Fan report by Mireille. Photos by Christian Schmitt.

Darmstadt is a mid-size city in central Germany. And it is also kind of my hometown because I went to school there and thus spent nine years of my life almost exclusively in that city. I could not believe my grandmother when she told me in January 2003 that Elton was going to play in the local soccer stadium, the Böllenfalltor. I thought: "She must have gotten something wrong. Elton would never ever play in a city the size of Darmstadt and never in a stadium as irrelevant as the Böllenfalltor." And I was proved wrong. Elton did come. And he played. And he rocked Darmstadt.

We arrived in Darmstadt in the early afternoon of July 12, 2003. Every other tree within the entire city was plastered with concert posters. Darmstadt made no effort to conceal that it is really something special Elton was going to play that night. He was going to open the Residenzfestspiele, a series of mostly classical concerts. Many posters also advertised an event called "Stars and More" which was to take place in another tiny stadium near the concert venue.

"Stars and More" was announced as a charity soccer match benefitting the Special Olympics with a host of German semi-celebrities (Naddl, Claus-Theo Gärtner, Axel Schulz, Dolly Buster etc.) and – as the poster said – "and… and… probably Elton John." Since there was the faint possibility that we might catch a glimpse of Elton before the show, we first made for the charity soccer match at 3 p.m.

But as soon as we set foot on the grounds we knew that Elton was never ever going to attend that match: About 40 people on the stands, and some 20 were standing around the only stall selling chilled drinks and bratwurst. Of the announced celebrities, not one was to be seen. There was a soccer match going on but apparently only two minorly famous comedians and two rather unknown soap actors were members of the so-called celebrity team. All others had not shown up. The promoters had hastily asked Jürgen Drews, another b-class celebrity, and the Jacob Sisters (If you do not know them, visit www.jacobsisters.de - I have no idea how to explain what they are) to at least be present.

We had great fun joking about this enormously unspectacular event, but really it was sad to see how much effort the promoters had put into this charity event, and how little really came out of it.

Around 7 p.m. – just before the pre-show started – we took our seats in Böllenfalltor stadium. A few of us had gotten hold of front row tickets just a few days before the concert. Beaming with excitement and with our tickets saying "row 1" we walked to the front. The shock: In front of row 1 stood a line of chairs labelled "row AA".

On these chairs young people sat, non-fans judging by their attire. We asked them: "However did you get hold of these tickets?" And they said: "There was a man walking around who gave them to us for free just five minutes ago." Ooops – thank you. A sad start for a great evening, especially for those die-hard fans who were trapped in the cage-like stands way way back from the stage.

There was no opening act in the classic sense but a local orchestra with different singers and a choir played hits from the last 30 years – among others, an orchestral versions of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight". I must say that this was much less painful than opening acts that I heard in the years before.

During this pre-show we heard from backstage that there had been trouble with Elton’s masseur who had mysteriously not showed up. So the local promoters feverishly searched for a masseur from Darmstadt who a) had to be able to arrive within the next few minutes, and b) had to be gay. The masseur was found but left Elton’s room again after only ten minutes. We thought: "Uh-oh, this means bad mood…"

At 7:45 p.m., the stadium announcer said that Elton was going to start the show at 8:30 (30 minutes early), and at 8:00, the same voice hastily announced, that the show was going to start at 8:15. Another sign for Elton’s "let’s-get-over-with-this-sh**" mood? No, it was not. The show that started 45 minutes early was great.

Elton came onstage dressed in a pink suit with glittering buttons and the ever-present pink snakeskin boots. Underneath he wore a black T-shirt with pink writing (I could not make out what exactly it said.). He then performed the same set as in Madrid a few days before.

A very positive surprise for me was that Elton talked much more than on previous solo concerts. Before almost every song, he explained a little. He got up very often and thanked the audience because by the time he had finished "Honky Cat", he had conquered Darmstadt. Elton did not sign autographs but I do not think that this was because of a bad temper but because the stage was so high.

When the Jacob Sisters (see above) gave him a rose each, they had to be lifted up by security (quite a feat!).

For most of us, a surprising highlight was "I’m Still Standing". It sounded totally different than ever before, sort of edgier. And the solo in "Bennie And The Jets" included the notes of "Song For Guy" but it was rhythmically distorted so that probably only the die-hard fans noticed the tune.

After "Take Me To The Pilot", everyone rushed to the stage, and security made no more effort to keep us back. The show ended with "Crocodile Rock". Elton came back for two encores dressed in a red T-Shirt and red sweat pants complete with red-tinted spectacles. At 11 p.m. he left the stage for good.

Following is the complete setlist of the Darmstadt show on July 12, 2003:

• Your Song
  
• Border Song
  
• The One
  
• Someone Saved My Life Tonight
  
• Ballad Of The Boy In Red Shoes
  
• Daniel
  
• Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
  
• Honky Cat
  
• Rocket Man
  
• I'm Still Standing
  
• Ticking
  
• Tiny Dancer
  
• I Want Love
  
• Sacrifice
  
• Philadelphia Freedom
  
• Candle In The Wind
  
• Moon River
  
• Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
  
• I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
  
• This Train Don't Stop There Anymore
  
• Carla/Etude
  
• Tonight
  
• Take Me To The Pilot
  
• Bennie And The Jets
  
• Crocodile Rock
  
  
• Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
  
  
• Circle Of Life