Elton John says he’s still “trying to process” his farewell tour coming to an end
Elton John has said that he’s still “trying to process” his farewell tour coming to an end following the final performance last weekend.
The British pop star kicked off the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour in 2018 with the intention of hanging up his touring boots in 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and John suffering a hip injury, many shows and to be postponed.
John held the final concert of the tour at Stockholm’s Tele2 Arena on Saturday (July 8). Following the show, he shared his thoughts about the tour ending on his Instagram page. “When we set off on my final tour in 2018, I couldn’t have foreseen in my wildest dreams the twists and turns and the highs and lows this tour – and the whole world – would have experienced in the next 5 years,” he wrote alongside video footage from the tour.
“And every step the way, my fans have been there. You have stuck with me, you have supported me, you have been patient and you have kept turning out for every single last show.”
Writing specifically about the final night in Sweden, John described the show as “magical” and said he was still “trying to process it”. “I don’t think it will sink in for a while yet that I’m finally finished touring,” he added. “I can’t tell you how much I’m going to miss you all and how much your support has humbled me – it will stay with me forever.”
In another post, John thanked the huge team who worked on the tour around the world. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making every performance an unforgettable experience and filling the last five years of the farewell tour with memories I will never forget,” he wrote.
The ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour featured the star making a stunning stop at Glastonbury 2023 to headline the Somerset festival. The performance broke viewing figures on the BBC, with 7.3million viewers tuning in for the set – three times the amount that watched Paul McCartney top the bill at the festival in 2022.
During the show, John was joined by Gabriels frontman Jacob Lusk, up-and-comer Stephen Sanchez, Rina Sawayama and The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, though rumours prior to the set included Britney Spears.
In a five-star review of the set, NME wrote: “We were spoiled tonight. Flares light the sky, friends hold one another and an epic firework finale sees us into a monumental closer of ‘Rocket Man’. His one stage move (rising from the piano, arms outstretched, and smiling) is all he needs. The songs and his heart do the rest. Everyone here is on his side. Go on Reg.”
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Rhian Daly
NME
