elton john farewell tour japan

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Elton John bids farewell to the road with the last show on his goodbye tour

Juliana Kim

Elton John preformed to over 6 million fans across 330 shows in his farewell tour. Leon Neal/Getty Images hide caption

Elton John preformed to over 6 million fans across 330 shows in his farewell tour.

With glitz, glam and golden confetti, Elton John performed on tour for the last time on Saturday.

The final concert was set in Stockholm, Sweden. It wrapped up the British singer's "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, which spanned over five years, 330 shows and 16 Gucci suits. The tour is considered the highest-grossing in Billboard Boxscore history. Last month, it became the first tour ever to make more than $900 million.

Elton John was moved to tears by a surprise award from President Biden

"What a journey this tour has been and now we find ourselves at the end of it," John wrote on Instagram before the show.

The show included several of John's signature songs, including Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man and Candle in the Wind.

In heart-shaped pink sunglasses, he thanked his fans for their support throughout the decades.

"You have no idea what it means to me, your kindness. I've had the most wonderful career," he said. "How lucky am I to play music. But I wouldn't be sitting here and talking to you if it wasn't for you."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elton John(@eltonjohn)

The worldwide, farewell tour kicked off in 2018, but was forced to pause in 2020 for nearly two-years due to the pandemic. Last month, the 76-year-old gave his final U.K. performance while headlining the Glastonbury Festival.

In 2021, the international pop star told NPR that he looked forward to retiring from tour so that he could spend more time with his children.

Author Interviews

In 'me,' elton john pulls back the curtain on a storied life.

"Ten years ago, I was going to just tour and make records. And I had nothing planned for the rest of my life except making music and touring," John said. "And then we had two fabulous little boys. And then David, my husband, said, well, what do you want out of life now? Do you still want to tour? I said, no, I don't."

He later said, "As much as I love playing, I want to be with my boys now. I want to be there for them."

A style expert shares summer fashion upgrades starting at $15

• TODAY Plaza
• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Concert Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show

Elton John bids an emotional farewell as he ends his final tour: ‘I’m trying to process it’

After 50 years on the road, Elton John has officially bid farewell to his touring career. 

On July 8, the 76-year-old music icon completed his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour after performing hits like “Bennie and the Jets,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Your Song” throughout his 23-song set. 

The tour, which began on September 10, 2018 — but was halted in 2020 for nearly two-years due to the pandemic — has traveled across North America, Europe and Australia, concluding in Stockholm, Sweden at the Tele2 Arena in front of thousands of fans. 

John’s goodbye, a moment fans have been anticipating for almost five years, finally arrived when he closed the show with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” during his encore. 

The legendary musician shared some of his tour's special moments on social media, including a photo him and his band taking their bows for the last time as the confetti trickled down and covered the audience and the stage. 

“The Final Farewell, 8 July 2023,” he simply captioned the emotional moment in an Instagram post on July 9. 

Famous friends and fans celebrated the Grammy-winning artist and his impressive, decades-long career. 

Donatella Versace wrote, “I love you so much @eltonjohn. I will forever be proud of your exceptional achievements- you are a true genius.” 

Singer Brandi Carlile said, “You did it Captain! incredible work ethic and stamina.”

She added, “Proud to know you everyday.”

Coldplay, who was playing a concert in Gothenburg, Sweden on July 8, sent a live video message that was displayed on stage for John to see. 

In the sweet clip, frontman Chris Martin told John and the crowd, “Elton, from all of us here (in Gothenburg), from all the bands and artists you’ve helped and inspired, we love you so much. We are so grateful for everything you’ve done for the AIDS Foundation, anytime you’ve been kind to anybody.” 

Martin also mentioned John’s work with the LGBTQ+ community and his influence on fashion, eyewear and the music industry. 

Numerous fans shared how John’s music has personally impacted them on his Instagram . 

“Saying thank you seems completely inadequate!” one person commented. “But thank you, your music has kept me going on some of my darkest days. The world is a better place with you in it!”

Another wrote, “Thank you so much for everything, Elton. I love you! I crossed the world to fulfill this great dream, I came directly from Belém do Pará, northern Brazil, to see my great idol!”

Meanwhile, some longtime fans hoped that singer wasn’t bidding farewell to performing in general, just the life of being on tour.

“I hope it’s not the final curtain but if it is, happy retirement, Elton! #legend,” one Instagram user wrote. 

Another joked, “Wish you a happy retirement. Don’t forget to record new albums though.” 

John also had a message for his fans. He reflected on his lasting bond with them in a statement shared in a press release. 

