Camp superstar Elton John has just finished a stint in Las Vegas as Celine Dion’s holiday replacement. But despite the money, the fanatic attention and the glittering new show, The Red Shoes, it hasn’t been smiles all round as the singer has rarely left the confines of his huge suite in Caesars Palace – 29 floors above the Colosseum stadium that hosts his musical extravaganza.

Elton claims it was impossible for him to stray too far from his luxurious suite because he is just too recognizable, poor dear. Apparently, when he first arrived, the temperamental diva was tempted to take a stroll through the Elton John shop in the hotel’s lobby, lured by the personalized memorabilia that treads that fine line between kitsch and tat, but within 30 seconds adoring fans mobbed him.

“And I ran,” he told Q Magazine. “Can you imagine how fucking ridiculous it looks for a man my age to be running away from screaming fans? You know. I used to love the attention once. I don’t relish it any more.”

Of course it’s all a double-edged sword. The man renowned for his tantrums and tiaras and spending sprees that would make Imelda Marcos blush, performed to 4,000 people a night on what was supposed to be a limited 75 show run over three years. Due to huge ticket demand, dates were added on an almost daily basis and it was rumoured that he was receiving $750,000 a night! Even by his standards that buys a lot of flowers.

In a town where you can watch magicians being mauled by white tigers and Celine Dion’s wardrobe certainly goes on, and on, and on, John’s showman style is perfect for entertaining people with more money than sense. He may no longer perform ballads dressed as a giant duck, or believe that platform boots and star-shaped glasses make a winning ensemble, but the legendary flamboyance is certainly still there.

David LaChapelle was given $4 million to design the stage and if you find Las Vegas lurid and tasteless, then you’ll love the set – it certainly knows how to poke fun at the Nevada desert city where the American Dream is spelt out in neon and big breasts are as revered as fat wallets.

Expect giant bottles of ‘Fairie Liquid’ pouring bubbles down upon Elton’s red grand piano as well as garish inflatables of lipsticks, bananas, and breasts. Neon signs flash up the sort of messages that are legendary as you move away from the epic-enter of the family-friendly city into the seedier parts of town: ‘I’m Horny,’ ‘Enuff Muff,’ and ‘Annulments $15.95.’ You’ll also get a large video screen that features short films including a pole-dancing Pamela Anderson and the pop art of Jeff Koons.

John himself dresses down in comparison to his cocaine-fuelled pantomime dame excesses of the past, but that works, after all, deep down it was always about the music.

He certainly doesn’t hold back on the greatest hits back catalogue, and all the favourites are there including ‘Rocket Man’, ‘Philadelphia Freedom’, ‘Your Song’, ‘Tiny Dancer’ and ‘I’m Still Standing’ contains more resonance than ever.

While holed-up up in his palace above the sin city below, the devil certainly wasn’t making work for idle thumbs. Elton wrote a regular column for US Magazine Interview, and in the last year alone he has written 60 songs, collaborated on two new musicals (The Vampire Lestat for Broadway, and Billy Elliot for the West End), and that’s on top of his work with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

What’s more, he’s also overseeing a planned film about his life which he hopes will star Justin Timberlake and in early November he releases his new album, Peachtree Road. His new single, ‘All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)’ is released on Universal Records on 1 November 2004.

There’s something to be said for staying in occasionally.

Elton John: The Red Piano
The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Next scheduled dates: days in February, March and April 2005.

If you can’t make it to Las Vegas, then you might have more luck grabbing a ticket to his December 2004 UK tour:

Newcastle: Metro Radio Arena: 7 December
Sheffield: Hallam FM Arena: 9 December
Nottingham: Arena: 10 December
Glasgow: SECC: 12 December
London: Hammersmith Apollo:  13, 16, 17 and 18 on December

Buy Elton John’s new album, Peachtree Road online and save yourself money. Or why not treat yourself to his Greatest Hits CD!