Tom’s Elton tribute brings Elton John’s hits to SLO, Templeton

– Tom’s Elton Tribute, a premier Elton John tribute band, will perform in San Luis Obispo on July 28 for one night only. The band, led by Tom Cridland on lead vocals and piano, is also set to appear at the Templeton Performing Arts Center on July 31 at 7 p.m.

Cridland, who is a close friend of Elton John’s drummer Nigel Olsson and has collaborated with Elton John’s guitarist Davey Johnstone, cites Elton John as a major inspiration for his recovery from alcoholism. “I have been sober for six years, inspired by Elton John. I recently had the chance to say thank you to Elton John in person for inspiring my sobriety,” Cridland said. He added that performing Elton John’s music live helps him stay sober and reinforces the message of being true to oneself.

Tom’s Elton Tribute is a 100% live performance, featuring no backing tracks or lip-syncing. The show includes all of Elton John’s hits as well as beloved deep cuts such as “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.”

The band’s performance aims to be as close to Elton John’s concert style as possible. “Tom’s playing style is as close to Elton’s own concert-style you will get from a tribute,” said Paul Smith of Elton John Online.

Cridland began playing piano during the Covid-19 lockdowns to aid his recovery from alcoholism. “I took up the piano during the lockdown to help with my recovery from alcoholism. I gave up drinking in 2017 and wanted to stay sober, so I needed something useful to do,” Cridland explained. His connection with Elton John’s music and his friendship with Olsson have played significant roles in his career.

“The process has genuinely involved 10,000 hours of attending concerts, YouTube, listening, and learning the piano and singing,” Cridland said. “There is an unimaginable, very unorthodox level of attention to detail that has gone into this.”

Tickets for the Templeton performance are available at the Templeton Performing Arts Center. Fans can also enter a raffle for a chance to win four free tickets by sharing a promotional post on social media and sending a screenshot to hello@templetonperformingartscenter.com. The winner will be announced on July 26.

For more information on Tom’s Elton Tribute and ticket availability, visit the Templeton Performing Arts Center’s website.