Here are 10 things to whet your appetite ahead of Elton John coming to Blackburn this weekend

  1. Elton has five travelling pianos and they are all named - Kay, Nina, Nikita, Aretha, Winifred
     
  2. The piano is tuned daily and is re-checked before Elton takes to the stage. Elton’s own piano tuner travels as part of the crew
     
  3. Every show is filmed in high definition for Elton's archive using six cameras
     
  4. The two video screens at either side of the stage are six metres wide and five metres high and each weigh 1.3 tonnes
     
  5. For an outdoor show, the tour’s caterers will serve in the region of 400 meals to the musicians and technical crew per day
     
  6. Drummer Nigel Olsson uses three new sets of sticks per show
     
  7. Between 14 and 16 guitars and basses are cleaned, tuned and restrung on a daily basis
     
  8. The band's rider includes potato chips, Pepsi, coconut water and Starbucks decaf coffee
     
  9. To keep hydrated Elton will drink three or four glasses of San Pellegrino water on stage
     
  10. Each show will on average last between 2hrs 20mins – 2hrs 40mins and include at least 24 songs