Live Review: Elton John @ Allianz Stadium

51 years and three months since first making his way to Australia, Elton John has just two concerts remaining before saying goodbye, probably - this time - forever. Long has Australia been a home away from home for the Middlesex-born Englishman and long have the crowds been coming back to experience the ‘Rocket Man’ himself, but every road has to have an ending, and this really did feel like it was it.

The shiny new Allianz Stadium was a suitable venue for all of the glitz and glamour that arrived to farewell Elton. In this, his 75th appearance in Sydney, it seemed that every Elton superfan was on hand to say goodbye with fancy sunglasses, sequins galore and more than a few Elton tracksuits scattered amongst the crowd.

Elton hit the stage with little fanfare, but the Cheshire cat-sized grin adorning his face showed he was happy to be there and that would become obvious throughout the set. The opening chords from Bennie And The Jets reverberated around the stadium, and we were on, starting with such a strong song being a real power move from the performer.

Lars Roy

"I never thought we were coming back, but we did, and we’re glad to be here!” exclaimed Elton. The irony of the pandemic has meant that shows were cancelled on his original farewell tour run, so, being the gentleman he is - three years later - he’s made good on his promise to return and Australia gets another sneaky run at the farewell tour. How lucky are we?

The first spine-tingling moment of the night came with Border Song, which was dedicated to the late, great Aretha Franklin. A stirring piano solo featured during the extended version of the track, and it was to be just a small taste of the mind-blowing skills of the pianist, whose fingers would regularly appear on the big screen dancing over the keys with what feels like unlikely dexterity.

Lars Roy

Tiny Dancer, a track that has been a well-documented slow-burner in his catalogue generated goosebumps, as the crowd yelled out the chorus. The accompanying videos on the big screens, which would occur for every song, were well thought out and combined to create an overwhelming feast for the senses. The sound too, was immersive and well-balanced, albeit a little bass-heavy at times.

When Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time) came on, there was visible swaying and tears from the audience, as the reality of never hearing these songs live again started to hit home.

Some songs may not have the same recognition as others, like Have Mercy On The Criminal, but the musicality of the all-star band, particularly guitarist, Davey Johnstone, whose rotation of custom Gibson Les Pauls on which he absolutely shredded, was a huge highlight. Although, the biggest band highlight probably had to come from the legendary Ray Cooper on percussion, who deservedly received the largest cheer from the crowd for his eccentric and visually free-spirited percussive performance.

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Elton is renowned for staying on stage for his whole performance and to pull out a two and half hour show at the age of 75 is impressive, to say the least. A couple of times during the show, he appeared to stop, take some deep breaths and wipe his brow before continuing. Was he foxing, or was he really just a bit tired? Either way, there is no judgement, the man is a powerhouse on stage and exemplified that by standing up in between every song with a huge smile, pointing, waving and gesticulating to the crowd, working them up into a fever. It was amazing to watch. 

The mostly safe (perhaps too safe?) set was heading to the inevitable conclusion with the upbeat Sad Songs (Say So Much), the more tender Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word and the iconic Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me, but it was the final three songs of the main set that left us all in a frenzy. I’m Still Standing, Crocodile Rock and Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting rounded it out with the crowd dancing in the aisles as the confetti rained down.

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The encore started with a solo rendition - almost karaoke style - of the 2021 mashup hit, Cold Heart, that he did with Dua Lipa. Whilst it may have felt a little incongruous on the night, it does remind us how much Elton John is still at the forefront with regard to new music and cutting through to new generations. “It’s incredible to have a #1 song at 75!” he reminded us, which is completely true. “Everything in my life is so great”, he also admitted, and we felt glad that someone who has lived such a public and vibrant life could still be in such a good place.

“Be nice to each other. I love you very much.” These were the last words Elton would speak before finishing the night with Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road. A fitting farewell for someone that has walked many paths and helped pave them along the way. 

There will never be another Elton John. His legacy will long outlast him, and the pleasure was all ours as Sydney glistened into the Summer night and we headed back to our plough.

Lars Roy