Elton John is taking his spectacular Red Piano show from the glitzy strip of Las Vegas all the way to his home country of England, and he's found a venue to match the grandeur of the performance.

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, Elton and his band will grace the stage of the O2 arena, the glittering specimen of beautiful modern architecture that serves as the centerpiece of the brand-new, world-class, multi-purpose entertainment destination right on the Thames River in Greenwich outside of London.

Elton's Red Piano show has made a home at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and it's the perfect extravaganza for the Sin City crowd: a famously over-the-top representation of everything Elton through a two-hour journey of neon lights spelling out his name, a stage set that resembles a "graveyard" of Las Vegas signage, inflatable stage props that go from wacky to outright insane, a movie screen featuring engrossing visual treats courtesy of director and show visionary David LaChapelle, and, yes, the legendary music that spans Elton's fantastic career.

"I'm really pleased to be coming home with this show," Elton said at the time of the O2 booking. "The show is all about love. We have so many things thrown at us in our everyday lives that are so upsetting that no one really ever concentrates on the positive things in life -- we only read about the horrible things that go on. But you know, I believe in love."

That theme is communicated colorfully throughout the Red Piano show as Elton and his band play a grand selection of hits from his No. 1-studded back catalogue. LaChapelle's films chronicle the Rocket Man's life and career with heaping helpings of psychedelia, innuendo, symbolism, choreography, humor and poignancy.

The arena at The O2 is a perfect choice for this unique presentation of the Red Piano show.

The unmistakable arena roof features 12 huge steel masts rising into the sky, and the complex has something for everyone as far as entertainment is concerned. There's a state-of-the-art live music club (indigO2), an 11-screen multiplex cinema, an exhibition centre (The O2 bubble), an entire street of bars, restaurants and leisure attractions (Entertainment Avenue) and, of course, The O2 arena.

The arena, which is the first purpose-built music venue in the London area since the Royal Albert Hall in 1871, will host events at the 2012 London Olympic Games and, in addition to Elton and the band, has already booked Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi, Scissor Sisters, Prince, the White Stripes, Barbara Streisand and the Rolling Stones since opening in late June.

It's a big, sparkling and important venue, with amenities such as great sight lines from all angles, perfect acoustics, comfortable seats, wide concourses between aisles and a huge variety of snack and drink options. Plus, as the arena boasts on its Web site, "We've even put paid to that excruciatingly painful and frustrating tradition of the '50 minute queue for the loo' by fitting 548 toilets."

This version of the Red Piano figures to be yet another milestone in a monumental year for Elton, who celebrated his 40th year on the road and his 60th birthday in March with his record 60th show at New York City's Madison Square Garden. LaChapelle sums up what fans can expect to see at the O2 in what is quickly becoming another of the world's most famous arenas.

"The show is a visual extravaganza, a collage of all the outrageous and beautiful images Elton has been responsible for in his career," LaChapelle says. "I just wanted it to sparkle and shine and just be lush -- almost edible, like looking at a candy store.

"Elton has had a lot of fun. There have been some sad parts in his life, but when he's on that stage, I think that he loves it. This was a way of showing that love of performing and pay tribute to it."