THE County Ground will host six weekends of music this summer.

As the Adver revealed recently, Swindon Town FC has signed a deal worth seven figures annually to bring in a roster of as yet unnamed performers.

The news will bring back some happy memories for people who remember a pair of landmark concerts at the stadium nearly a year apart in the mid-2000s.

On Sunday, June 19, 2005 Elton John delivered 22 songs to an ecstatic capacity crowd, and on Thursday, June 8, 2006 it was the turn of Bryan Adams.

Each show was the biggest Swindon showbiz event of its year, and each was commemorated with a picture-filled eight page Adver souvenir pullout.

Elton started his set with Pinball Wizard, the Who song he’d long since made his own in Ken Russell’s film version of Tommy, and followed it with Bennie and the Jets and Daniel.

The middle section alternated hits and lesser-known songs before a storming home straight that took in Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, I’m Still Standing, The Bitch is Back, Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting), Crocodile Rock and Your Song.

Under the headline ‘How A Wizard Cast His Spell’ we wrote: “From the moment Elton John strolled coolly onto the stage in a dark suit and shades and launched straight into Pinball Wizard, the audience was captured.

“Having spent more than 30 years in the business, he is a slick performer who doesn’t miss a beat. But that professionalism took nothing away from the passion in his performance.”

The crowd was expertly warmed up by Lulu, who interspersed newer material with favourite tracks such as Shout, Relight My Fire and The Man Who Sold the World.

A year later another souvenir supplement appeared, with the headline: “Everything We Do, We Do It For You.”

“Rock fans,” we wrote, “danced in the stands and on the pitch as Bryan Adams rocked into Swindon last night.

“The Canadian superstar wowed a packed audience at the County Ground after they were put in the party mood by soul diva Beverley Knight.”

The set list included Summer of ’69, Somebody, 18 Till I Die and, of course, the megahit whose title we borrowed for our headline.

Bryan greeted his audience in traditional rock star fashion by proclaiming: “Hello Swindon.”

He later told them: “What a fabulous night for a show. You really couldn’t ask for any better.

“It’s the first time I’ve been in Swindon and I don’t know why it’s taken me so long. I really don’t! I apologise for that. Tonight we are going to make up for it.”

If you were at either show, please get in touch and share your memories.