The Bitch was back....and as brilliant as ever

I had the treat of my first Elton John gig more than 40 years ago. I loved him then and I love him still. I have been faithful. Oh yes, I have flirted with the music of others over the years... but he is still The One.

And didnt he prove it this week when he was back in Nottingham for the first time in eight years ( I was there for the last one too!) and he Crocodile Rocked the house from the second the familiar notes of Funeral For a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding) opened an outstanding set jam-packed with the songs of my life. And those, I suspect, of hundreds of others who packed the Capital FM Arena to court our rockiest national treasure.

It's the 40th anniversary of the release of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road this year - my copy of the album is still cherished, still listened to. I had been longing to hear him play Roy Rogers... but it wasnt to be - ah never mind, every song sounded as fresh as ever as he hit us so many favourites from the album - and  others - from Elton John to Captain Fantastic, Madman Across the Water to The Diving Board.
This was a set so jammed with famous favourites Your Song, Are You Ready for Love, I Guess That's Why they Call it The Blues, Sad Songs, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting.... he could have played til dawn and still have just been scratching the surface.

He seemed relaxed, totally at ease in his own skin and, of course  note perfect, his piano playing has never been better and it was clear he was having a good time too.... Davey Johnstone and a white-haired Nigel Olsson still there, still rocking and still clearly having a great time with their mates. It reminded me how bloody good they are musically, performing at  this level, outlasting generations of music's so-called superstars and still deliver a set that had young fans rocking with their mum and dad!

And I felt old enough and free enough to rock away too. I'd earned it - Elton's sung the songs of my life. So  - from the old fan in the 22nd row  (Well Row S so technically I suppose it's only the 19th) who sees you as more than Elton....you're still my hero!