“When we set off on my final tour in 2018, I couldn’t have foreseen in my wildest dreams the twists and turns and the highs and lows this tour — and the whole world — would have experienced in the next 5 years,” he said. “When we set off on my final tour in 2018, I couldn’t have foreseen in my wildest dreams the twists and turns and the highs and lows this tour — and the whole world — would have experienced in the next 5 years.” 

He described his farewell show in Sweden as “magical.” 

“I’m trying to process it, and I don’t think it will sink in for a while yet that I’m finally finished touring,” he said. “I can’t tell you how much I’m going to miss the fans and how much their support has humbled me — it will stay with me forever.”

Ariana Brockington is a trending news reporter at TODAY digital. She is based in Los Angeles.

• Philippines

Elton John confirms Asian destinations for farewell tour – Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea

Elton John recently announced his farewell tour and it looks like fans in Asia will get their turn to say goodbye to the legend in person next year.

In November and December 2019, John will perform in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. "Additional markets to follow," the press release promises. Tickets will go on sale 1 November 2018. It's a little far off, but there's no harm setting a calendar reminder.

Watch Elton John perform 'Sacrifice':

BANDWAGON TV

Like what you read show our writer some love, subscribe to receive the latest news and offers directly in your inboxes, sign in to bandwagon.

or sign in with your Bandwagon account

Please disable the ad blocking feature.

To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.

This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.

Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

• Latest News
• Politics & Government
• Defense & Security
• Political Series
• General News
• Crime & Courts
• Imperial Family
• Social Series
• Coronavirus
• Noto Peninsula Earthquake
• Business Series
• Asia - Pacific
• US & Canada
• Wider World
• Washington Post
• Associated Press
• Yomiuri Editorial
• Political Pulse
• Insights into the World
• Cultural Viewpoints
• Outside Contributors
• Figure Skating
• Other Sports
• Soccer World Cup
• Olympics & Paralympics
• Environment
• Climate Change
• Manga & Anime
• Film & TV
• Kabuki / Noh / Rakugo
• Performing Arts
• Books & Literature
• Perspectives
• Donald Keene’s Legacy
• Ramen of Japan
• Delicious Beautiful Spectacular JAPAN
• Decommissioning Fukushima
• Weekly Edition
• Vantage Point
• Japan in Focus
• Travel Spots
• Troubleshooter
• Neko Pitcher
• Political Cartoons

From the end of the world to your town, Elton John’s goodbye

The Associated Press

13:37 JST, July 17, 2022

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — I think it’s gonna be a long, long time until we see another songwriter and performer like Elton John.

Wrapping up a 50-plus year career with a farewell tour, the British pianist and vocalist has created some of the most memorable and enduring music in the history of pop-rock, songs burned into the collective DNA of humanity.

They may be quite simple, like the basic four-chord glory of “Crocodile Rock,” or dazzlingly complex like the 11-minute magnum opus “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.”

But now that it’s almost done, I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful it has been to have Elton John on our radios and in our ears since the late 1960s.

The artist born 75 years ago as Reginald Kenneth Dwight kicked off the final leg of his North American farewell tour Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, home of baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies. And yes, he felt the love that night.

“America made me famous and I can’t thank this country enough,” he told the audience. “Thank you for the loyalty, the love, the kindness you showed me.”

He has sold over 300 million records worldwide, has played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries, and recorded one of the best-selling singles of all-time, his 1997 reworking of “Candle In The Wind” to eulogize Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies.

Sir Elton (he was knighted in 1998) has scored over 70 top 40 hits, including nine No. 1s, and released seven No. 1 albums in the 3 1/2-year period from 1972 to 1975, a pace second only to that of the Beatles.

He has five Grammy awards, as well as a Tony award for “Aida.” His crooning of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” in “The Lion King” motion picture has serenaded millions of children, and will entertain future generations of little ones.

The outrageous costumes and oversized glasses he was known for in his early ‘70s heyday are gone now (he dressed as Donald Duck, Pac-Man, the Statue of Liberty, Minnie Mouse, and a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player, among others). And while the man has not met a sequin or a feather he doesn’t adore, his wardrobe is (by Elton standards) somewhat tamer these days.

He took the stage in a white tuxedo with black lapels, and purple sparkly glasses, walking somewhat tentatively to his shiny black piano to pound out the instantly recognizable opening chord to “Bennie And The Jets.”

Next up was “Philadelphia Freedom,” which he dedicated to the hometown crowd as “one of the greatest cities I’ve ever played in.” It was his 52nd concert in the City of Brotherly Love.

Throughout the night, John rolled out a dazzling array of smash hits spanning musical styles and genres. The gospel phrasings and cadences that so influenced his early work were evident on “Border Song” and “Take Me To The Pilot,” and even the straightforward radio staple “Levon” got a come-to-meeting revved-up ending.

