Elton John played for nearly three hours straight Thursday night, in the first of two St. John's dates. (CBC)

While pop superstar Elton John entertained a capacity crowd at a downtown St. John's arena, thieves were rocking to their own tune nearby.

Cars parked along Harbour Drive were broken into while John played a nearly three-hour show at Mile One Centre, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said.

The RNC arrested two men during the evening.

Staff-Sgt. Gerald Carrigan said the men, 25 and 27, were charged with malicious damage and theft.

Elton John was playing one of two dates in St. John's, the closing concerts on a Canadian tour that saw the music legend play solo with a grand piano.

On Thursday night, John played for two hours and 50 minutes, pausing only for numerous standing ovations and, on one occasion, to sign programs, albums and practically anything else for dozens of fans.

"Thanks so much," John said at the beginning of the show. Like many of the dates on his current Canadian tour, John is playing sold-out shows in new venues.

"It's nice to be in Newfoundland," John said at the beginning of the show. "It's taken me 39 years to get here and I hope it's going to be worth it."

'I had tears in my eyes': concertgoer

The 25-song set — 27, if a medley of two instrumentals that preceded Tonight, his 1976 ode to domestic discord, is included — ranged from standards like Levon, Rocket Man, and Bennie and the Jets to lesser-known album tracks.

For instance, John said he was disturbed that Ticking, a song about gun crime written with lifelong collaborator Bernie Taupin for 1974's Caribou album, was still relevant. "Here we are, 35 years later, and things are worse," he said.

'That man [Elton John] can do anything with that piano.'—Tom Wells, fan

The tone of the concert, though, was ecstatic, with the audience leaping to its feet after most songs.

"When he walked out on stage, I felt like a kid," said Tina Thomas.

"I had tears in my eyes when he walked out. … I've never been so happy. I called my husband on the phone a dozen times and said, 'Listen, listen, listen.' It was amazing, truly amazing."

Without a backing band to provide any respite, John was on stage for the duration of the evening.

"That man can do anything with that piano," said fan Tom Wells. "You have his albums and you hear the piano, but you don't realize how good he is at it until you hear him live. It was just an unreal concert."