50 Years Ago Tonight

It’s 7.59 pm, Saturday, February 23, 1974 at Milton Tennis Courts, Brisbane, Australia, and the old wooden tennis stadium is filled with collective excited energy that is creating an electric atmosphere. The crowd hum begins to die as if a sound engineer quickly pulls down the fader on a mixer. Then a hushed silence. This was the big moment we had been spending the last few hours anticipating; then, suddenly, we all roar as one.

Those of us inside the seemingly rickety 59-year-old stadium are not holding our respective breaths for John Newcombe to serve a Davis Cup win for Australia, though. The only thing tennis about this night is the venue’s name on our entry tickets. 

Suddenly at precisely 8.00 pm, the music unleashes a tidal wave of cheers that echo through the warm Brisbane night. The legendary concert has begun. 

It’s hard to believe that it is 50 years ago tonight that Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray, Davey Johnstone, Ray Cooper and, of course, Elton John took to the assembled stage at (I think) the northern end of Milton Tennis Courts and blew us away. 

Less than 6 months earlier, Elton John had released his 7^th studio recording – the double album and masterpiece, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The crowd that night was given a couple of hours of great energy rock by incredible musicians, superbly written songs and amazing harmonies. But, that night was not just an Elton John concert; for all of us, it is a lifetime memory, and was a shot in the arm for many.

In early 1974, a couple of hours of Elton John playing live was most undeniably a much-needed tonic for many in the audience. Four weeks earlier, Cyclone Wanda hit Queensland and the rains did not stop. The property damage and losses were devastating but the mental health suffered by so many would never leave those who were the worst affected.

I was 13 at the time, we lived on a hill, and the school I attended was closed due to the flooding. Therefore, my personal memories of the 1974 floods are a lot of rain, getting updates of the carnage on Dad’s 1930’s radiogram, as well as Channel 9’s news anchor, the late Don Seccombe, breaking down in tears as he and a camera crew respectfully spoke to homeowners who lost everything. It would surprise me if at least half of the Elton John concertgoers were not flood affected in some shape or another.

For my brother and I though, we were very lucky – as were the other kids of our family friends. The people our families mixed with included the mad Collingwood Football Club man, John Wren Jnr, who managed Festival Hall (where most Brisbane concerts took place), Helen Ah-Loy who was the box office manager of Festival Hall; the manager of 20^th Century Fox, Sonny Schattling, who sometimes brought to parties a projector and 16mm copies of the soon to be released blockbuster films, and record company people such as Keith Cronau, who was then promotions manager for Festival Records, which looked after DJM, Elton John’s then record label.

I don’t think we kids didn’t feel blessed to be given so many opportunities to see concerts and movies etc – they were nearly always complimentary — though I am not sure we saw it as anything more than how we lived. Only today did I wonder if I’d ever lined up to buy tickets for anything. I don’t think I ever had to do that, which is incredibly lucky.

Here I am, 50 years on from that magical Elton John night, and I fondly recall sitting with Keith Cronau, his wife Sandy, radio jock Ross Meldrum and my brother, Steven, bouncing up and down on that old tennis court stands. And I mean literally bouncing up and down. My brother and I still talk about that night and wonder why those stands did not collapse under the weight.

I have virtually no memory of my childhood, and sadly not many from the concert itself — but I do recall the energy, that I loved the show as well as the opportunity to have been there. Today marks a moment in time.

Sadly, Keith Cronau is no longer with us and is very much missed. Keith and I became workmates during the 80s when he joined 4BK, the radio station that employed me. I went from being one of those pesky kids to being one of those pesky friends to Keith. I wish I had a dollar for every time Keith would react to something I’d say and respond with, “Oh GEEEEEZZZZuzzzz, Duke”. Those reading this who knew Keith will no doubt hear him saying it too.

Helen Ah-Loy and Sonny Schattling have also moved on. In the late 80’s, a bunch of us from 4BK, including Keith would have a few Friday lunchtime drinks with Sonny at Bonapart’s Tavern. These lunches rarely ended until late afternoon. They were fun days. I also have to add that Sonny’s funeral was and will be the funniest funeral I have ever and will ever attended. That sums up Sonny. A character in every way.

Tragically, Elton John’s bass player, Dee Murray, died in 1992 aged 45. I have a soft spot for bass guitar players, and four of my favourites have all since passed. Dee Murray, Rick Danko (The Band), Alan Lancaster (Status Quo) and Randy Meisner (The Eagles).

Elton John, of course, has since retired from touring. Maybe he will do the occasional live performance here and there. Retiring from touring does not mean retiring from performing.

Regardless of Elton John’s future plans, those of us amongst the seven or so thousand people who attended Milton Tennis Courts 50 years ago tonight will always have this incredible memory. I still have the ticket stub somewhere, but I can’t find it for now.