He showed off the prototypical power ballad, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” with its close cousin “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”

And when longtime guitar sidekick Davey Johnstone donned an inverted Flying-V guitar, it was time for the power chord arena rockers, including Elton’s hardest-rocking song ever, “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting,” and the brash, boastful and Elton-to-the-bone anthem “The Bitch Is Back.”

Elton largely eschewed his famous falsetto; he still has 100 shows to go on the worldwide farewell tour that runs through next year, and he’s learned over the years how to conserve his voice without sacrificing his style and authenticity.

No matter: the crowd happily supplied the falsetto parts for him, including a mass sing-along of the “la-la-la” chorus on “Crocodile Rock.”

He reached back for only one deep track, “Have Mercy On The Criminal,” featuring Johnstone’s bluesy guitar licks, tucking it amid the dozens of smash hits.

And he avoided tear-jerkers like “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” and the gut-wrenching “The Last Song” about a farewell between a father and his son who’s dying of AIDS, in favor of an upbeat, celebratory mood.

“All The Girls Love Alice,” one of the earliest mainstream rock songs to focus on lesbian relationships in the early ’70s, is an enduring concert staple, as is the straight-from-the-heart “Your Song.”

Before the closing number, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Elton peered toward the finish line of his final tour.

“I’m really looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my children and my husband,” he said. “Be kind to yourself. Love each other.”

The consummate showman to the very end, Elton finished the song, and was elevated into the sky on a hydraulic lift as a hole opened in a brick wall atop the stage, engulfed him, and closed again.

So while Elton John will soon be gone from the stage, thank God his music’s still alive.

Associated Press Latest Articles

Defense Chiefs from U.S., Australia, Japan and Philippines Vow to...

Police Killed Student Outside Wisconsin School after Reports of S...

A Highway Collapse in China Kills 36 People and Sends More Than 2...

Police Officer Fired Gun while Clearing Protesters from Columbia ...

Latest articles.

Constitution Day: Deepen Discussion to Maintain Peace / The Time ...

Child Remains Unconscious after Choking on Marshmallows in Okinaw...

Kishida, Macron Concur on Deeper Security Ties, Agree to Start Ne...

Originator Profile Presented by Japan at OECD at Intl Conference;...

Popular articles.

Japan Top Currency Diplomat: No Comment on Exchange Rate Fluctuat...

Parents Seek Truth of Daughter’s Death in Italy; New Investigatio...

Yen Weakens to ¥160 against Dollar in First since 1990; Investors...

Japanese Government, BOJ Refrain from Intervening in Foreign Exch...

North Korea Plants Land Mines on Roads to South; Kim’s Move Seen ...

Interest in Hosting Olympics ‘Never So High', Says IOC Boss

‘AI Script' Event in Tokyo Canceled Due to Plagiarism Criticism

Two People Bitten, Injured by Wild Boar in Aichi Pref.; Boar Rema...

"news services" popular article.

Dollar Edges Lower, Yen at 34-year Trough

Japan’s Nikkei Climbs 1.5% as Investors Scoop Up Beaten-Down Stocks (Update 1)

Japan Visitors Exceed 3 Mln in March, a Monthly Record, Tourism Agency Says

EU Ratchets up Pressure on TikTok’s New Rewards App over Risks to Kids, Warns of Suspension

Japan’s Nikkei Ends 1% Higher after Sharp Fall; Chip-Related Shares Weigh (Update 1)

JN ACCESS RANKING

Elton John Announces Final North American Dates for ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ Tour

By Althea Legaspi

Althea Legaspi

Elton John has announced the final North American leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which takes place in 2022.

The new dates kick off at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on July 15th and culminate with a two-night stint at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on November 19th and 20th. Tickets go on sale on June 30th, with presale tickets available to American Express card members beginning on Wednesday at noon local time.

“Hello, all you wonderful fans out there. I’m coming to you today with an announcement I’ve been working towards for, well, all my life: The shows that I announce today will be my final tour dates ever in North America and Europe,” John said in a statement. “I’m going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I’ve ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career.”

In September, John announced makeup dates for the tour, which was postponed due to the pandemic. The rescheduled trek runs from January through April. The newly announced final dates include 30 stadium shows, with a run of performances in Europe from May to June before he heads to North America. Tickets to those dates sold out quickly but there are seats available through VividSeats.com .

John launched the  Farewell Yellow Brick Road  tour in September 2018 in  Allentown, Pennsylvania . It was originally slated to run for three years, but the pandemic forced it off the road in March 2020. Two Auckland, New Zealand, shows are also planned for January 27th and 28th, 2023, with the four-year tour concluding sometime in 2023 in Australia with a string of shows to be announced at a later date.

