Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour 23/02/2022

Where: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY (USA)

Venue Rating: 10/10

Who I went with: Myself

Where I stayed: Pod 51 Hotel (I stayed here all week)

How I travelled there: On foot (from the hotel)

Beverage of choice: Mountain Dew. Before that, Coors from the bar “Blarney Stone”)

SETLIST:

Bennie And The Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Border Song
Tiny Dancer
Have Mercy On The Criminal
Rocket Man
Take Me To The Pilot
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Levon
Candle In The Wind
Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
Burn Down The Mission
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
The Bitch Is Back
I’m Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)
Cold Heart
Your Song (Encore)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Encore)

Yes, I got a ticket to see Elton again! Seeing him perform at Madison Square Garden was an amazing experience and this was his last time ever performing there, so I knew it would be an emotional night. I didn’t go to any other concerts when I was in New York, though I considered Billie Eilish – also at MSG, if I’m remembering right. I’m not a huge fan of her songs, though I admit she would have been good to see as she’s one of the biggest stars right now. The tickets were very expensive, sadly. They weren’t as pricey as the one I picked up for this show but I didn’t want to pay over £100 for someone I’m not really a fan of. I’m sure I saw John Mayer was also performing in NY during the same week. He’s very famous too but I’m not very familiar with his work either. I did see two musicals in Times Square during my week here – ‘Music Man’ and ‘The Phantom Of The Opera’. The first starred Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, which was very exciting. It exceeded my already high expectations. I’ve never seen stunts or choreography of that level before. I nabbed a last second ticket for the latter because I couldn’t think what else to do that evening. I didn’t end up regretting my choice, as the show is so iconic.

The concert was mostly the same as the previous night, with Elton saying slightly different things to us between songs. I already knew what to expect, having seen him the night before. I always get nervous I’ll be denied entry or something will go wrong outside of my control, so I breathe a sigh of relief whenever I get inside. I always buy my tickets from reliable sources, though Ticketmaster is becoming increasingly frustrating. I have never had a real issue with them (fingers crossed) but the US rules differed to the UK. I tried to swap my seat and they were a bit funny about it, when I hadn’t had any problems doing that for UK shows. It’s too boring and complicated to explain but there were notable differences between countries. I also needed to provide proof of vaccination on my NHS app and I was worried because I was coming from outside the US but it was all fine. I even walked to MSG before the first show to double check it would be accepted. I didn’t want to risk showing up and getting turned away. That would have broken my heart! The guy I talked to was really nice and assured me I would be okay.

I went to a bar beside the venue to get a buzz from a couple of beers. A better idea than paying four times the price at MSG. It was a bit daunting going into a pub in NY by myself but I sat by the bar and nobody disturbed me or gave me funny looks for going solo. I was attracted to this place because there was lots of tables set up for only one or two people and ‘Rocket Man’ was playing inside when I came across it. I wasn’t the first in the queue this time around but I had no reason to rush as it was a seated event anyway. Nobody talked to me as I queued this time but I was quite happy with that, if I’m being perfectly honest. And the rain stayed off. I also didn’t buy anything from the merch stall, as I already had everything I wanted – or could justify buying. I took everything at a more leisurely pace but I did buy a hot dog this time around. I ate it in a corner, away from everyone else. I hadn’t been eating much on this trip but dipped in and out of cafes and takeaway places. I’m not totally comfortable eating at restaurants on my own and tipping can feel awkward at times. I tip everywhere else too but it’s usually simpler and feels less personal than tipping for table service.

Elton came on stage promptly around 8pm, like the night before. He doesn’t mess about. He rarely ever has opening acts and only invites guest stars on stage with him for special events, like during his 60th birthday concert (also at MSG). I bought the Blu-ray of that concert and it’s fantastic and very emotional. It’s clear he is loved by millions/trillions of people and one of the most impressive and influential musicians of all time. It is well worth a watch, if you’re a fan. He did some unusual songs during that performance too, including ‘Sixty Years On’, ‘Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun’, ‘Holiday Inn’ and ‘Roy Rogers’. Taron Egerton also sang alongside him at one of his shows shortly after ‘Rocketman’ was released. Maybe lockdown lessened the chances of guest stars appearing at his shows but hopefully he’ll have more celebrities join him on stage in the future. This is one of his most “special” shows of the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour and one he probably would have selected guest stars for if the circumstances were better. I would rather see Elton on his own but it is fun to think about who he would have asked to accompany him if he was given the chance.

The few seats either side of me were all empty until a group of guys interrupted ‘Have Mercy On The Criminal’ right before the loudest/best part of it. There were still some empty seats, so I shuffled a bit until I was completely central. There’s something very satisfying about facing the stage dead-on. There was a woman behind me who seemed to forget she was at a concert and talked the whole way through, about absolute rubbish. I felt like turning around and giving her a slap. I couldn’t block her out, no matter how hard I tried. It impacted my enjoyment, so the first night was definitely more fun for me. People were much more respectful the previous night but maybe that’s because we were nearer the front and paid more for our tickets. I can’t get over how disrespectful people can be. I’m sure she could have held off telling her friends about her latest socks purchase for a few more hours. A teenage boy (who might have been with her) kept hopping over the seats and commenting loudly on the performance. At least he was more on topic than she was, though I didn’t care to hear him discuss how off-key he thought ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ sounded. I didn’t agree, unless he meant he was singing it lower to match his current register.

Elton clarified this was indeed his last ever performance at MSG. He wrote on Instagram, ‘Quite a moment for me last night playing Madison Square Garden for the last time on tour, my favourite venue in the world and somewhere I’ve played over 70 times’, along with three photos from the night. This isn’t the first time he’s announced his retirement (far from it) but I think he might actually mean it this time. He told everyone there will be new musicians performing here who we will enjoy just as much. Nobody agreed! There was a murmur of disappointment and it was bittersweet experiencing his last show at his favourite venue. He teared up a few times throughout the night and some of the other band members appeared to, as well. It’s extremely impressive they have been performing together on and off since the early seventies and they are all still good friends – Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Ray Cooper, John Mahon, Matt Bissonette and Kim Bullard. They all received giant applause when Elton introduced each member of the band, like he does at every one of his shows. Ray Cooper seemed to get the biggest reaction but it was hard to tell. They are all beloved members of the band.

The setlist was the same as the night before and I imagine it will be like that for the next few months. I hope he changes it up for the later half of the tour as I’m already planning to see him a few more times. There are so many other songs of his I’d like to hear live. He said in his ‘Jewel Box’ book he would like to do smaller shows in the future where he will perform deep-cuts. I really hope that’s true, though he’s been touring most of his life and deserves a rest. Did you notice he said it’s the last time performing at Madison Square Garden “ontour”? He could still do a more special/private concert here. I’d like to think I saw his last ever performance here as that is one for the history books but you never know with Elton. The next time I see him will be in Swansea with my dad. I am already so excited for that. Bring on the summer!

GALLERY: