Elton John Holds Farewell Concert in Sweden
Elton John held a farewell concert in Sweden, the world-famous singer with many fans hailing them as the "source of life" at his final farewell concert in Stockholm.
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| (Photo: AP) |
"You know how much I love performing live. It's been my lifeblood to play for you, you guys are amazing," he told jubilant fans.
Elton John Looks Stunning in a Tailed Suit Accented With rhinestone And A Pair Of His Signature Oversized Glasses
Dressed in a tailcoat accented with rhinestones and a pair of oversized glasses of his trademark, the 76-year-old British pop superstar sat down at the piano shortly after 8 pm to open his farewell event. He performed one of his most popular songs, "Bennie and the Jets". Then, the songs "Philadelphia Freedom" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues".
Performing for more than two hours, John interspersed the songs with moments of leaving the piano to thank not only his fans but also his band and crew, some of whom have been with him for more than 40 years.
Also read: Elton John's star-studded Glastonbury performance marks 'Rocketman' singer's final farewell.
"I want to pay tribute to these musicians... They are amazing, they have been with me for a long time, some of them. And they are the best," he said.
Shortly after performing the song "Border Song" he dedicated to Aretha Franklin, the song "I'm Still Standing" brought 30,000 fans at Tele2 Arena to their feet.
Before performing the encore, John filtered a message from Coldplay, who play in the western Swedish city of Gothenburg, where Chris Martin thanked him for his career and commitment.
Eager fans are looking forward to the emotional end of the glittering superstar's career even before the curtain opens.
"Tonight will be very emotional," said Kate Bugaj, 25, a Polish student who said she had postponed her Master's exams in favor of a tour of her idol's musical.
A "huge fan", he said he first watched "The Lion King", Walt Disney's 1994 film that awarded John two Oscars.
Fifty-year-old Jeanie Kincer traveled from Kentucky to the United States for the show.
"I want to be here until the end," he said.
To mark the occasion, he wore red shorts with braces and a red, yellow, and brown T-shirt – almost the same outfit John wore for his first concert in Stockholm in 1971.
Swedish daily Expressen called the latest show "an important chapter in rock 'n' roll's history that is coming to an end".
The star has ended a decades-long live career with a global farewell tour.
He played his last concert in the United States in May and closed the annual Glastonbury Festival in England last month.
Saturday's farewell concert was the second night at Stockholm's stadium
On his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, John will hold 330 concerts, across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, before concluding in Stockholm.
Overall, John has performed in front of 6.25 million fans on the tour.