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The buzz was off the charts when Elton John played Albuquerque in 2000. He sold out The Pit in 24 hours. He hit the cavernous Pan American Center in Las Cruces a day later, another sellout.

People couldn't wait to see the British pop legend. Columnists picked up their pens, newspapers carved out space.

It was big.

Even then, John was no kid.

Now in his late 50s, his best years were in the '70s, when he had a string of seven consecutive No. 1 records. But he has managed to stay popular, to stay current.

He charted a Top 40 single every year from 1970 to 1996. In 1997, he re-recorded the beautiful "Candle in the Wind," originally a eulogy to Marilyn Monroe, to memorialize Princess Diana, bringing the world to tears and producing the fastest-selling hit of all time.

When his creativity waned, he made headlines with his AIDS foundation, tiffs with lyricist Bernie Taupin, battles with drugs and bulimia, and his same-sex marriage to longtime partner David Furnish.

John will be back in Albuquerque on Saturday, seven years later, almost to the day.

Much has changed. This time he's playing Tingley Coliseum, which is better suited to rodeos and monster trucks than music. Tickets went on sale weeks ago, but there's no sellout. You can find seats, even up close.

John will be 60 in a couple of weeks. His new music has been scanty and largely ignored.

But John will never be a has-been. His songs are timeless and enduring. He's sold more than 250 million records and has more than 50 Top 40 hits.

He's an Elvis, a Dylan, a Hendrix, a Marley.

His songs have bookmarked the lives of a generation: "Rocket Man," "Tiny Dancer," "Crocodile Rock," "Daniel," "Levon," "Bennie and the Jets," "The Bitch is Back," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Honkey Cat," "Island Girl," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."

Welcome back, Elton.