Elton John paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II at his final Toronto show Thursday, calling her an B次元官网网址渋nspiringB次元官网网址� presence in his life.
B次元官网网址淪he led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine warmth,B次元官网网址� the British singer said midway through his concert.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad sheB次元官网网址檚 at peace and IB次元官网网址檓 glad sheB次元官网网址檚 at rest. She served and she worked bloody hard.B次元官网网址�
Earlier in the day, Buckingham Palace announced the Queen had died at 96. She was the longest-serving British monarch and Canadian head of state.
B次元官网网址淲e celebrate her life tonight with music,B次元官网网址� John told the cheering crowd as he moved into a performance of his 1974 track B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Let the Sun Go Down on Me.B次元官网网址�
The 75-year-old musician has many ties to the Royal Family.
In 1988, he was knighted by the Queen for his contributions to music and charitable organizations.
HeB次元官网网址檚 also performed at numerous events for the royals, including the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, where he sang a rewritten version of his 1973 song B次元官网网址淐andle in the Wind.B次元官网网址�
JohnB次元官网网址檚 Toronto concert was the second of two nights at Rogers Centre and part of Farewell Yellow Brick Road, billed as his final tour.
HeB次元官网网址檒l play two further Canadian dates on Oct. 21 and 22 in Vancouver before eventually heading to Europe for shows into mid-2023.
John opened his concert dressed in a black suit with a bejewelled trim and a pink pair of glasses to match. Wasting little time, he slipped behind his grand piano to begin.
B次元官网网址淭his is my last ever concert in Toronto so IB次元官网网址檝e got to make it special,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l have the very best time.B次元官网网址�
From there it was a night of familiar tunes, including a steady run of his classics, B次元官网网址淭iny Dancer,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淩ocket ManB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淟evonB次元官网网址� among them. After each, he rose from his bench to receive thundering applause from the crowd with open arms and a toothy smile.
He used his encore to sing B次元官网网址淐old Heart,B次元官网网址� the inescapable global hit that sent him and pop singer Dua Lipa to the top of the Canadian charts earlier this year.
B次元官网网址淐old Heart,B次元官网网址� which blends several of JohnB次元官网网址檚 older hits with an electronic beat by remixer Pnau, left him in the unusual position of sitting behind his piano without playing it. He decided to clap along to the beat as he sang the verses and encouraged the crowd to join in.
John scattered the show with references to his Canadian connections, pointing out that he planned to have lunch with one of his old school buddies who now lives in Toronto.
He took a moment to thank his Toronto-born husband David Furnish, with whom he has two children, proudly mentioning that both of the kids have Canadian passports.
And he assured everyone this would really be his final tour, saying heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渉ad enough applause in my life.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 want to be with my family, come to Toronto and not have to work,B次元官网网址� he said.
Closing the show, John thanked the audience, pointing out several fans in elaborate Elton-inspired outfits, including one in a body suit reminiscent of the winged devil from his 2019 biopic B次元官网网址淩ocketmanB次元官网网址� and another in a sequined baseball uniform.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not going to forget you because IB次元官网网址檒l be coming back,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淚 just wonB次元官网网址檛 be playing anymore.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擠avid Friend, The Canadian Press
