Sir Elton John set to ‘Crocodile Rock’ Cairns and Mackay

MUSIC royalty Sir Elton John appears to be doing his bit for regional Queensland after announcing his only shows in Australia will be in two of our most unlikely cities.

CAIRNS will host music royalty Sir Elton John for a once-in-a-lifetime performance this year.

The superstar will perform two shows only in Queensland — in Cairns and Mackay — when he tours here later this year, in a deal worth more than $7 million to the economy.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the huge announcement in Mackay this morning, where she was joined by Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning.

Cairns will host music royalty Sir Elton John for a once-in-a-lifetime performance this year.

The Premier said Sir Elton would perform an outdoor concert to more than 10,000 adoring fans at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on September 30 — an event sure to have massive economic spin-offs for the city’s economy.

The 69-year-old British rock star will only play four Once In A Lifetime concerts exclusively in Australia.

“Bringing one of the world’s biggest names in music to Mackay and Cairns is a major win for regional tourism and Queensland is the only state to secure two performances,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The deal was hatched between Chugg Entertainment and the Cairns and Mackay regional councils with help from Tourism and Events Queensland.

A Chugg spokeswoman said the company contacted the councils after Sir Elton requested venues he had not played before.

Ms Palaszczuk would not disclose any financial details of the deal, but said estimates suggested the concerts could inject up to $7.5 million into the economy.

“We expect more than 24,000 people will have the opportunity to come and see Elton John here in regional Queensland with these two concerts,” she said.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones said the concerts would attract visitors from across Australia to two of the state’s key tourism destinations.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to see a music legend and then enjoy unique experiences such as the Great Barrier Reef, our magnificent islands and beaches and rainforests,” she said.

“We look forward to giving a warm Queensland welcome to Sir Elton and his band.”

Sir Elton said he loved coming back to Australia.

“It holds a very special place in my heart, ever since my first visit there at the start of my worldwide career in 1971,” he said.

“My band and I are really looking forward to playing there again in September and this tour will be even more memorable because it will be the first time I have ever played Mackay and Cairns … which I can’t

believe but there you have it.

“If the audiences are anything like those at all of the other shows we have done in Queensland over the years, everyone will surely be in for a wonderful crazy night!”

Elton John at Day on the Green at Mt Duneed Estate. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said he was “thrilled” Cairns would host the musician’s last show.

“We are striving to make Cairns the arts and culture capital of Northern Australia and the opportunity to host this major music event will allow us to showcase our city as an arts destination,” he said.

“We look forward to working with Tourism and Events Queensland, Cazaly’s and Chugg Entertainment to make this a truly memorable event for Far North Queensland.”

General public tickets will go on sale on March 14.

Promoter Michael Chugg said Sir Elton loved Australia and Australians in “an ongoing affair”.

The tour will feature iconic hits and classic album tracks from his five-decade career.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Sir Elton’s songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin.

Fans can visit www.chuggentertainment.com to sign up for pre-sales and more information.

David Furnish, Elijah Furnish-John, Zachary Furnish-John, and Sir Elton John. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for EJAF)

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW SIR ELTON JOHN?

• first Australian performance was on October 17, 1971 at Subiaco Stadium, Perth

• He has played 186 concerts across the country to more than 1.5 million people

• His 1997 song Candle in the Wind is the biggest-selling single of all time having sold 33 million copies

• Real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight

• He has written music for stage and screen successes Billy Elliot: The Musical, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida, and The Lion King

• Has two sons — Zachary, 5, and Elijah, 3, born to a surrogate mother — with partner David Furnish

Other career highlights:

— Recorded 38 gold and 31 platinum or multi-platinum albums

— 58 Billboard Top 40 singles in the United States

— Sold more than 250 million records worldwide

— Five-time Grammy Award winner and winner of a Grammy Legend award, a Tony and an Oscar and a Best British Male Artist BRIT Award

— Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame

— 12 Ivor Novello Awards

— A knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for “services to music and charitable services.”

— First recipient of the BRITs Icon Award

Originally published as Sir Elton John set to ‘Crocodile Rock’ Cairns and Mackay