Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour {Music Week}

So … I saw this show back in October and haven’t written about it since now.  But at least I’m writing about it now and you still have plenty of time to see Elton John live before he hangs up touring for good … so he says … once the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour is complete.

I had never seen Elton live but wanted to ever since I missed the epic show he performed with Billy Joel.  Also I used to dance around the living room to the music from The Lion King, so there’s that.  Sadly Elton didn’t perform any of those songs, but yesterday I mentioned Kelly Clarkson left quite a few hits behind so Elton had to leave many, many more.  The man is basically a hit maker.

He talked a bit about how he got started in the industry and told stories about some of the songs, but the frame of his set told quite the story itself.  I bet it’s something a lot of people missed, but the frame was engraved with all the milestones in Elton’s career and life.  I wish I could have gotten a closer look at it, but I did my best to admire it from afar and catch all the little symbols on it.

With a large band backing him, many of whom have been with him for years and years, Elton took his seat at his piano and for the most part stayed there the entire night.  Had he been on a platform, this would have worked better since unless you were sitting in front of the left side of the stage in the first five or so rows, it was pretty tough to see Elton.

He did get up in between songs to bow and wave to the crowd and twice the piano traveled across the stage to sit on the other side for a short time.  I wonder why this was barely used.   It could have brought more energy and excitement to the show, not to mention allowed a lot more fans to see him closer.

With the show being relatively low energy when compared to heart thumping, soul moving, can’t hear yourself think concerts, people spent a lot of time in their seats.  I wasn’t there to sit, along with a fair portion of the crowd in the back half of the floor, so we continued to enjoy the show.

One of my favorite moments was Indian Sunset, performed only by Elton and Ray Cooper who can play percussion like I doubt I will ever see again.  It’s a song I had never heard before but loved.

Back to those aforementioned hits, Elton opened with Bennie and the Jets (it’s bad I think of 27 Dresses when I hear that, isn’t it???) and followed that up with, among others, I Guess that’s Why they Call it the Blues, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, Candle in the Wind, Sad Songs, I’m Still Standing, and Crocodile Rock.  Like I said, hits, and lots of them.

That’s what a show like this should be like.  This tour celebrates his career and to sing so many of the memorable songs from it is the only way to go out.

After a short break, Elton returned for the encore of Your Song (one of my favorites) and, of course, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.  It wrapped up a nearly two and a half hour non-stop show without lulls or an intermission.  That’s something I always marvel at when watching a concert, that performers, particularly one of Elton’s age, can be on that stage so long while maintaining such a high level of energy.

This isn’t my favorite show I have ever seen, but it’s one I’m thrilled I added to the list I’ve seen.  As a music fan, I had to see Elton John at least once in my life and I did just time.  If you love music, this is likewise a show not to be missed.