Pep Guardiola was snapped beaming from ear-to-ear at last night’s Elton John show at the AO Arena. The City manager had his phone up filming the British pop icon’s hit-filled set just like one of us.
And by the looks of the camera angle, he managed to bag some pretty good side-of-stage access for the first night of Elton’s brief residency in the city. Pep is a huge fan of Elton.
In an interview back in 2018, Guardiola admitted that the Tiny Dancer singer was the act he would most like to see playing at the Etihad (sadly, Coldplay bagged that venue), and is a particular fan of the immortal track Your Song.
READ MORE: Join our new WhatsApp community Manc Life
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “One of my dreams is to have a concert from Elton John, especially this song. I first heard it was when I was 18 or 19 and started to play in Barcelona, I remember a lot of songs from that period in my life.
"I met him when we played Watford at the end of last season and it was a huge pleasure. If he has organised a concert here, please, I will be there."
Though Pep didn’t get his wish to have Elton play the Etihad, he did play Your Song as his penultimate track at last nights epic show, followed by set-closer Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Read our review of the gig here.
Elton also paid tribute to Manchester, and the old venues he’d play back in the 60s and 70s. “I remember when I was with my first band, when I came to Manchester it was the place to play,” he told the crowd. “We had the Twisted Wheel and the Oasis and they were the hippest clubs in Britain apart from the Mojo in Sheffield.
"Those three pubs, we all wanted to come and play because they had the best audiences. And it’s always been the same, up here is amazing, you’re amazing, thank you.”
Elton will play two more shows, one on Friday night and another on Saturday before saying farewell to the city on what is being billed as his last ever UK tour.
READ NEXT:
Elton John name-checks historic Manchester venues as he hails city in sold-out Arena gig
Team behind 'affordable' restaurant chain Six By Nico to open second Manchester site
Coffee trike venture launches fundraiser to turn shipping container into permanent park café
Five fantastic Manchester rooftop bars to soak up the rays this week
