Concluding a career spanning more than 50 years with the Farewell Yellow Brick Road farewell tour, British pianist and singer Elton John created some of the most memorable and enduring songs in pop rock history, etched in the collective DNA of humanity.
The 75-year-old entertainer Reginald Kenneth Dwight kicked off the final leg of his North American farewell tour Friday night in Philadelphia.
“The United States 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 have shown me. »
During his career, he sold over 300 million albums worldwide, played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries and recorded one of the best-selling tracks of all time, his 1997 reworking of Candle In The Wind to praise Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies.
He collected five Grammy awards, as well as a Tony award for musical piece. Aida. His interpretation of Can you feel the love tonight in the movie The Lion King charmed millions of children.
The eccentric suits and oversized glasses he was known for in the early 1970s are gone now (he dressed as Donald Duck, Pac-Man, the Statue of Liberty, and Minnie Mouse, among others). While the man still hasn’t come across a sequin or feather he doesn’t adore, his wardrobe is a little tamer these days.
He took the stage in a white tuxedo with black lapels and glittering purple glasses, walking somewhat shyly towards his shiny black piano to hammer out the instantly recognizable opening chord of Bennie And The Jets.
Throughout the night, Elton John sang a dazzling array of hit songs spanning all musical styles and genres. The gospel-inspired phrasing and cadences that so influenced his early work were evident with Border Song et Take Me To The Pilot.
The artist has largely avoided his famous falsetto; he still has 100 shows to go for next year’s farewell world tour, and he’s learned over the years how to retain his voice without sacrificing style and authenticity.
He also avoided sad tracks like Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word and tearing it up The Last Songin favor of an optimistic and festive atmosphere.
Before its closing number, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, Elton John looked to the future. “I’m really looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my kids and my husband,” he said. Be kind to yourself. Love eachother. »
An accomplished performer to the very end, Elton finished the song, soared into the sky on a hydraulic lift, and finally disappeared through an opening that had formed in the ceiling.
The long farewell tour began in 2018. The North American leg will end on November 20 in Los Angeles. In 2023, Elton John will give his very last performances in Europe and Oceania.
Two concerts will be presented in Toronto, on September 7 and 9, and two others are scheduled for Vancouver on October 21 and 22. The two recitals scheduled in Montreal last spring were canceled due to COVID.