One of the biggest names in music Elton John has been secured for McDonald Jones Stadium's first concert in 32 years.
The 25-time platinum artist will perform in Newcastle for the first time ever on January 10, 2023, as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour, which includes just four Australian stops.
It's a huge coup for the stadium's second ever concert, which comes 33 years after the first - the Newcastle Earthquake Relief Concert.
The event comes on the back of a partnership between City of Newcastle and Venues NSW, which manages McDonald Jones Stadium, to secure major events for the region.
Venues NSW lodged plans with the council last month to hold five non-sporting events at the stadium per year, with plans for the venue to host international concerts.
The plans are still being assessed but come at a fortunate time, after John promised in early 2020 to reschedule two New Zealand shows he cancelled due to illness.
His entire multi-year Farewell run was then put on hold due to the pandemic. But he's finally back on the road, and his love for Australia inspired him to add the four shows down under.
Frontier Touring promoter Michael Chugg said while the Rocket Man had performed in the Hunter Valley several times, he believed the stadium would draw new interest.
We know a lot of people in Newcastle don't go to the valley," he said. "And the stadiums had a big facelift. So we thought that would be pretty cool.
"I expect we'll get a great crowd. I know people will travel from Tamworth, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. The one thing about Elton is once you see him you want to go and see him again, because he's so brilliant.
"It will be an unbelievable show, he plays nearly three hours and it's full on Elton. Every song's a hit."
The veteran promoter hoped the concert would inspire more artists to add Newcastle to their touring schedules. "We'll be looking at it with any other major acts we bring in," Mr Chugg said.
Venues NSW CEO Kerrie Mather also believed the event would be a sign of things to come, saying it was an "incredibly exciting result for the region".
"We can't wait to welcome Elton John to Newcastle as part of his Australian tour in what will be an unforgettable night for the region," she said.
"This is an incredibly exciting result for Newcastle, and just a taste of the major events to come for the region."
Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said securing the gig was a sign of how far the city had come.
"There was a time not so long ago that you would never imagine a name like Elton John playing in Newcastle, however we're on a cusp of a new era thanks to a strategic focus led by City of Newcastle attracting events, the backing of the local business and tourism industry, and Venues NSW expanding its vision beyond sports for McDonald Jones Stadium," she said.
For tickets and information about the concert and tour head to oznz.eltonjohn.com
