Elton John thanked his fans, band and family during an emotional speech just before the last song of the final show of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour tonight in Stockholm, Sweden.
“It’s the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour show, and the last one,” he noted just before the set-closing “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” “We’re ending it in the beautiful city of Stockholm, Sweden. My very first show in Sweden was on the 7th of July in 1971, so it’s more or less 52 years to the day I first played in Sweden.”
The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour kicked off in Allentown, Pennsylvania in September of 2018, and was delayed by both the COVID-19 pandemic and Elton’s 2021 hip injury. Tonight was the 330th show of the tour, which recently became the first to gross over $900,000,000 in ticket sales.
After thanking various fans in the audience, some of whom had attended as many as 215 of his concerts over the years, Elton offered a heartfelt speech, which you can see in the video below.
“You have no idea how much that means to me – your beautiful words and kindness… it’s just amazing,” he began. “I’ve had the most wonderful career, beyond belief. 52 years of pure joy, playing music. How lucky am I to play music? But you know I wouldn’t be sitting here and talking to you if it wasn’t for you. You’ve bought the singles, the albums, the CDs, the cassettes but most importantly you’ve bought the tickets to the shows. And you know how much I love to play live. it’s been my lifeblood to play for you guys and you’ve been absolutely magnificent, thank you!”
After pausing for an extended round of applause from the audience, John continued his speech and hinted that we’ll be hearing from him again sooner than we might expect: “I will never forget you guys. I’ve played so many concerts, how could I forget? You’re in my head and my heart and my soul and I thank you so much. I will never be touring again but I may do something in the future, a one-off thing or… but that’s miles away. I want to appreciate my family, my sons, my husband, my family, everything. I’ve earned it and I don’t regret it tonight. But I want to say thank you to the band, the crew, everybody. I will miss you guys so much, but I will see you much quicker than you think.”
After concluding the song, Elton stepped inside an open elevator that lifted him up to the large screen behind the stage. As he disappeared, a on-screen version of the rock legend, wearing the exact same outfit John had been wearing just seconds before, appeared to step inside the famous cover art from 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album.
Watch Elton John’s Speech and Final Farewell Tour Performance
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Ben Gibson, Rocket Entertainment
Elton John, Tele2 Arena, Stockholm, July 8, 2023
1. “Bennie and the Jets” – from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
2. “Philadelphia Freedom” (single, 1975)
3. “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” – from Too Low for Zero (1983)
4. “Border Song” – from Elton John (1970)
5. “Tiny Dancer” – from Madman Across the Water (1971)
6. “Have Mercy on the Criminal” – from Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973)
7. “Rocket Man” – from Honky Chateau (1972)
8. “Take Me to the Pilot” – from Elton John (1970)
9. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” – from Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
10. “Levon” – from Madman Across the Water (1971)
11. “Candle in the Wind” – from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
12. “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” – from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
13. “Burn Down the Mission” – from Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
14. “Sad Songs (Say So Much)” – from Breaking Hearts (1984)
15. “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” – from Blue Moves (1975)
16. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” – from Caribou (1974)
17. “The Bitch is Back” – from Caribou (1974)
18. “I’m Still Standing” – from Too Low for Zero (1983)
19. “Crocodile Rock” – from Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973)
20. “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” – from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
21. “Cold Heart” – from The Lockdown Sessions (2021)
22. “Your Song” – from Elton John (1970)
23. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” – from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Farewell Tour Tracker
Don’t miss out — it’s your last chance to see these artists before they come off the road for good.
