Elton John concert cancelled amid rain, fans evacuated from Mt Smart

“Tonight’s concert will not proceed. It’s far too dangerous and unfortunately, we won’t be proceeding.”

These are the words hundreds of Elton John fans heard as they waited in the pouring rain at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium.

Booing could be heard from some of the few concertgoers left at the stadium as they stood waiting for John in raincoats.

Fans were evacuated from the stadium and were asked to follow the directions of venue staff.

This comes despite John’s concert promoter earlier telling the Herald the show would go on.

“He plays rain or shine unless it becomes unsafe for the crew or fans,” his promoter said.

However, the promoter later confirmed the concert was cancelled.

“Auckland, due to unsafe weather conditions tonight’s Elton John concert at Mt Smart Stadium has been cancelled. The team is assessing things and will keep informing everyone with further updates in due course.”

The Herald received reports from concertgoers that the weather had made travel to the venue difficult, with fans having to trudge through large puddles.

People didn’t have to be told twice and poured quickly out of the stadium

One woman said, “If other people can play in the rain why can’t Elton John?”

General anger rose from the audience that they had come out but the British musician wouldn’t.

Witnesses have told the Herald of flash flooding on streets around the stadium.

Others have described chaos getting Ubers and transport from the venue.

Punters told the Herald they were outraged the concert was cancelled half an hour before John was meant to be on stage.

One, who came up from Mt Maunganui, said: “They knew the weather was going to be atrocious but they said Elton would play rain or shine. So we made the effort to travel into the stadium in dodgy conditions.

“Now we are stuck trying to get out of Onehunga, which is completely flooded, which is even more dangerous.”