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Fellow Caesars Palace headliners Rod Stewart and Elton John are the first two stars to help fill the dates left open as a result of Celine Dion’s decision to cancel her concerts until March 2014 to care for her husband Rene Angelil in his battle against throat cancer.

Rod has agreed to add a string of dates to even his yet-unannounced dates in a new two-year renewal of his Colosseum show at Caesars. Elton also agreed to perform additional dates in his contract, which is now extended into next year.

In 2015, both men will pick up some of the slack also left open with Shania Twain’s completion of her contract there in December. Still unknown as of this writing is which superstar will perform over New Year’s.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that negotiations are underway with a now narrowed-down list of possible stars, and a hoped-for announcement will be forthcoming in the next two weeks.

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Musical "The Lion King" has taken more money at the box office than any other stage show, or cinema release.

It has made more than $6.2bn (£3.8bn) in ticket sales alone, not counting merchandise, cast recordings or revenue from the film on which it is based.

And that means it has overtaken "The Phantom of the Opera", even though Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical has been seen by twice as many paying punters. The biggest film release at the box office, "Avatar," has made almost $2.8bn.

Featuring music by Elton John, with lyrics written by Tim Rice, "The Lion King" began on Broadway in 1997. It was based on a highly successful Disney animation released three years earlier.

In 2013, it was the highest-grossing musical on the New York stage, and it retains its number one position so far in 2014. Its 22 productions around the world are thought to have been seen by 75 million people.

Disney Theatrical Productions president Thomas Schumacher said: "It's difficult not to become emotional at this realisation of the show's impact." He added he was "deeply proud" of how the stage show had offered the same audience experience in numerous countries around the world.

The producers of "Phantom" acknowledged being overtaken by The Lion King, calling it "the pride of Broadway". But Phantom, which started life on stage in 1986, remains the longest-running show in Broadway history and has been seen by an estimated 140 million people around the world. Ten productions of "Phantom" are currently running, including in London's West End, on Broadway and touring North America. And new productions are planned for Moscow, Hong Kong and Istanbul.

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Elton John and Barbra Streisand want to follow in Tony Bennett‘s harmonious footsteps and record duets with Lady Gaga, PageSix.com reports.

Elton and Barbara are among several artists who have contacted Gaga about future collaborations since her album with Bennett, “Cheek to Cheek,” was leaked. Gaga celebrated the album — which is officially out September 23, 2014 — last week after her concert in Athens, Greece, by throwing a party for her manager Bobby Campbell.

When Gaga was presented with the Manchester Guardian’s four-star review, she burst into tears of joy. She credits Campbell — who took over from manager Troy Carter after the release of “Artpop” in 2013 — with this new, music-first chapter of her career.

“I wouldn’t be here today without Bobby,” Gaga said. Campbell supported Gaga by not leaving her side throughout the recording of “Cheek to Cheek” — almost all of which took place after the split from Carter, who sources say was soft on the concept and focused on other clients.

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Following is the complete set list of the Denver show on September 20, 2014.

1. Funeral For A Friend
   
2. Love Lies Bleeding
   
3. Bennie And The Jets
   
4. Candle In The Wind
   
5. Grey Seal
   
6. Levon
   
7. Tiny Dancer
   
8. Holiday Inn
   
9. Philadelphia Freedom
   
10. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    
11. Rocket Man
    
12. Hey Ahab
    
13. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    
14. Ocean's Away
    
15. Your Song
    
16. Burn Down The Mission
    
17. All The Girls Love Alice
    
18. Home Again
    
19. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    
20. The Bitch Is Back
    
21. I'm Still Standing
    
22. Your Sister Can't Twist But She Can Rock'n'Roll
    
23. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
    
    
24. Circle Of Life
    
25. Crododile Rock

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You'd think that pop legend Elton John would be beyond caring what the critics think by now, right?

Well, apparently he still reads the reviews. Even before they get in the paper. Steve Newton wrote a pretty damn glowing online review of the show at Rogers Arena on September 13, 2014, tacking on a complaint about his choice of encores. He didn't care for the way he went all Disney by ending the night with those sappy tunes from The Lion King, "Circle of Life"/"Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

Then the next night, during his second Vancouver show, this message got tweeted by one of his more trustworthy followers, @60Blues: "OMG!!! @earofnewt Elton John just talked about your review!!! He read it!! Didn't like the Lion King diss!! Lol"

Later on Steve got the gist of what apparently went down: "It was right before 'Circle of Life'; Elton was thanking Vancouver for two great nights. He said he read a review of last night in a paper then corrects himself and says on a website. He said it was a beautiful, great review except the guy says he didn't like the two songs at the end. Elton then went on to say he had stopped singing them but now he has two kids who watch that movie so he started singing them again. And he then said he really didn't fucking care if anyone didn't like them because he's never ever been fucking cool anyhow!"

Now, Steve takes total exception to that statement: Elton John is fucking cool. Except for those two Lion King tunes.

You can follow Steve Newton at twitter.com/earofnewt and check out his website about rock 'n' roll and horror here.

