Forty seven years after he took the stage at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in a sequined-studded baseball uniform as the worldB次元官网网址檚 biggest pop star, walked on to the same stage on Sunday night wearing a bedazzled Dodgers bathrobe, a uniform more fitting for a 75-year-old man on the verge of retirement.
The crowd of more than 50,000 roared at the moment that came in the final minutes of the final North American concert of a tour John says will be his last.
B次元官网网址淚 want to spend time with my family because IB次元官网网址檒l be 76 next year, he said. B次元官网网址淚 want to bring them out and show you why IB次元官网网址檓 retiring.B次元官网网址�
He embraced and kissed his husband, David Furnish, while his two sons, 11-year-old Zachary and 9-year-old Elijah, wearing matching Dodgers jackets that read B次元官网网址淓ltonB次元官网网址� on the back, waved gleefully at the crowd.
John then broke into B次元官网网址淕oodbye Yellow Brick Road,B次元官网网址� the inevitable final song that gave the B次元官网网址淔arewell Yellow Brick RoadB次元官网网址� tour its name.
The crowd full of rocket men and rocket women, of blue jean babies and LA ladies, many JohnB次元官网网址檚 age but plenty in their 20s and 30s and 40s, swayed and sang along as they had throughout the two-hour show during songs like B次元官网网址淩ocket ManB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭iny Dancer.B次元官网网址� Some wiped away tears.
Many were wearing their own sequins and spangles, sparkling spectacles, top hats, feather boas, and in a few cases, Donald Duck suits, representing stages of JohnB次元官网网址檚 55-year career.
B次元官网网址淭hank you all for dressing up,B次元官网网址� John said, B次元官网网址渋t makes me so happy when you wear the most fantastic costumes.B次元官网网址�
When that last song ended, John shed the robe and exposed another retirement outfit, a green-and-red tracksuit, and climbed into a small, clear elevator that lifted him into an opening in the backdrop. He could then be seen on a giant video screen walking down a yellow brick road into the distance.
Many others joined John for the occasion.
Kiki Dee took the stage to sing their duet B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Go Breaking My Heart.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚n 1975, this woman was here with me, and we sang this song,B次元官网网址� John said as he brought out Dee. B次元官网网址淚 asked her to come and recreate that incredible moment.B次元官网网址�
John jumped from his usual keyboard spot, grabbed a mic and sang and danced with Dee as his rehearsal piano player Adam Chester pounded the keys in his place.
John played B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Let the Sun Go Down on MeB次元官网网址� in tribute to the four bandmates who have died during his career, and after the first verse brought on another guest, shouting, B次元官网网址渓adies and gentleman, Brandi Carlile!B次元官网网址�
The moment was an unspoken tribute to another late collaborator, George Michael, who dueted with John in the same way on the song in 1991.
B次元官网网址榮 recent return to the stage, was wearing her own Dodger-themed spangled suit. She belted out her verses and made a B次元官网网址渃an you believe this?!B次元官网网址� face to the crowd as John put his arm around her and the soaked in the applause.
A drum machine pounded as Dua Lipa, in a black dress that contrasted with the sparkles on everyone else, came out for the first of the encores, B次元官网网址淐old Heart,B次元官网网址� her 2021 hit with John.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 tell you how it feels to be 75 years old and to have the No. 1 record around the world,B次元官网网址� John said after. B次元官网网址淎nd this was my very first hit, 52 years ago.B次元官网网址�
He started playing piano chords and sang, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a little bit funny, this feeling inside,B次元官网网址� the opening line to 1970B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淵our Song.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hat was your song, Los Angeles!B次元官网网址� he shouted after.
About two hours earlier, after taking the stage in a tuxedo with sequins that flared into a flame design and opening the concert with B次元官网网址淏enny and the Jets,B次元官网网址� he explained the significance of the city to his music.
B次元官网网址淎ll right, this is a very special night for me, a very emotional night for me, and itB次元官网网址檚 been a long journey, and I first came here to America in 1970 to the City of Angels, Los Angeles, and I played a club called the Troubadour.B次元官网网址�
The concert, which streamed live on Disney+, was the last of a three-night stand at the stadium (and his 103rd show in the LA area, he told the crowd). The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour began in September 2018 with the first of the 300-plus scheduled dates. It was suspended in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic and resumed in 2021.
In January, John heads to Australia and New Zealand, then moves on to Britain and Europe. HeB次元官网网址檚 set to conclude in Sweden in July, though heB次元官网网址檚 made it clear he is only done traveling, not making music.
Many of those backing him up have been in his band from the start, or very near it, including Nigel Olsson, his drummer since 1969, and Davey Johnstone, his guitarist since 1971, who at age 71 stood at the front of the stage and led the band through a ripping version of B次元官网网址淪aturday NightB次元官网网址檚 Alright for Fighting.B次元官网网址�
John also provided a rare on-stage glimpse of an even more long-running collaborator, the man who wrote most of the words the crowd sang along with all night, lyricist Bernie Taupin.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been writing together now since 1967,B次元官网网址� John said as he hugged Taupin, who could not have contrasted with his writing partner more with his bald head and plain, earth-toned coat. B次元官网网址淲e still love each other more than weB次元官网网址檝e ever done before.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擜ndrew Dalton, The Associated Press
