Elton John performed his last live show on Saturday night in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour that spanned five years and 330 concerts across five continents.
The 76-year-old pop legend thanked his fans, his band, and his crew for their support and loyalty throughout his more than 50-year career, calling them his “lifeblood”.
“You know how much I like to play live. It’s been my lifeblood to play for you guys, and you’ve been absolutely magnificent,” he told the crowd at the Tele2 Arena, where he played for more than two hours.
He also paid tribute to some of his musical influences and friends, such as Aretha Franklin, whom he dedicated “Border Song” to, and Coldplay, who sent him a video message from their concert in Gothenburg.
Elton John wore a rhinestone-studded tailcoat and a red pair of his trademark glasses as he sat down at the piano to open the show with “Bennie and the Jets”, one of his many hits that he performed, along with “Philadelphia Freedom”, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”, “Crocodile Rock”, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”, and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, which was the last song of the evening.
The audience, many of whom were also wearing sparkling glasses, cheered and sang along with him, giving him a standing ovation after “I’m Still Standing”.
The concert was an emotional experience for many fans who had travelled from different countries to see their musical hero for the last time on stage.
“It was amazing. I have no words right now because I haven’t processed all the show, but it was amazing,” said Anton Pohjonen, a 25-year-old bank worker from Finland.
“You almost start tearing up on his account. But then it feels great to be here,” added Conny Johansson, a Swedish teacher who bought tickets for the show four years ago.
Elton John announced his retirement from touring in January 2018, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on other creative projects.
“I want to appreciate my family, my sons, my husband, everything,” he said. “I’ve earned it. And I don’t regret it tonight. I want to thank the band, the crew, everybody. I will miss you guys so much, but I’ll see you much sooner than you think. I love you guys!”
