Original Rare Australian Daybill Poster To Russia With Elton
To Russia with Elton was based on John's stay in the USSR and was filmed by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais as a part of a television documentary although it did get a theatrical release in other countries such as Australia. The Russian concerts were part of Elton John's A Single Man tour. The film includes footage of John's final concert in Moscow and scenes showing the political context of the tour and his reactions to Russian culture. The final concert of the tour, held at the Rossiya Concert Hall on 28 May, was broadcast live throughout Europe by the BBC. It marked the first stereo satellite link-up between the USSR and the West. In Britain, the program aired on BBC Radio 1, hosted by disc jockey Andy Peebles. This recording of the 28 May show became available on several bootleg albums, including A Single Man in Moscow and Elton John Live from Moscow 1979, a limited double LP vinyl pressing issued for Record Store Day 2019. In a 1986 interview, John said his Soviet hosts "Obviously ... wanted pre-Olympic propaganda" and he regretted that only 10 per cent of the concert tickets were made available to the Russian public. He nonetheless recalled the tour as "an amazing experience" and highlighted the generosity of the Russian people he had met.