Review | Elton John pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, confesses his love to Toronto in a memorable farewell

If this was Sir Elton John’s swan song in terms of concert performances, then it was a sucker.

John performed in front of 45,000 fans for the second straight year – and for the sixth time as part of his seemingly never-ending ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour’, which has been put on hold by the pandemic and health concerns. 75, had a lot to say about the city where not only has he given nearly 30 concerts and played to more than 750,000 people since the ’70s, but found him true love and a husband with Toronto-based David Furnish, among other joys .

“I owe you a lot,” declared the legendary pianistic superstar, just before he started “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, the 23rd song of a two and a half hour marathon evening with mostly chart hits – and its grand finale.

“My first top 40 hit anywhere in the world was in Canada with ‘Border Song’; I have family in Canada. I’m so proud my boys have Canadian passports. And one man who has made my life so incredible professionally over the last seven or eight years is my husband David who is here tonight and I want to thank him so much.

“I’ve had the most incredible life. I’ll stop touring next year when I’m done in Stockholm – and I honestly don’t need any more applause. I don’t need air travel anymore. I want to be with my family and come to Toronto and not have to work – and see my family. I know many of you are disappointed but for me it is a necessity because I love my family and my boys so much and need to be with them. I want to thank you because without you I wouldn’t be here. You bought the records – the LPs, the cassette, the 8 tracks, the tickets to the shows that matter more than anything else – you’ve always supported me. And I take you in my heart and I won’t forget you because I’ll be back. I just won’t play anymore. So, Canada, Ontario, Toronto, God bless you forever, ok? Many Thanks!”

And if he seemed a little emotional during the speech, he was even more unsettled by the sudden death earlier this afternoon of Queen Elizabeth II, the woman who had knighted him. One thought he might address the loss at the helm of the show – or with an altered performance of “Candle in The Wind,” with the lyrics making a reference to Elizabeth’s death, just as it paid tribute to the Princess of Wales’ 1997 version of the song .

But those moments passed and he didn’t grab the elephant in the room until over an hour into his show, when he introduced the band after the poignant ballad Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – a hit and the album it’s over “Blue Moves”, both recorded in Toronto in 1976.

“Of course, as you know, today we have the saddest news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth,” John began. “She was an inspiring presence and I was around her and she was amazing. She guided the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace, grace and genuine caring.

“I’m 75 and she’s been with me my whole life and I’m very sad she won’t be with me anymore but I’m glad she’s at peace. I’m glad she’s calm. And she deserved it: she worked damn hard. I send my love to the family, their loved ones. She will be missed but her spirit lives on and we celebrate her life with music, ok?”

Those variances aside, the night was indeed a celebration of the hits of John and his band of six – including drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, who have toured with him for over 50 years, and percussionist Ray Cooper, an Elton John regular since 1974’s “Caribou”.

It’s an enviable track record, spanning five decades thanks largely to a fruitful, award-winning partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin.

Strong, compelling and memorable melodies combined with poetic flair that triggers and arouses emotion is John-Taupin’s recipe for success, and when you sell more than 300 million records you know you’re doing something right.

Especially when your concert starts with a shrill “Bennie And the Jets” and your story flashes across three giant video screens in front of your audience – this is a great way to get the party started early. And while you get some carbon copies of the hits — “Philadelphia Freedom,” “The Bitch Is Back,” and “I’m Still Standing” are typical examples — the truly rewarding journey begins when Elton and the band reach out. Rocket Man” for another five or six minutes and turn it into a non-gravity theme of hopelessness and isolation.

They added a rocking coda to “Levon,” in which Sir Elton showed off some of his ivory rock ‘n’ roll work, and threw in heaps of feverish gospel licks on “Burn Down The Mission.” A brilliantly dramatic Have Mercy On The Criminal benefited from Ray Cooper ringing some tubular bells for the occasion, while a solo piano rendition of Border Song and related stories about the late Aretha Franklin, who covered the song , as soulful as they were Come.

“Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” was an 11-minute slice of heaven and John later took the time to play the PNAU remix of “Cold Heart” with Dua Lipa as a duet partner, despite it being a pre-recorded track acted and the Oscar winner just sat at the piano and sang his part of the recording live.

His voice was strong throughout the show; Both versatile and adept, his piano technique is easily adaptable, jumping from the singalong “Crocodile Rock” to the beguiling “Tiny Dancer”.

Alongside the joy the concert brought was the inevitable sense of mortality: many of the projections featured cultural icons such as Marilyn Monroe or Muhammad Ali, who are no longer with us but made an impression whose candles “were made long before they became legend.” burned out.”

As Elton John explained Thursday night, he wants to live a part of his life and he’s certainly earned that through an amazing career that’s been pretty much uninterrupted since the release of “Empty Sky” in 1968.

While the thought that he won’t be giving any more concerts is unsettling for those whose lives he’s provided an inextricable soundtrack for, there’s some comfort in the fact that he probably won’t be such a great stranger to the area.

While his brilliant music lives on, there’s a chance you’ll catch Elton and his family over at the Senator enjoying the occasional burger.

For Elton, one chapter begins like another ends with an important lesson: Live life while you have one.

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