“Whether it’s next summer in Frankfurt or at the legendary Dodger Stadium for the grand finale in the United States, I can’t wait to see you all on the road one last time,” John added. “This has been an incredible tour so far, full of the most amazing highs, and I look forward to making more wonderful memories with you at these final shows. To all my friends down under: We’ll be seeing you, too. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in your town.”

Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour 2022 Final North American Dates July 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park July 18 –  Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park July 23 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium July 28 – Foxboro, MA @ Gillette Stadium July 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Progressive Field August 5 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field September 7 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre September 10 – Syracuse, NY @ Carrier Dome September 16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park September 18 – Charlotte, NC @ Bank of America Stadium September 22 – Atlanta, GA @  Mercedes-Benz Stadium September 24 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park September 30 – Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field October 2 – Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium October 21 –  Vancouver, BC @ BC Place October 29 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome November 4 – Houston, TX @ Minute Maid Park November 12 – Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field November 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Dodger Stadium November 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Dodger Stadium

Hear King Princess Cover Steely Dan's 'Dirty Work'

• Classic Nostalgia
• By Emily Zemler

Watch Kate Hudson's Soulful Performance of 'Gonna Find Out' on 'Fallon'

• Late-Night TV

Miranda Lambert Embraces Her Power on Fiery Single 'Wranglers'

• Light It Up

Dua Lipa's Third Album, 'Radical Optimism,' Is Here

• By Tomás Mier

Dua Lipa Finds Her Bliss on 'Radical Optimism'

• ALBUM REVIEW
• By Angie Martoccio

Most Popular

Ethan hawke lost the oscar for 'training day' and denzel washington whispered in his ear that losing was better: 'you don't want an award to improve your status', nicole kidman's daughters make their red carpet debut at afi life achievement award gala, king charles’ latest appearance has body language experts predicting a 'problem' in future events, ed orgeron divorce court finds loophole in ‘binding’ term sheet, you might also like, ‘the buddha of suburbia’: emma rice on working with hanif kureishi to make his iconic 1970s-set novel relevant to modern theater audiences, exclusive: frankies bikinis sweetest swimwear collection yet is coming to nyc, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, ‘kingdom of the planet of the apes’ will celebrate performance capture in blu-ray release, dodgers’ big-ticket imports find groove in la’s winning culture.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

• Manage Account

Elton John Is Wrapping Up the U.S. Leg of His Farewell Tour: Where to Buy Tickets Online

The Rocketman will play Phoenix before ending the U.S. edition of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles next week.

By Latifah Muhammad

Latifah Muhammad

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Email
• Print this article
• Share this article on Comment
• Share this article on Tumblr

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

See latest videos, charts and news

Lay Bankz's 'Tell Ur Girlfriend' Spends Second Week Atop Billboard TikTok Top 50

Trending on billboard.

The “Hold Me Closer” singer is slated to perform three nights at Dodger Stadium beginning next Thursday (Nov. 17). Tickets are reasonably priced at approximately $63-$69 for the dates. Fans can get passes at Ticketmaster , Vivid Seats , Seat Geek , Stub Hub , etc.

Looking for tickets to the Phoenix show? You’re in luck! Tickets start at around $73 on Seat Geek and approximately $90 at Ticketmaster , Vivid Seats , and Stub Hub .

The Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour will head overseas to Australia and New Zealand in January, followed by dates in the U.K., including London’s O2 Arena , and other parts of Europe.

Click below to buy tickets.

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about?

Get in the know on.

Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

Charts expand charts menu.

• Billboard Hot 100™
• Billboard 200™
• Hits Of The World™
• TikTok Billboard Top 50
• Song Breaker
• Year-End Charts
• Decade-End Charts

Music Expand music menu

• R&B/Hip-Hop

Culture Expand culture menu

Media expand media menu, business expand business menu.

• Business News
• Record Labels
• View All Pro

Pro Tools Expand pro-tools menu

• Songwriters & Producers
• Artist Index
• Royalty Calculator
• Market Watch
• Industry Events Calendar

Billboard Español Expand billboard-espanol menu

• Cultura y Entretenimiento

Honda Music Expand honda-music menu

• 検索

Live Nationの公演情報をもっと見る

IBERIs&

elijah woods

Nick Carter

ジャンル

• ポップ
• ロック

Live Nation Japanをフォローする

ライブ・ネーション公式SNSをフォローして最新情報をチェック！

お気に入りアーティストの最新情報を受け取っていち早く公演チケットを入手！

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Elton John review – cheers, tears and a stairlift to heaven

Resorts World Arena, Birmingham Over the top, joyful and in fine voice, rock’s great showman saunters, post-hip op, through the hits on the last leg of his global farewell tour

E lton John’s hands bang on the piano chords at the start of Bennie and the Jets , the opening number of this valedictory set. Staccato and emphatic, the notes underline John’s first calling as a piano man, one elevated by the wider cultural moment of the early 1970s into a larger-than-life public figure.

