BIG CONCERTS, FAST CARS

Staff report

111Country music stars Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Hunter Hayes, each at the top of their game, came to town. A hard-rock concert with Five Finger Death Punch and Volbeat was a surprising sellout.

Then there were the classic rockers.

Elton John and Rod Stewart both came to the downtown arena. The British stars played to capacity crowds of folks who appreciated the opportunity to see the rock icons in their hometown.

The two concerts put together — a one-two punch of rock royalty — are The Vindicator’s pick for the top entertainment story of 2014.

John’s Feb. 1 concert was his second appearance at Covelli in four years. His first show was in May 2010. John spotlighted his landmark ”Goodbye Yellow Brick Road î” album at the concert, playing nine songs from it.

Stewart’s Aug. 24 show was a glitzy affair with a Vegas sheen. The stage had a slick and shiny look for the charming rocker, who was backed by a 13-person band and a trio of female backup singers in spangly dresses and stilettos.

Here is a look at the rest of the top 10 entertainment stories of the year:

“Fat N’ Furious”: This reality-TV show about a group of local gearheads roared out of nowhere and became a modest hit for the Discovery channel.

The show follows the crew at Boardman-based Christmas Automotive — Tommy Christmas and Chuck Kountz, with Steve McGranahan and Andy Pivarnik — as they acquire dilapidated muscle cars and turn them into drag-racing demons. A subtext of the show is the group’s big appetites, and equally big hearts.

Discovery aired a six-episode season over the summer and later renewed it for a second season that will begin in February.

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