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Elton John will perform on New Year’s Eve for the first time in New York City when he headlines a concert at Barclays Center on December 31, 2014.

The New Year’s Eve performance will include renowned hits and classic album tracks from throughout Elton’s incredible five-decade career, as well as a selection of songs from his highly-acclaimed album, the recently re-released 40th Anniversary CD, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

Elton’s New Year’s Eve tickets at Barclays Center will go on sale on Friday, September 26, 2014 at 10 am. Tickets (from US $86.10 to US $800.75) can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling +1-800-745-3000. There will be an eight ticket limit per customer. Tickets will also be available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Saturday, September 27,2 2014 at noon, if tickets are still available.

For information on individual suites, please call +1-718-BK-SUITE.

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Following is the complete set list of the Vancouver show on September 13, 2014.

1. Funeral For A Friend
   
2. Love Lies Bleeding
   
3. Bennie And The Jets
   
4. Candle In The Wind
   
5. Grey Seal
   
6. Levon
   
7. Tiny Dancer
   
8. Holiday Inn
   
9. Philadelphia Freedom
   
10. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    
11. Rocket Man
    
12. Hey Ahab
    
13. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    
14. Ocean's Away
    
15. Your Song
    
16. Burn Down The Mission
    
17. All The Girls Love Alice
    
18. Home Again
    
19. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    
20. The Bitch Is Back
    
21. I'm Still Standing
    
22. Your Sister Can't Twist But She Can Rock'n'Roll
    
23. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
    
    
24. Circle Of Life
    
25. Crododile Rock

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Although he’s worked as Elton John’s road manager for nearly 20 years, D.C. Parmet said not a day goes by he doesn’t think how wonderful life is that he gets to tour the world with his idol.

“The first album I ever bought was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” said Parmet. “I had no idea as a kid, sitting there looking at the album in the 70s that someday I would spend a good chunk of my working life with the man on the cover of the album.”

Speaking to Metro by phone backstage from Rogers Arena where he was readying the stage for the British pop legend’s Vancouver performance this weekend, Parmet said he never imagined as a child living in small-town Arizona that working in the music industry was even a possibility. “It didn’t seem like a career path because where do you apply for those jobs? You just can’t go to Craigslist and see, ‘Wanted: Elton John road manager,’” he said with a laugh.

It was a long journey filled with chance encounters that saw Parmet eventually find his way to the top. As a teenager in the 1980s, he started selling t-shirts at concerts, eventually landing a gig at the company that supplied the merchandise. Then, in 1998, Parmet met a member of Elton John’s concert staff. When the group started hiring for his tour that year, Parmet said his now-boss recommended him for the gig. “I sort of worked my way up the food chain,” he said. “In some ways, it’s like being Forrest Gump where he was always in the right place at the right time.”

Parmet still remembers the moment he first met Elton, which he described as a dream come true. “I was incredibly nervous. I mean, it’s Elton John!” he recalled the scene with a laugh. “Someone introduced me to him, and he patted me on the cheek and said, ‘Oh, dear boy, you’re the accountant? No wonder you look nervous!’”

After two decades of working together, Parmet said he’s become friends with Elton, developing a rapport that often sees them joke around with each other backstage. “He knows I’m a fan of the Minnesota Twins,” he said. “So he’ll trash talk me about my team if they’re not doing well.” When the two aren’t at odds over rival baseball teams, Parmet said Elton is a “proper English gentleman” who will often take the time to chat with the crew and ask about their families.

As an audiophile, Parmet said he always enjoys talking to Elton about music. “He’s got an encyclopedic knowledge of pop music,” he said. “You name a song and he’ll tell you the artist, the year, the chart position.”

Although Parmet has toured with Elton for almost two decades, enduring the same exhausting tour schedule with dozens of stops around the world for months at a time, he said the job never gets old. “When the house lights go down, and you can hear everyone screaming and cheering, it makes it all worthwhile,” he said.

When Elton takes to the stage at Rogers Arena for his two performances this weekend, Parmet said fans can expect to hear a variety of music from almost every album released during his five-decade career, including both the hits and the “deep album tracks” that only hardcore fans may recognize. “I like to call it a journey through his career,” he said. “There will be something for everybody.”

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On October 28, 2014, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) will present its 13th annual An Enduring Vision benefit at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

EJAF is thrilled to welcome back award-winning CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who will host the event for a seventh year. Elton and David will present EJAF’s Enduring Vision Awards to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Charlie Hendon, Jay Jopling, and Nathalie and Pablo Salame.

The Foundation honors Governor Cuomo for all of his extraordinary contributions to the fight against AIDS, especially his plan to end AIDS in New York State by 2020, and for his tremendous leadership in bringing marriage equality to New York. Atlanta real estate developer Charlie Hendon has been a devoted friend and generous supporter of EJAF’s work for many years. Jay Jopling, proprietor of the prominent gallery White Cube and a loyal EJAF supporter and advocate, has assisted the Foundation on numerous occasions by securing significant pieces of art for live auctions and art projects, helping to raise millions of dollars over the years for EJAF’s urgent mission. In addition to their extraordinary philanthropic support for the Foundation, Nathalie and Pablo Salame are also vocal champions of both EJAF’s work and LGBT rights issues.

