FAREWELL Tour - The Last Concert - July 8th, 2023

[dougs]

FAREWELL Tour - The Last Concert - July 8th, 2023:

Well, here it is!  Elton's last FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD concert.  After 329 concerts starting in Allentown, Pennsylvania on September 8, 2018, grossing close to $1 billion and witnessed by over 6.2 million fans, the colossal tour is coming to an end with one last concert on July 8th (today) in Stockholm, Sweden.

It has been quite the ride including an extended break due to COVID-19 but EJ and the band are performing at a high level to finish things up.  Guitarist & musical director Davey Johnstone did miss a number of gigs so that he could undergo overdue shoulder surgery.  Fortunately, previous bandmate (1994-2000) John Jorgenson stepped in quite admirably to fill Davey's shoes.

The tour has run pretty much along the same setlist for the duration with a few songs dropped ("Indian Sunset" and "Believe" are two such songs) and a couple added ("Have Mercy on the Criminal" and "Cold Heart").  A few guests were invited onstage for the final Dodger Stadium concert (November 20, 2022) but otherwise the show has been Elton and the band only.  It will be interesting if Elton has any guests for the last concert in Stockholm or adds a song or two.

A tour like this always brings back memories of previous tours.  I have been fortunate enough to see Elton on every tour since 1979.  He has played tours solo, with Ray Cooper, with numerous bands, with horn sections, with orchestras, with choirs and cellists.  It was always interesting.

We'll see how tonight goes.  It will likely be emotional for Elton, the band, and fans alike.

Doug

[dougs]

FAREWELL Tour - The Last Concert - July 8th, 2023:  Done!

Well, that is it.  The end of Elton's "touring."   It is probably likely that Elton will play a show here & there and possibly a short series of concerts in one location but it is very likely that his days of touring have come to and end.

The final concert in Stockholm has, understandably, lots of social media coverage including a number of YouTube videos featuring the encore "Your Song" and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and Elton's final speech to the audience.  No additional songs or guests were served up on this last - historic - night.

At a time like this it often lends itself to reflecting on the times that we have seen Elton live.  My first concert was in 1979 seeing EJ and Ray Cooper play the small cozy O'Keefe Centre in Toronto for a whopping $12.50 ticket price!  I was amazed with his musicianship - the ability to play these songs without a band and make them work.  The extended "Rocket Man" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" plus the beautiful "Song For Guy" as well as the 2-song suite "Funeral For A Friend / Tonight" were highlights.

For people here at Hercules II, can you recall your first EJ concert?  Year?  Specific memories or highlights?

Doug

[BenandtheJets]

My first concert was at the Montreal Forum on september 9th 1980. Our tickets cost 11.50$. Judie Tzuke was the opening act and Nigel sang a couple of songs from his recently released album Changing Tides, midway through the concert. Last concert was in Ottawa on September 2018 for the FAREWELL Tour with my wife and our son and daughter. I saw Elton 15 times including twice with Billy Joel.

[dougs]

BenandtheJets:

Good to hear from you.

Yeah, I remember that 1980 21 AT 33 tour and having Judie Tzuke open plus Nigel play two of his songs (gracious of EJ and maybe a way of partly making up for sacking he and Dee in 1975).  I saw him at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto the night before your Montreal show and the highlights were extended versions of "Rocket Man" and "Bennie and the Jets" and "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)."  Nice to see "Imagine" and a pleasant surprise to have "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" as the final encore.  It was the only tour to have Tm Renwick and Richie Zito on guitars.

Lots of memories.

Doug