Opinion: Elton John confirms Christchurch as a 'Super City for Concerts'

OPINION:

Christchurch is back on the concert map.

Just ask Elton John.

Less than a week after the Christchurch Stadium was rubber-stamped by the city's leaders Elton John has quickly shot in and endorsed the Garden City himself.

And it was just what Christchurch needed after committing $683 million to the new stadium.

Christchurch has been a good stop-off for over the years for Frontier Touring, according to promoter Michael Chugg.

That was except for the last 12 years when the second largest city has been consigned to the music touring backwater.

The earthquakes rocked the biggest stadium venue, Lancaster Park, into a pile of rubble.

The smaller 6000 indoor seat arena just "didn't make sense" according to music promoter Chuggi.

It was "nowhere near big enough" to host the giants of the music industry he told me.

Christchurch music fans were instead forced to fly to Auckland or drive to Dunedin to see their favourite bands and singers.

Elton John had already skipped Christchurch for Dunedin - I was one of the thousands who hit the road and headed south.

It was a fantastic concert, packed out, singing along, thankful for the roof above keeping the rain out.

The earthquakes and the mosque shootings did garner some sympathy from the stars for Christchurch.

Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, and the Foo Fighters felt sorry enough to stop and play in Christchurch at the temporary stadium.

While the sentiment was nice, the reality was Christchurch, historically one of the two top venues in the country, was on the outers, gone.

Now with the new $683m stadium set to be built, and hopefully opening in April 2026, promoter Chuggi says it will be a "game changer".

Christchurch's Te Kaha multi-purpose arena indoor stadium. Image / Christchurch City Council

With the roof, giant stands, and 41,000 screaming fans - Christchurch will be back on the concert map.

But, as a foretaste, Elton John will perform at Christchurch's Orangetheory Stadium (formerly Christchurch Stadium) at Addington on Tuesday, January 24.

Elton John's stage will fly in from the US, the rocket man will jet in from Australia, fans will walk up in the summertime air for one hell of a concert.

Twenty-three thousand tickets will go on sale - it should be a sell-out.

Who would have thought?

Elton John at the end of his farewell world tour, pulling out the stops for Christchurch with an extra special concert.

A vote of confidence for Christchurch - just what the city's leaders will have wanted.