Tokyo Joe’s Greg Bickley is ROCKETMAN.

He will perform his Elton John Tribute at the Koger Center in Columbia on Saturday, Feb. 25. With 10 days left before the show, ticket sales are moving toward a sell-out. Click this link for Rocketman Ticket Info.

Bickley found out as a youngster that he loved the sound of Sir Elton John- but he had no idea who he was listening to.

“I heard the song ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’ and I loved it,” Bickley said. “Empty Garden was another Elton John song he loved before he knew it was Elton John singing it. Bickley’s father, Bruce Bickley, is a singer, too.

“I heard my father singing ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,’ and it’s a wonderful song,” he said.

Since his youth, Bickley has become well-acquainted with Elton John and he has perfected the British singer in voice and in persona. The show at the Koger is not only a list of 20-or-so of Elton John must-hears, it includes the full, and outrageous regalia of the man dubbed “Captain Fantastic.”

Bickley, a native of Cayce, has been doing the Elton John Tribute for seven years. It started at the Newberry Opera House to a sold out audience of 400. The wildly popular show quickly out grew of that venue, and now Bickley and Tokyo Joe sell out the 1,400 seats at Columbia Koger Center. Bickley also does the Elton John tribute, annually, in Charleston, and at other venues where his fans have become accustomed to seeing it. The Rocketman show includes a set of three songs, at the end by Tokyo Joe- not in costume. Bickley said that will be the case this year, too.

And while Rocketman is a yearly tradition for Bickley, he still likes to add wrinkles. He said there will be something new in the show in Columbia on Feb. 25.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and proceeds benefit local children’s shelters. An auction will also be held at the show to raise money for the children’s shelters. The proceeds from ticket sales go to children’s shelters, too.

Bickley’s band “Tokyo Joe” formed in 1996. The band has a large and loyal fan base. It is a highly talented group of award-winning musicians. Tokyo Joe has independently released numerous CDs and performs an average of 200 shows a year throughout the Southeast.