Auckland flood event sees Elton John’s Mt Smart Stadium concerts abandoned

The first of Elton John's two concerts at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium was abandoned just before the artist was due to take the stage last night as a result of extreme weather conditions affecting the venue and much of the city.

The show called off at the last minute with fans evacuated from the venue.

Having declared a state of emergency announcement for parts of the city yesterday evening, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown today advised that the rainfall had been confirmed as the heaviest downpour in the city’s history.

The first of two shows to be staged in Auckland on the veteran artist’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour - the other being scheduled for tonight (28th January) - the concert was cancelled at the last minute due to extreme weather conditions affecting the venue and much of the city.

It is not yet known if tonight’s second show will proceed.

Already rescheduled from 2020 due to the pandemic, the English star’s performances were to have been his last ever in New Zealand.

In an update shared by promoters on Facebook, the veteran artist revealed he was “absolutely heartbroken” at being unable to perform, commenting ‘I was at the venue and determined to play as the weather reports we received in advance weren’t fully conclusive.

“Ultimately, we had to follow the local emergency services’ decision to cancel. The safety of my fans, our team, and staff at Mt Smart Stadium is of the utmost importance.

“My heart goes out to those of you who made it into the stadium only to have to leave again and I truly share your frustration and disappointment.

“I never want to let my fans down and deeply love it each and every time I have the honour of playing for you in New Zealand.”

There's wet, then there's Mt Smart Elton John wet #Auckland pic.twitter.com/MGW3VrQRp2

— Ingrid Grenar (@ingridgrenar) January 27, 2023

Earlier, some fans waiting in the rain at Mt Smart Stadium had booed the announcement that the concert would be cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions.

Update - 11.30am, Saturday, 28th January
A statement released this morning by Frontier Touring, Chugg Entertainment and AEG Presents has advised that tonight’s concert will not go ahead and that the dates will not be rescheduled.

The statement advises “it is with a very heavy heart that both Elton John concerts at Mt Smart Stadium must be cancelled. Weather conditions at the stadium drastically worsened across the upper North Island last night leaving promoters, Chugg Entertainment, AEG Presents and Frontier Touring with no possible option but to stop Friday’s show from going ahead.

“Auckland was subsequently declared to be in a state of emergency and we are now forced to cancel tonight’s show at Mt Smart Stadium. Promoters, emergency services and venue staff have deemed the event as unsafe due to surrounding flooding and continued disruptions to roads and patron safety across the city.”

Click here to view the latest advice from Auckland Emergency Management.

Article updated: 11.30am, Saturday, 28th January to include advice from Frontier Touring, Chugg Entertainment and AEG Presents. The title of this item was also changed from 'concert' to 'concerts'.