Elton Rohn’s tribute to an almost identically named British rock superstar packed thousands of music fans into Greensburg’s St. Clair Park Friday evening.

Among that audience for the first SummerSounds concert of the year were a Greensburg man and woman with a tribute of their own. Friends Derek Rinchuse and Heather Dandar each sported a replica of the sequined baseball uniform their favorite rocker Elton John wore while performing at Dodgers Stadium in 1975 — before either of them was born.

Each the more extroverted half of separate couples, it was their second time coming to see popular Canadian import Elton Rohn, who appeared in the Greensburg concert series for the third year in a row.

“We usually come every Friday to SummerSounds, but this is a special day,” Dandar said.

“Today, we thought we’d come out and enjoy the music, keep the energy going and get some smiles off everyone,” Rinchuse said of their choice of glammed-up attire, purchased online.

They inherited their love of Elton John from their parents, and Dandar saw the real Elton perform at the 2014 Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee.

“There’s nothing like the real thing, but this is pretty good for a free concert in the park in Greensburg,” she said of Friday’s show.

Rinchuse had to do a double-take when he attended his first Elton Rohn show last year.

“It was so incredible,” he said. “We thought we were at an Elton John concert.“

A fan of Elton John for more than 50 years, South Greensburg resident Doreen Zalakar got to the park a few hours before the 7 p.m. show and was waiting for friends who had to work until 5. Having attended at least a dozen of John’s concerts over the years, she wore a T-shirt she bought at his show at PNC Park two years ago.

“Nobody can beat the way Elton (John) sings, but this guy is good,” she said of Rohn. “I like all the songs, so whatever he does, I’m just happy to be here and hear the music.”

Her brother came to the park at about 10 a.m. and marked out a place for her group of concert-goers, pinning down a tarp to a spot on the grassy hillside overlooking the amphitheater. He wasn’t the only one with that idea.

Others who came before 7 a.m. to stake claim to a spot in the grass said at least 200 camp chairs already were in place awaiting the return of their owners.

By the afternoon, it was difficult to thread a path among at least a dozen rows of chairs without treading on a spread blanket or running into an area a group of fans had cordoned off with rope or caution tape.

With classes ended for the year, Hempfield resident and Wendover Middle School teacher Jason Ross was free to hold down the fort in an area taped off for himself and about 30 friends. A neighboring spot was similarly set aside for a fellow teacher’s party of about 20.

Elton Rohn has attracted a large following to his Greensburg shows from his first appearance in 2022.

“We couldn’t believe how many people were here,” said Ross. “That’s when got the idea that we’d better reserve our ‘seats.’ We get here at about 9 a.m. and rope off our section.”

Ross, his family and friends have made a habit of coming to the park to check out various acts in the summer music series.

“We try to come out at least once a month, if not more,” he said.

Recovery from foot surgery is the only thing that’s prevented Steve Roth of Hempfield from attending every SummerSounds concert, along with family and friends, since he retired as a pharmacist in 2017.

He became a fan of Elton John while he was in college in the 1970s, and he and his wife, Lynne, saw John in concert in 2006.

Their favorite John songs, respectively, are “Levon” and “Grey Seal.”

Elton Rohn’s band is a close second to Elton John, Lynne Roth said as the couple waited for family and friends to arrive from Allegheny and Washington counties.

“He does every song justice,” she said.

Nearby parking in downtown Greensburg is always at a premium during SummerSounds concerts. For Friday’s show only, free shuttle service was offered from Nicely Elementary on the outskirts of town.

SummerSounds founder Gene James said he usually has avoided booking the same act twice in a row, but Elton Rohn’s popularity caused him to make an exception.

Ron Camilleri, who has performed as Elton Rohn for more than 10 years, said the positive reception has made him eager to return to Greensburg with his band.

“As long as they want us to play, we’ll come do it,” he said.

He said he received so many advance requests to perform John songs that he was unable to fit them all in Friday’s concert. But he made his best effort, even including the lengthy “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” from the “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” album.

Camilleri acknowledged he was also eager to reclaim the attendance record for a SummerSounds show, after a Fleetwood Mac tribute band set a new high last season — more than 9,500, according to James.

Judging by the crowd that was growing during his pre-show sound check, he declared, “We’re going to kill them tonight.”

Rohn is set to return to the area for concerts at Irwin’s Lamp Theater on Nov. 29 and 30.

SummerSounds concerts continue at 7 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 30. Visit summersounds.com for more information.

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