Elton and David serve as the honorary chairs for An Enduring Vision, joined by fellow Co-Chairs Philip E. Aarons and Shelley Fox Aarons, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, Johnny and Edwina Barbis, Jennifer Bayer Michaels, Ken Bernstein, Scott Bessent and John Freeman, Joseph W. Blount, Jess Cagle, John Demsey, James Dolan, Isabelle Ealet and John Corbani, Tim Hanlon and Anthony Klatt, Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, Donna Karan, Nikolaos D. Koklonis, Robert K. Kraft, Leonard A. Lauder, Matt Lauer, Sandra Lee, Jenna Lyons and Courtney Crangi, Joe McMillan, Leslie Moonves, Thomas E. Moore III and Mark Reynolds, James L. Nederlander, Adam Norbury and R. Martin Chavez, Ronald O. Perelman, Michael Rapino, Lily Safra, Brooke Shields, Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant, Jerry Speyer and Katherine Farley, and Ashok and Maggie Varadhan.

Presenting Sponsors for the event are American Airlines, Goldman Sachs Gives, Robert K. Kraft, Wells Fargo, and Airfasttickets.

Co-Sponsors are Joseph W. Blount, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Leonard A. Lauder, and MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, Inc.

Gold Sponsors are Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, Gilead Sciences, M•A•C Viva Glam, The Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, and Jerry Speyer and Katherine Farley.

Silver Sponsors are Acadia Realty Trust, BVLGARI, Don Capoccia and Tom Pegues, James L. Nederlander, and Adam Norbury and R. Martin Chavez.

Special thanks to Cîroc Ultra Premium Vodka, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Veuve Clicquot, and Weinberg Glass.

For ticket information, please contact Andreas Schwarz at the Elton John AIDS Foundation, +1.212.219.0670 or andreas.schwarz@ejaf.org.

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According to E! Online, the grooms wore custom Tom Ford tuxes, and pal Pam Fryman officiated. And on top of all that, Elton John performed at the reception!

Neil Patrick Harris informed his nearly 10 million fans on Monday morning that he and David Burtka had said their "I do's" in Italy over the weekend. "We happily confirm that Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka were married in Italy in an intimate ceremony surrounded by their close friends and family," a rep for Harris told E!

Harris, 41 and Burtka, 36, began dating 10 years ago and have two children, Gideon Scott and Harper Grace, twins born in 2010 by a surrogate. In 2011, Harris noted on Twitter that he and Burtka had been engaged for five years, but were "waiting for an available date."

Looks like the right one finally came along. Congrats to the couple, and their kids!

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Elton John and David Furnish let their adorable children stay up past their bedtime to catch the first bit of the annual End of Summer party.

The youngsters – Zachary, three, and 19-month-old Elijah – were sure to have captured all attention, despite the A-list turnout that included Elizabeth Hurley, Gary Barlow, Ellie Goulding, David Walliams and his wife Lara Stone. The Furnish-John family posed together before the celebrations got under way and couldn't have looked more picture perfect.

Donning a crisp white shirt and navy jeans, Zachary lent back into his dad David's arms as the pair sat on a bed that had been set up in the garden. Toddler Elijah looked just as sweet, sporting a blue-and-white pinstriped shirt and black jeans and matched his brother in Burberry canvas shoes. Elton placed a protective hand on his youngest son's shoulder as he added a pop of colour to his outfit with pink and blue sunglasses.

David and Elton welcomed a host of celebrities into their Berkshire home for the annual charity bash, which is held to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

As star after star arrived at the Woodside property in Windsor, England, the festivities began, which included a dinner, an auction and live performances. Guests were treated to songs by leading man Elton himself, who crooned some of his greatest hits on piano, while James Blunt and former X Factor judge Gary also took to the alfresco stage.

Model and actress Elizabeth gave one man – businessman Julian Bharti – the kiss of his dreams as she puckered up to him in exchange for the £50,000 bid he had given for charity.

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It's hard to believe, but September 2, 2014 marks the 5th anniversary of the death of Guy Babylon. And Bob Birch passed away two years ago on August 15.

Guy, Elton's former keyboarder, died of a heart attack while swimming in the pool. He was only 52. Bob died of an apparent suicide at his home in Los Angeles. He had been a member of the Elton John band since 1992, the longest-serving bassist in Elton's touring band.

Kim Bullard on keyboards and Matt Bissonette on bass have long replenished Guy's and Bob's place on stage musically. But they will never be able to fill the gap that these two fine gentleman have left in the hearts of the longterm fans.

Today we would like to remember two fantastic musicians - a very talented keyboard player, arranger and composer, and an extraordinary bass player - who have been the heart and soul of the Elton John band for a long time. And we would like to send our love to their families.

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