For fans eager to see rock pianist Elton John in concert, there are a few more options available this year. The legendary musician recently added a block of solo shows to his United States tour itinerary.
The three new gigs are set for April 1 at Rushmore Plaza City Center in Rapid City, SD; April 3 at Laramie Arena Auditorium in Laramie, WY; and April 4 at World Arena in Colorado Springs, CO. Ticket presale and onsale information for the solo dates is available through Elton John’s official Web site.
Proceeds from the April 3 event benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which was founded by Dennis and Judy Shepard in memory of their son who was the victim of a hate crime. Moved by the 21-year-old’s murder in 1998, Elton wrote the song “American Triangle” with long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin and has long been a supporter of the Shepard family.
“Ten years ago Sir Elton did a concert in Laramie to benefit the Foundation. It was wonderful beyond description,” said Judy Shepard in a statement about John’s involvement with the foundation. “He is a gracious and generous human being. We are sincerely grateful for his continuing support.”
The solo performances supplement a number of additional John’s concert events that are currently underway. The musician recently launched the first leg of the Face2Face tour, coheadlined by Billy Joel. The pair’s next show is March 5 at St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, FL.
This spring also signals the end of John’s long-running Las Vegas show The Red Piano. He has been in residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace since February 2004, but recently announced that the show’s run will end with an April 22 performance.
