up-tempo number, barely anyone stood. Elton made a few rise when he had his jam session at the end and he was really getting into it. We stood during this section too, only to be yelled at once again. I became extremely pissed off, and became very unhappy with the Delaware crowd as a whole. This was Elton’s first visit, and he had to be the biggest superstar that ever stepped foot in that arena.

I just wished more of the floor had been more gracious and excited. Not to say everyone there was lame, but our entire section, minus a very few number, were extremely lame. I instantly felt, out of the nineteen shows I have seen, this was the worst crowd. I was not impressed.

The coolest moment from the crowd was when he was in the middle of his extended "Rocket Man", and the crowd on his side began waving their arms in the air, demanding the rest of us get out of our seats. Of course, we did. Only to be yelled at once again to sit down. I ignored the idiot and remained standing throughout the rest of the song. After the song ended, the guy came behind me yelling really loud in my ear. My friend just responded by saying loudly to me; “Now you know what you’re supposed to do at a concert.” For the first time, the guy was acting normal, but he was definitely trying to get a rise out of me. It is funny how ignorance works.

The entire performance by Elton was amazing and simply beautiful. Just is what is expected from his solo shows. The treats for me were "Sixty Years On", "The Greatest Discovery", "Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes", "Mona Lisa’s and Mad Hatters", "Ticking", "Tonight", "Sacrifice". The return with "I’m Still Standing" was priceless. I loved this version solo.

During "Sacrifice" there was a loud boom from a speaker I’m guessing and a major hissing sound. Elton kept playing and singing even though the sound was not really fixed yet. The crowd was cheering him on throughout the song, and he responded with that priceless grin. It was really neat, even though there was definitely a problem. The sound was completely back to 100% near the end of the song. The sound in that venue was flawless. The piano was still rumbling through my body, and his deep voice sent chills down my spine. The vocals were extremely clear. It was an amazing concert, I am just hoping, the next time, the crowd where I am sitting will be a little bit more respectful to others and to Elton himself.

Following is the complete set list of the Newark, Delaware solo show on March 10, 2008:

• Your Song
  
• Sixty Years On
  
• The Greatest Discovery
  
• I Need You To Turn To
  
• Border Song
  
• Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes
  
• Daniel
  
• Honky Cat
  
• Rocket Man
  
• Tiny Dancer
  
• Mona Lisa’s and Mad Hatters
  
• Nikita
  
• Philadelphia Freedom
  
• Sacrifice
  
• Ticking
  
• Roy Rogers
  
• Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
  
• Candle in the Wind
  
• I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
  
• Levon
  
• Carla Etude
  
• Tonight
  
• Blue Eyes
  
• Bennie and the Jets
  
• Crocodile Rock
  
  
• I’m Still Standing
  
• Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me

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