Crowded House said it best with their song about Melbourne weather ‘Four Seasons In One Day’. Elton John experienced just that with his Rochford Winery A Day On The Green show when torrential rain brought an end to the show.
Promoter Michael Chugg addressed the crowd during the downpour. “We’ve been told its dangerous to try and play on,” Chugg said. “Well, you know, be serious about it. We hate it. We are all pissed as off as you are. Don’t worry about that. It’s a fucking pain in the arse, thankyou Lord. So, we are not going to be able to go on. Its not going away. Its probably going to get worse. Hang onto your tickets and we will work out … we’re still in the country until March 7 so somehow we’ll workout how to come back and do it again. So hang on to your tickets and somehow we’ll work it out for you”.
The day was one of Melbourne’s hottest. The temperatures were sitting at around 44c (111f) just a few hours before Sir Elton was due on stage. The temperature at Rochford Winery was still 39c when Elton came on stage at 7pm. “Fuck its hot”, he said at the end of the opening song ‘Bennie and the Jets’.
Fans sweltered but Elton played continually for one hour and forty minutes when it happened … on queue following imagery of thunder and lightning as a backdrop to ‘Funeral For A Friend’, the skies opened and nature showcased what was happened on the screen.
Funeral for a friend summonsed a torrential and Elton’s show being evacuated #eltonjohn #eltonfarewelltour pic.twitter.com/Mpmr5mog29
— Noise11.com (@Noise11Tweets) January 31, 2020
The thunderstorm could not have come at a more appropriate time and the show was shut down real fast. Rain poured, there was a rush to cover the equipment and then the remainder of the show was cancelled.
Fans were treated to one hour forty minutes of classic Elton John. The video storm followed by the real one was impeccable timing. You couldn’t have scripted it better.
Elton downpour brings early end to Rochford Winery show #eltonfarewelltour @eltonofficial pic.twitter.com/JchVglctmj
— Noise11.com (@Noise11Tweets) January 31, 2020
Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road setlist for Rochford Winery 31 January 2020
Bennie and the Jets (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
All the Girls Love Alice (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues (from Too Low For Zero, 1983)
Border Song (from Elton John, 1970)
Tiny Dancer (from Madman Across The Water, 1971)
Philadelphia Freedom (single, 1975)
Indian Sunset (from Madman Across The Water, 1971)
Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time) (from Honky Chateau, 1972)
Take Me To The Pilot (from Elton John, 1970)
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (from Blue Moves, 1976)
Someone Saved My Life Tonight (from Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, 1975)
Levon (from Madman Across The Water, 1971)
Candle in the Wind (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
Funeral for a Friend (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
The show was then cancelled due to torrential rain.
Elton will perform a second A Day On The Green show for Rochford Winery Saturday 1 February, 2020.
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