Known for so much beyond his songs – from moving the dial on the public perception of HIV/Aids, to successfully suing the Sun for libel , to being Eminem’s unlikely AA sponsor – John is now on the very final leg of a farewell tour that, he promises , is genuinely his last. Tonight, his hands are often displayed on the big screens during a two-plus hour show heavy on fan service, racing dextrously up and down the keys while the singer often glances round the audience, grinning. Every song ends with Elton standing up, just a little stiffly post-hip surgery, to acknowledge his fans.

His mercurial chops are echoed by a great set of fellow players who have been with him, off and on, for years. Given his infamous volatility – not for nothing is one of his more raucous autobiographical tunes called The Bitch Is Back – the patience of this band remains a credit to a complex man. Underneath all the hats and glasses, it’s possible to discern the old-school musician’s musician whose place in what Leonard Cohen called “ the tower of song ” is assured.

It does feel like several lifetimes ago that Reginald Dwight came up alongside all the other talented rhythm and blues fans of the era, many of whom would join him in household name status. Elton John could match John Lennon for acerbic put-downs; play tit-for-tat pranks with Rod Stewart ; did not get on with David Bowie . In his harrowing, must-read 2019 memoir, Me , multiple episodes vie for the prize of “peak Elton”. Was it the time he rang his record company to demand they turn down the wind outside? Or the occasion that he pelted Bob Dylan with oranges for not knowing how to play charades?

Even by John’s maximalist standards, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour has been a long goodbye. Having begun in 2018 and pausing for Covid, it was dry docked again in 2021 for Elton’s hip replacement . When the road finally ends in Stockholm on 8 July, FYBR will close having broken the record for the highest-grossing tour ever – $800m (£650m), according to estimates .

Given this aversion to things done by halves, it figures that John’s band features not one, but three percussionists: white-gloved drummer Nigel Olsson , plus multi-instrumentalists Ray Cooper and John Mahon on everything from maracas to vibraslap. All the rhythm tonight actually makes Elton’s tunes more ear-ringing, and more nuanced. In this long saunter through the hits, one deep cut – Have Mercy on the Criminal – features a lyrical Mahon xylophone part that vies with Davey Johnstone’s searing electric guitar.

The extended instrumental outro to Rocket Man , meanwhile, is positively crawling with texture and noises off, rejuvenating a song whose anomie can now sometimes feel a little defanged through overexposure. Elton’s voice is in such fine fettle that he constantly projects to the back of the room: showmanship that sometimes robs his singing of emotional light and shade.

Billed as one of his favourites, Someone Saved My Life Tonight is that rare thing in Elton’s catalogue – a song actually about his own internal weather. Lyricist Bernie Taupin memorialised a very low point in his friend’s life when the miserable younger Dwight was about to marry someone unsuitable; he even attempted suicide in a bid to escape. Oddly, it’s down to Cooper’s ferocious work on the timpani to drive the feeling home.

Candle in the Wind , meanwhile, goes big on footage of Marilyn Monroe – a 20th-century icon, Taupin has said, who really stands in for all the stars who died before their time. Peel back the layers the song has acquired and within this performance is a real and moving sense that Elton realises his good fortune, now able to hang up his outlandish headgear and watch his kids grow up. You do also get the sense of one century very much segueing into another here in Birmingham. However dressed up some of Elton John’s fans are tonight, they’re no match for the elves and pixies thronging the Megacon event at the NEC next door.

Still, you can’t help but warm to this final act by a consummate entertainer, especially in between songs. Palpably thrilled at the endorsement, Elton recounts how moved he was when Aretha Franklin covered his Border Song and later raised the roof at one of his charity gigs not long before she died. When the requisite confetti falls from the ceiling, this veteran of hundreds of arena shows looks genuinely surprised. Then he cracks up.

And when he finally takes his leave – after the disco version of Cold Heart , as remixed by Pnau and Dua Lipa, his most recent hit, and Your Song , his very first one – Elton John ascends into his starry-sky backdrop in a kind of Perspex stairlift . He is both over the top and impishly self-aware to the last.

Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour continues until 8 July

• Kitty Empire's artist of the week
• Pop and rock
• live music reviews

Most viewed