Elton John gave outstanding performance during his final tour

Rocket Man himself, Elton John, is on his last ever tour titled “Farewell Yellow Brick Road.”

John is a 71-year-old English singer songwriter. He started his career in 1969 when he released his first album “Empty Sky.” He has continued performing for over 50 years. In January of 2018, John announced he was going into retirement in order to spend more time with his family.

“I don’t want to be traveling away from my children… I’d rather be with my children than still be playing shows,” said John to ABC News.

I was very young when I first listened to John’s music. I can recall when his song, “Crocodile Rock” played on the radio and I instantly started singing along. My love for his music has only grown as I’ve gotten older and have delved further into his compositions. His songs range from sweet and soothing melodies to upbeat dance songs.

Last year, my dad and I heard about John’s upcoming and final tour. We were ecstatic and bought our tickets in March of 2018 for the concert on Nov. 6, 2019. The concert was held at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. My dad and I arrived at 6:30 p.m. to beat the crowd before the concert started at 8 p.m. We quickly got in line and rushed to find our seats in the uppermost section of the stadium. The view was incredible, and every seat was filled. John’s concert in Charlotte, like many other cities, had sold out!

As soon as the lights dimmed, John broke out in song playing “Bennie and the Jets.” The crowd went wild as if a musical had just begun. John was dressed in a floral tuxedo with big, knobby glasses. Even after all these years, his fashion sense has remained unchanged. The crowd reflected John’s sense of style; children and elders alike wore sparkly clothing and unique glasses.

“Performing live fuels me and I’m ecstatic and humbled to continue to play to audiences across the globe,” said John on his website. “I plan to bring the passion and creativity that has entertained my fans for decades to my final tour.”

John ended the show with one final encore, playing his hits “Your Song” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” I couldn’t keep from tearing up knowing that was the last time I would watch John perform.

The tour began September 2018 in Pennsylvania and it is projected to conclude in the U.S. sometime in 2021. By the end, John will have performed at least 300 concerts in less than two years.

A quote from Digital Journal, as listed on John’s website, reads: “Whoever has yet to see him perform live is truly missing out. A concert ticket to Elton John’s farewell tour should be on every music fan’s bucket list.”