They were ready to rock. They were ready to impress. And they were definitely ready to sing along to some great tunes in the history of pop music.
However, they weren’t ready to say goodbye to Elton John as the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer set up shop at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara for his last shows in the Bay Area on October 8 and 9.
John’s multi-year Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has already stopped at a number of Northern California venues in 2019 – Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Oakland Arena, SAP Center in San Jose, and Chase Center in San Francisco. But this time, the farewell felt very real.
After the two Santa Clara shows, the number of dates left on John’s North American itinerary hit single digits — with only eight left. The trip is set to conclude next month, as it should, at the site of one of John’s greatest victories – Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles – where he performed two legendary concerts in 1975. (John then plans to hit Australia and New Zealand in early 2023, before moving on to Europe.)
There was a complex mixture of joy and sadness in the air as about 50,000 fans packed the 49ers home Saturday night and were greeted – likely for the last time in the live arena – after an injury from John’s deep songbook.
Many fans were having a hard time coming to terms with this latest Bay Area musical stand-up for John, explaining to this reporter that they simply weren’t ready to put on a run for this awesome show all along. Then they set out to try to extract every bit of joy out of every song being played.
“We’re kind of in the final stages of the American Tour,” John said early in the evening. “So, we’d better make these performances important.”
The 75-year-old piano man, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, certainly made this significant as he provided a great soundtrack to his farewell concert.
He’s led his mighty six-piece band through 23 songs – including probably dozens of top pop hits of the last 55 years – during a roughly two-and-a-half-hour show.
John started the party with a rocking version of “Bennie and the Jets,” one of five selections played from the 1973 multi-platinum effort “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”
His vocals sounded powerful, and his piano work even better, delivering another uptempo favorite—the 1975 single “Philadelphia Freedom”—before slowing things down with “I Guess that’s Why They Call It the Blues” from John’s best outing in the ’80s, Low Too zero.”
These fans, many of whom were wearing flashy light sunglasses, feathered hatches, coats of many colors and other Elton-approved accessories and styles, sang along with the star’s flair as the star moved through such beauties as “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocket Man (I think it’s going to be a very long time).” One of the highlights was a version inspired by his 1970 debut single – “Border Song” – which John dedicated to Aretha Franklin, whose cover of the song made it into the top 40. For the Queen of Soul.
He did a really great job mixing slow and fast numbers, and power ups with the likes of “Take Me to the Pilot” and “Funeral of a Friend/Love Bleeds” just to smooth things out with such sweet numbers as “Sorry seems like the hardest word” and “Don’t let the sun go down” Ali” – the latter might be the best show of the entire show.
He’ll close the main line-up with four consecutive rockstars – “The Bitch Is Back”, “I Still Stand”, “Crocodile Rock” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” – and set the table nicely for a great appearance that ended, as it should, with “Goodbye Yellow” Brick Road”.
What a way to say goodbye.
Make the list:
“Bennie and the Jets”
“Freedom of Philadelphia”
“I guess that’s why they call it the blues.”
“Border Song”
“Little Dancer”
“Have mercy on the criminal”
“Rocket Man (I think it’s going to be a very long time)”
“Take me to the pilot”
“Someone saved my life tonight.”
“Levon”
“Candle in the Wind”
“Funeral of a friend/Love is bleeding”
“Burn the mission”
Sad songs (say a lot)
Sorry, looks like the hardest.
“Don’t let the sun go down on me”
“Back of the Bitch”
“I’m still standing”
“crocodile rock”
“Saturday night is fine to fight”
Encore:
“cold heart”
“your song”
Goodbye, yellow paved road.
Originally published at San Jose News Bulletin
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