As the Bathurst community continues to process the remarkable news that music legend Elton John will perform in the city next year, many fans have been vocal about their excitement.
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On January 22, 2020, Elton John is expected to perform in front of an estimated 15,000 fans at Carrington Park as part of his ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour.
One of the many fans hoping to join the masses at Carrington Park is flamboyant Bathurst personality Andy Wheeler, who has been beaming with excitement about the massive news.
“I feel like a young child waiting for a Wiggles concert,” Mr Wheeler said.
“There are two musicians that I follow prolifically; Elton John is number one and Billy Joel is a close second.”
Mr Wheeler last saw Elton John live 30 years ago in Sydney, and said the event has the potential to open up many avenues for live entertainment in Bathurst.
“From a Bathurst point of view, this event will enhance our status as a centralised country town,” he said.
“The appeal of Elton John’s music crosses so many age groups because he has reached out to numerous generations of people.”
Elton John’s remarkable legacy in the music industry has generated an estimated 350 million record sales worldwide across his five-decade long career.
Mr Wheeler said much of Elton’s legacy owes to his activism and his special relationship with British royalty.
“As a close personal friend of the late Princess Diana, he supported her when things weren’t so terrific with her family situation,” he said.
"We also can’t forget the fact that he and partner David Furnish were two of the earliest advocates for same-sex marriage long before the issue became prevalent in the media.”
Mr Wheeler is well known in the Bathurst community for his flamboyant suits and his residency at the Oxford Hotel’s karaoke nights each Thursday, which he has been running for 11 years.
When in the market for more suits, Mr Wheeler said he channels a little bit of Elton in the selection process.
“I go for loudest, proudest and most out-there materials that I can find,” he said.
“At the moment, I have 17 complete suits and about five jackets.”
Mr Wheeler is currently in the process of crafting something special for the big event next year.
“There’s one I haven’t made up yet, and it will be the one I’ll be wearing to Carrington Park on January 22,” he said.
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
